All Four Years, All Right Here!


All Four Years, All Right Here!
Providing access to college degrees at remote locations across Washington State is nothing new for Heritage University. In fact, when the college began 40 years ago, it started with classes being offered at its campus in Toppenish, as well as in the small, eastern Washington community of Omak. In 2013, the university added the Tri-Cities to its list of locations where transfer students could take the last two years of classes needed to turn their associate degrees into bachelor’s degrees.

This academic delivery model remained relatively unchanged over the years— until now. Starting fall semester 2023, Heritage will begin accepting freshman and sophomore students who want to do all four years of study at the university’s regional site opening in Kennewick.

The move to offer instruction to first- and second-year students in the Tri-Cities is a natural extension of the Heritage mission to make college accessible to anyone with the talent and drive to pursue a degree regardless of economics, culture, or geographic location, said President Andrew Sund.

“We see this expansion in the Tri-Cities as a chance to collaborate with other institutions, which has been a long-standing tradition in higher education,” he said. “We can work together and thereby serve the people in the Tri-Cities who come from many backgrounds. More choices for students are always better in higher education. Our goal is to increase the total number of students who graduate from college, not to move students from attending CBC or WSU Tri-Cities. Working together, we can increase the total college-going student population, and benefit the entire community.”

The expansion means the university is moving from its location on the Columbia Basin College campus in Pasco into its own facility in Kennewick. Heritage is leasing space in what was once the Tri-City Herald building, located on Canal Drive. The university will occupy parts of the building’s second floor, with classrooms, offices, a reception lobby, study spaces and a break area. The site was selected for its central location with easy access from all points in the Tri-Cities and proximity to services in downtown Kennewick.

Initially, Heritage will expand its existing regional site offerings, education, social work, criminal justice, psychology and accounting, into four-year offerings. Additionally, it will add a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration to its list of degrees that can be earned from start to finish at the regional location. Moreover, Tri-Cities students will have access to all classes and the 36 degree programs offered at its Toppenish campus.

“Students will have the opportunity to transfer seamlessly between campuses, and some classes may be offered in a hybrid format where classes are delivered both in-class and online between the two campuses. The linkage between the two campuses will present a tremendous range of possibilities for students to study in their field of interest,” said Sund.

Martín Valadez, the director of Heritage University’s regional site in the Tri-Cities, said the move will make it easier for students to achieve their goals of pursuing higher education.

“Many Tri-Cities students are raising their families as they work several jobs, and we know they will benefit from having this additional opportunity to earn a four-year degree close to home,” he said. “We are excited to play a larger role in the firmament of higher education in the Tri-Cities and be a part of the revitalization of downtown Kennewick.”  page9image37120368

The Gift of Gratitude

Perla Bolanos

The Gift of Gratitude
For this issue of Wings, we reached out to students and asked them to tell us about a pivotal moment in their life that had a profound effect on their views of themselves and their world. Perla Bolanos, a senior who is getting ready to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, submitted this essay.

I remember my first day of third grade in the United States—the thrill, excitement, uneasiness, and anxiety of the unknown. I wore one of my best dresses with shoes I had painted the night before to cover the scratches. My mother was so excited for me to start school she told me, “Vas a tener muchas amigas y vas a aprender mucho mi niña. – You’re going to have a lot of friends, and you’re going to learn a lot, my little girl.”

My mother brushed my hair so hard, putting it into a high ponytail with a bow, and used jugo de limon so my hair wouldn’t fall. With one last look in the mirror, I carried the backpack I had brought with me from Mexico and headed out on my way to live the “American Dream.”

The school was big and had lots of space to run and play. It was in one of the nicest neighborhoods in Salinas, California, where my godmother lived. She was the only reason I had the opportunity to attend that school in the first place. My parents, brother, and I lived in a small studio apartment behind one of my godmother’s restaurants outside the city. A small school was located a couple of blocks from my home, but my parents insisted on enrolling me in a “better school.” Everyone wanted me to receive a quality education, meet new people, learn, and get accustomed to my new home.

When I walked through the door into my classroom, the look on my third- grade teacher’s face was something I will never forget. She stared at my face, clothes, and shoes; she stared at me and who I was. She knew I was not like the usual students that attended her class, and she was right. I was far from being like her other students. Most of them were Caucasian. They were dressed in nice clothes and shoes, and I was just the girl coming from Mexico. I also saw the look on the faces of the other kids. They looked at me like I must be lost, like I didn’t belong there. After the teacher introduced me to the rest of the class, she guided me to the back of the room to a small desk with a chair surrounded by books, far from the rest of the students. As I took in my surroundings, I wondered how I went from being the top student in my school to being the “poor Mexican girl,” as my classmates called me. While the others were learning grammar and about the solar system, I was stuck relearning the alphabet and numbers, this time in English, despite already being taught all this when I was in Mexico.

When I grew tired of staring  at the same activities, I organized the stacks of books that surrounded me. I began losing myself in the pages of these books. One was my best friend, an English dictionary. This dictionary gave me the support my teacher and classmates could not give me. I found myself scanning through the pages, trying to memorize each word, and forming sentences that later would become pages of poems and stories I wrote. Creative writing became my escape and part of my identity. It helped me overcome the language barrier I encountered throughout my journey. The written word allowed me to express my feelings in this new language when I could not express them out loud.

I have mixed emotions when I reflect on my third-grade year. While I am sad for the little
girl who had to endure such an unpleasant school experience, I am immensely grateful for the love of learning I developed as those books surrounded me.

I came to realize that I could take control of my education, that the same little girl and the woman I am today are capable and resilient, and that education is a form of wealth that can never be taken away from me.

Today, I am a senior at Heritage University. Graduation is only a few weeks away. I cannot help but think about eight-year-old me and how far I have come from that third- grade classroom. Attending Heritage University brought me new perspectives into my life. I received an education that I once thought I did not deserve, along with numerous opportunities that have helped me grow as a scholar, professional, leader, and, most importantly, as a first- generation Latina.

My mother once told me, “Education es la unica herencia que te puede dar mija” “Education is the only heritage I can give you, Mija,” and it has been the greatest gift I have received.

It took me a long time to discover who I am and find my voice to express myself, my thoughts, and my visions. To this day, I wonder, “can I reach someone with my words? Can I make a difference?” While those are questions that remain to be answered, I know that as I move forward out into the professional world, I will keep the lessons I’ve learned close to my heart and will do my best to honor my mother’s words and all those who helped me along the way.

Pursuing higher education was always a dream, and now I live it. It is a new chapter— something I have yearned for. This is my American dream coming true. page12image37381888

The Storyteller

When Winona Wynn was one year old, her father took her to Yellowstone National Park. He pulled up under a cluster of pine trees, took her out of the car, and stood her on its hood. With his arms and the natural world both extending their embrace, his daughter took her first steps.

“My dad told me that when you take your first steps in the woods, you learn to walk in the woods as part of your whole being,”

Wynn said. “He embodied the traditions of our people and passed that spirituality and love on to me. It’s part of who I am today.”

In a life that has included significant personal challenges, Winona Wynn has been sustained and shaped by her spiritual worldview – as well as by something she’s always known would give her and her children a better life: education.

Blessed by her experiences, both the positive and the challenging, it’s been her privilege, she says, to pass on lessons learned.

As a Heritage University humanities professor, Wynn lives her commitment to the value of education. She believes part of her role as an educator is to ensure students know they are seen and heard as they take their first steps in the world of higher education.

Over 14 years of teaching, she’s built a classroom atmosphere that’s both interpersonal, focusing on communication between herself and her students, and intrapersonal, where the focus is reflective and empowering for the students themselves.

“Part of students’ education at Heritage needs to be about their journey toward recognizing their unique gifts and valuing their capacity to contribute,” she says. “That takes understanding and commitment from the people who are here. We share an obligation to lead them and teach them.

ADJUST YOUR MIND!

An enrolled member of the Assiniboine/Sioux Tribe of Ft. Peck, Montana, Wynn was raised in several geographic locations in what she calls a “reservation home.” Her father was a 30-year Air Force veteran, and although moves were frequent, she and her siblings remained connected to their roots through storytelling and visits when possible.

Dr. Winona Wynn leads students through a writing exercise in her University 101 class.

Her home life was complicated but interwoven with inspiration. She recalls her parents’ guidance.

“When our days and nights were tough, my dad would utter his favorite three words of advice, ‘Adjust your mind,’ and my mother would echo ‘This is a learning time. Let’s be grateful.’ I passed their wisdom on to my children.”

Wynn married at 21 and had four children. But it was a difficult relationship, and after years of documented domestic abuse, late one night, she left everything, took her children, and boarded a train to California to solicit support from her parents.

Working three jobs to support herself and her family, Wynn knew: Finding a way to continue the educational path she’d left behind was the only way to a better life.

It was during that time that she signed up for some life-changing classes at the local community college: Sociology and Psychology 101, and it was in those classes that she bonded with a determined group of students.

“We were all just starting out or starting over, and we were there for each other,” she says. “But not all of us made it.”

Of that handful of friends, only Wynn and one other would ultimately finish college. One became addicted to drugs, and another died by suicide.

“There were so many times during those challenging days that I told my children what my parents said: We’ve got people around us who don’t see any light, but we do.’”

A VISION FOR EDUCATION

Transitioning back to Washington, with her four children and a sister in tow, a better life began when Wynn enrolled at Eastern Washington University, and a friend asked her to attend a session about the McNair Scholars Program. If she applied and was accepted, it would mean support for her academic dreams.

During the selection process, “I just told them my truth: ‘I’m a single parent with a vision for education for myself and my children,’” Wynn says. “One of them believed in me. She said my determination, goals and vision convinced her, then she advocated for me to the others.”

That person, Dr. Karen McKinney, would be a guiding light in Wynn’s educational journey – her mentor for the next 12 years, as Wynn navigated her undergraduate program, graduate studies and pursuit of her Ph.D.

“My motivation always came from difficulty,” she says. “And the fact that I knew people who had come from similar trauma but managed to achieve.”

“It was in large part due to the people in my life – my parents, my college friends, Dr. McKinney, my children, my sister, and, even now, people here at Heritage – that I’ve persevered.”

“I’m thankful for what I’ve learned, for where I am, for all the people in my life. Being thankful lifts us up, inspires hope, and moves us beyond moments of incomprehensible grief, reminding us that each experience is a gift.”

A PURPOSE TOGETHER

For Wynn, gratitude and care for others translate into a desire to be present for her students. Upon entering Wynn’s classroom, each new student is warmly welcomed.

“For me, it’s like, ‘I’ve never met you, but I know we have a purpose together,’” she smiles.

Each first class starts with a “BioPoem” – a sort of biographical poem that students write about themselves. “It’s how we start talking about who we are. I ask them to write about what they believe, what they’re afraid of, what they hope for, and it becomes an authentic connection for our classroom learning community.”

Wynn has a quote about the humanities that she likes to share: “The humanities are our attempt to understand and communicate the human experience through language. They help us see the wider view of our lives.”

“Understanding our lives helps us to keep taking our steps,” she says. “That’s everything I want for my students.” page9image37120368

College in the Rainforest

Time at Brazil’s Ecological Reserve of Guapiaçu offers important lessons for Heritage students and their homelands.

There’s a place in Brazil where people from all around the world come to replant the rainforest, a little at a time.

They’re scientists, researchers, students and, sometimes, simply volunteer champions of the environment.

The place is Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA) – the Ecological Reserve of Guapiaçu – and for two weeks in January, it was a classroom and an adventure for Heritage University environmental sciences major Kayonnie Badonie and biology major Andrea Mendoza. The pair traveled there with their professor Alex Alexiades, associate professor of Natural Sciences.

Returning from this journey, the students brought back not souvenirs but vibrant memories – of experiences with rainforest inhabitants, scientists working on behalf of nature and the environment, and evolving personal stories about how their own work might benefit the world.

The experience was born of a sabbatical Alexiades did two years ago.

“From that trip, I knew I wanted to bring students here for tropical field and conservation experiences and, in future visits, have them conduct research,” Alexiades said.

In his seven years at Heritage, Alexiades has worked to make several indigenous and international exchange opportunities possible for students. The experiences are powerful tools for engagement, he said.

“Once students have experienced this environment and the work people do, they can think about its ramifications for the places they love and care about in their own communities.”

BATTLE FOR THE AMAZON

A 2.5-hour drive northwest of Rio de Janeiro, the Guapiaçu area is located on the border with the state of São Paulo in southeast Brazil.

It holds incredible biodiversity – the first reason Alexiades chose to work there. His second reason – the mission and the effort being made to return the area to its natural state and support its inhabitants, both human and non-human – is why he thinks it’s important to come back.

In the native Tupi language, Guapiaçu means “big spring of a river.” But the river here, like the rainforest that holds it, has been greatly altered, its banks laid bare for farming and grazing cattle, its flow in part channeled for human use, sometimes reinforced with concrete.

Surrounding land, once lush and green, has been logged, tree stumps burned, remaining vegetation removed to make room for subsistence farming and, in some areas, hydropower dams, mining and other development.

Where crops were once planted only to fail in the acidic and largely non-fertile soil, cattle graze on barren riverbanks, eating any remaining native plants, consuming grass almost as quickly as it can grow back.

Where natural forestation provided environmental balance, today’s riverbanks offer no resistance to the flooding that occurs almost daily during the months-long rainy season. Mudslides are common, and life is continually unsettled.

“What’s been allowed to happen to the rainforest disrupts everything from the ecology to the hydrology,” Alexiades said. “This is really an ongoing battle for tropical rainforests worldwide.”

THE REGUA SOLUTION

The REGUA land, owned by what had been a tobacco- and banana-growing family for several generations, comprises almost an entire watershed. Through an evolving commitment to protecting the biodiversity of the valley, recent owners saw the need to ensure the future of their community through reforestation. The majority of their land has now been replanted and reforested.

Efforts now also focus on land buys to conserve additional land. Eventually, they will reconnect the watershed all the way to the river’s mouth, about 65 miles south into the city of Niterói.

REGUA’s work has meant about 60 full-time jobs – from cooking and cleaning for visiting groups to the main work of tree planting – added to the local economy. It’s a model for engaging communities in tropical rainforests worldwide.

EXTENDING THE EFFORT

Relative to the immensity of the rainforest, the work being done at REGUA is small scale. Yet, Mendoza and Badonie learned it’s making a difference for the people, animals and plant life in the Guapiaçu area and has implications for other deforested areas of the Amazon.

“The restoration is not only helping to repair the river, it’s also bringing back important rainforest habitat that was once destroyed, and species are returning,” said Mendoza.

“It’s inspiring to know that if we work together with people, we can see a true change in this world for the better.”

Both students felt the hope the REGUA reserve could be for other areas in the rainforest, and that its work is making people’s lives better in the immediate area and downstream.

“What is being done in the REGUA vicinity is fascinating,” said Badonie. “It’s scientists, researchers, and passionate community members coming together to combat deforestation and land disturbance.

“I believe that this is a start for the forests and streams and a healthier environment.”

STUDENTS ABSORB LESSONS

There’s a community that’s formed with each set of scientists, researchers and students who come to work and study at REGUA. So when heavy January rains kept everyone from the intended data collection and tree planting, Badonie and Mendoza
got to spend invaluable time talking with and learning from the visiting ornithologists, entomologists, and mammalogists that surrounded them.

At day’s end, they’d gather, sharing photos of plant and animal life, watching trail cam videos. Beyond being awed by the color of birds, the size
of insects, and the sheer volume of rainforest sounds, the students were fascinated by the wealth of knowledge around them.

Two decades ago, working as a high-altitude mountaineering guide in the Andes, experiencing the mountains’ majesty and the regalness of the rainforest as well as its rampant destruction, the trajectory of Alexiades’s life was clarified. His immersion experiences steered him to acquire his master’s degree and his Ph.D. His goal now is to research the whole Guapiaçu watershed, comparing the quality of its water today with the improved water quality that’s certain to come.

Badonie, a Yakama tribal member with Navajo Nation roots, said her time at the reserve is already helping clarify her path.

“For me, it hits home because native lands were disturbed by agriculture, and that’s something from which we can never turn back. So if I can take something of what I’ve experienced to the tribes, that will mean a lot.”

Mendoza wants to teach science and inspire younger generations to enjoy it, pursue its study and change the world.

“I can tell them this is what I got to do in Brazil, to help people with their land and their lives,” she said. “This is what you can do in an internship.”

“I think I can inspire them, like I’ve been inspired. The world needs this work and the people who are doing it.” page5image47837584

Noted Seattle lawyer starts scholarship to help Native American and Latinx students at Heritage University pursue law degrees

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Noted Seattle lawyer starts scholarship to help Native American and Latinx students at Heritage University pursue law degrees.

Toppenish, Wash. – Arthur Dean Swanson, a Seattle-based lawyer, well respected in the state of Washington and throughout the United States, recently started a scholarship program at Heritage University to help Native American and Latinx students who plan to earn a law degree after graduation.

In the summer of 2022, a partnership between Washington’s three law schools, Seattle University School of Law, University of Washington School of Law, and Gonzaga University School of Law, and Heritage provided a 13-week course designed to make a law degree more accessible to Native American and Latinx students in central Washington. Titled the “Law School Admission Council Prelaw Undergraduate Scholars Program,” or LSAC PLUS Program and funded by the Law School Admission Council, it prepares students for the rigors of law school and a legal career. Mr. Swanson read about the LSAC PLUS Program in The Seattle Times and was inspired to start the scholarship with a $100,000 gift to Heritage. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a rising senior who plans to pursue a Juris Doctorate after graduation.

Mr. Swanson passed away in January, and now, his family is honoring his wishes by announcing the Arthur D. Swanson Scholarship at Heritage University. “When Arthur and I first started discussing how he could best support students, he related to me stories of his young life and law school experiences,” said David Wise, Heritage University VP of External Relations. “Those, coupled with his travels as a young man across several Indian reservations, convinced him of the nearly insurmountable odds students living on reservations have of earning a law degree. Students with very little frame of reference for the rigors of law school, let alone the financial resources to begin even exploring the possibility,” said Wise. “His resolve to shorten those odds resulted in the formation of this scholarship. He was so passionate about giving students the opportunity to become lawyers. We had plans for him to guest lecture on campus this coming summer. His passing is a crushing loss for all of us.”

Swanson was born April 19, 1934, in Onida, South Dakota, and his family moved to Long Beach, Washington. Art and his brother Don attended Valley High School in Menlo in Pacific County, Washington. Swanson graduated from Washington State University in 1956 after which he joined the United States Army. In 1963, he graduated from the University of Washington School of Law. He later served as a deputy prosecuting attorney in the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s office and as a Judge Pro-Tem in both Superior and District courts before opening his own practice. He was a past president for the Washington State Association for Justice, the Washington Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the Damage Attorneys Roundtable.

During his distinguished career, Swanson was a member of The American College of Trial Lawyers and has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America since 1991. He has been named a Washington Super Lawyer every year since 2003 and by Seattle Metropolitan magazine as one of Seattle’s Best Lawyers.

Mr. Swanson passed away on January 29, 2023, before the launch of the scholarship in his name. The Arthur D. Swanson Scholarship at Heritage University is open to additional contributions by visiting heritage.edu/donate, or by making a gift to the Office of Advancement at Heritage University, 3240 Fort Road, Toppenish, WA, 98948. The Arthur D. Swanson Scholarship will be awarded annually to Native American and/or Latinx senior-level students at the University who intend to pursue a law degree after graduation.

For more information, contact David Wise at wise_d@heritage.edu or (414) 788-0686.

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Heritage University to host Career Fair on April 13, 2023

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Heritage University to host Career Fair on April 13, 2023

Toppenish, Wash. – Yakima Valley job seekers will be able to connect with employers during the Heritage University Career Fair 2023 on Thursday, April 13, 2023. The Career Fair is free and open to the public.

Career Fair 2023 is a collaboration between Worksource Yakima and Heritage University. Representatives from 25 companies will be available to share career opportunities their firms have to offer. They will be recruiting for entry level and professional positions. The event will also help employers learn more about opportunities to host interns and work with academic programs at Heritage.

Organizations attending Career Fair 2023 include:

AgWest Farm Credit
Astria Health
Catholic Charities
Community Health of Central WA
Comprehensive Healthcare
Costco
DSHS – Developmental Disabilities Administration Community Residential Support
EPIC
Inspire Development Centers
Kent School District
Multicare Yakima Memorial
People For People
Prestige Care
SunComm
Tree Top
Toppenish School District
Triumph Treatment Services
Wapato Police Department
Wapato School District
Washington State Patrol
Yakima Chief Hops
Yakima County Department of Corrections
Yakima Neighborhood Health Services
Yakima Police Department
Yakima School District
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic
WorkSource

Attendees can also learn more about graduate-level programs offered by other institutions, including Eastern Washington University, University of Washington, and Seattle University among others.

The Student Affairs department at Heritage is sponsoring a free professional headshot booth, where all attendees can receive an instant professional photo.

Career Fair 2023 will be held Thursday, April 13, 2023, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Smith Family Hall, which is in the Arts and Science Center on Heritage University’s main campus in Toppenish. For more information, contact Ariana Villafan, TRIO Director/Career Fair Coordinator at (509) 865-8518 or Villafan_A@Heritage.edu.

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Heritage University to open new Tri-Cities location in Kennewick, Wash.

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Heritage University to open new Tri-Cities location in Kennewick, Wash.

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University President Andrew Sund, Ph.D., has announced that the university will open a new location in downtown Kennewick, Wash. and begin offering freshman classes to students. The new site will admit its first freshman cohort at the new location for the fall 2023 academic year. The fall semester begins on August 21, 2023.

For the past twenty years, Heritage University has operated a regional site in the Tri-Cities on the Columbia Basin College campus in Pasco, Wash. This site offers transfer students an opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degrees in education, social work, criminal justice, psychology, and accounting. The new location in Kennewick will expand instruction in those fields to also serve freshmen and sophomore students. Additionally, the university will add a bachelor’s degree in business administration at the new location. Students attending Heritage University Tri-Cities will also have access to the nearly 40-degree programs offered by the university, including the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Biology, Computer Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Mathematics taught at its campus in Toppenish, Wash. “Students will have the opportunity to transfer seamlessly between the Tri-Cities and Toppenish, and some classes may be offered in a hybrid format where classes are delivered both in-class and online between both locations. The linkage between Toppenish and Tri-Cities will present a tremendous range of possibilities for students to study in their field of interest,” said Dr. Sund.

President Sund says the university’s decision to offer instruction to incoming first-year students in the Tri-Cities is a natural extension of the institution’s mission to make college accessible to anyone with the talent and drive to pursue a degree regardless of economics, culture, or geography. “We see this expansion in the Tri-Cities as a chance to enhance our collaboration with other higher education institutions, which has been a long-standing tradition in higher education. Our partnership with Columbia Basin College has been mutually beneficial for 20 years and will continue. I believe that our relationship will only get stronger over time,” said Dr. Sund. “We can work together to serve the people in the Tri-Cities who come from many backgrounds. Providing more choices for students is always better in higher education. Our goal is to increase the total number of students who graduate from college. Together we can increase the total college-going student population to benefit the entire community.”

Martin Valadez, the director of Heritage University’s regional site in the Tri-Cities, said this expansion will make it easier for students to achieve their dreams of pursuing a college degree. “Many Tri-Cities students are raising their families as they work several jobs, and we know they will benefit from having this additional opportunity to earn a four-year degree close to home.”

The new Heritage University Tri-Cities site is headquartered at the former Tri-City Herald building at 333 W. Canal Drive in Kennewick. Heritage will occupy parts of the building’s second floor with classrooms, offices, a reception lobby, study spaces and a break area. Administrators chose this site for its central location with easy access from all points in the Tri-Cities and proximity to services in downtown Kennewick. Heritage University Interim Provost Melissa Hill, Ph.D., said. “We are excited to play a larger role in the landscape of higher education in the Tri-Cities and be a part of revitalizing downtown Kennewick.”

For more information, contact Martin Valadez at Valadez_M@Heritage.edu or (509) 430-1081 or Davidson Mance at Mance_D@Heritage.edu or (509) 969-6084.

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Heritage University to invest $250,000 in scholarships to prepare the next generation of K-12 principals in the Yakima Valley

 

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Heritage University to invest $250,000 in scholarships to prepare the next generation of K-12 principals in the Yakima Valley

Toppenish, WA – Heritage University is investing $250,000 in the next generation of experienced educators who aspire to leadership roles in K-12 school systems. The “Heritage University Educational Leaders Scholarship” will provide $5,000 to qualified educators who enroll in the university’s Principal Certification Program.

The demand for qualified school administrators has never been higher. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, many principals in the United States are expected to retire in the coming years, leaving a significant gap in leadership positions. Ken Bergevin, Ed.D., the Chair of Educational Administration at Heritage University, said the university wants to help school districts hire the professionals needed to lead their schools. “We know that demand for qualified principals in small towns is acute,” said Dr. Bergevin. “Through Heritage University, these educators can become certified as a principal in as few as ten months with a program designed to meet their career goals.”

Bergevin said Heritage’s innovative, blended delivery model ensures that candidates receive the benefit of a live cohort model with minimal travel required. “The only way to build and practice critical collaborative relationships is to learn from a diverse statewide cohort,” said Bergevin. “Our instructors include superintendents, assistant superintendents, and principals with years of experience in the field. Our program is designed to provide ongoing, individualized support for students and their mentors.”

“Our Principal Certification Program provides participants with the necessary knowledge, skills, and practical experience to become successful school leaders,” said Heritage University President Andrew Sund, Ph.D. “And with our investment in scholarship support, we are committed to ensuring that the program is accessible to all who want to pursue this path.”

The $250,000 scholarship investment from Heritage University will be distributed over the next several years to support students who are pursuing a Principal Certification. Educators admitted into the Heritage program will automatically receive the scholarship. “While open to all educational leaders, this scholarship opportunity represents the Heritage University mission to support leaders who come from our diverse communities,” said Bergevin.

Participants who successfully complete the program will be eligible for Washington State Principal Certification. Applications for the Principal Certification Program are now being accepted. Interested candidates can learn more about the program and apply online by visiting the Heritage University website or by contacting the College of Education at (509) 865-8650. This new cohort will begin their studies in August 2023.

For more information, contact Ken Bergevin at (661) 472-5819 or Bergevin_K@Heritage.edu or Davidson Mance at (509) 969-6084 or Mance_D@Heritage.edu.

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Heritage University receives $350,000 grant award from Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity

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Heritage University receives $350,000 grant award from Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University today announced it is among 71 awardees that received a grant from Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity, which mobilizes financial resources for organizations focused on non-clinical interventions that affect a person’s health. Commonly known as the social determinants of health, these factors include an individual’s physical, social, cultural, and economic environment.

The grants, which total $22.7 million and will be disbursed over two years, were awarded with funding from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the AbbVie Foundation, and Eli Lilly and Co. to support underserved communities across the United States.

Heritage University received $350,000 from the Fund for Health Equity for its work to increase the number of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, (and) People of Color) students who achieve a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in the Yakima Valley.

“We are pleased to bolster the indispensable work of Heritage University and other grassroots organizations striving to reduce disparities and increase equity in vulnerable populations across the United States,” said Dr. Byron Scott, MD, MBA, Co-Chair of the Fund for Health Equity and Board Director of Direct Relief and Chair of its Medical Advisory Council. “It is a privilege to promote and support these organizations that are deeply connected to the communities they serve, know best what their patients and communities need, and the most effective means of providing it.”

Andrew Sund, Ph.D., President of Heritage University, expressed gratitude to Direct Relief for the funds to ensure Heritage’s efforts to contribute to a diversified nursing workforce. “A nursing workforce that closely represents the diverse makeup of the community it serves is able to provide culturally-sensitive healthcare that promotes recovery from trauma or illness to its patients,” said Dr. Sund.

The organizations in the latest round of funding were chosen for their efforts to enhance workforce diversification, reduce health disparities, and expand innovative models of care. A full list of winners can be found here.

The awardees were selected by the Fund for Health Equity’s Advisory Council, which includes the following members:

Co-Chair Regina Benjamin, MD, MBA, 18th U.S. Surgeon General of the United States, Founder Bayou Clinic, Inc.

Co-Chair Byron Scott, MD, MBA, Board Director of Direct Relief and Chair of its Medical Advisory Council

Martha Dawson, DNP, MSN, RN, FACHE, President and CEO President of the National Black Nurses Association, Associate Professor the University of Alabama at Birmingham

Jane Delgado, Ph.D., MS, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health

Gail Small, JD, Head Chief Woman, a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe

Since the start of the Fund in 2021, more than $42.5 million has been provided to support 149 organizations across the U.S.

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Educational Service District 105 & Heritage University receive federal grant funds to implement a local Master in Social Work program

Educational Service District 105 (ESD 105) and Heritage University will partner to implement the Yakima Grow Your Own Consortium to offer a Master in Social Work program, focused on school-based social work and mental health.

This new program is intended to help support the great need in our region to fill mental health provider positions by ensuring that local students who are interested in practicing school-based social work and mental health therapy, have access to high-quality programming while remaining close to their communities.

“There are a tremendous number of unfilled mental health provider positions in our region. Training more students who are from our community and will stay and serve our community will go a long way to meeting this need.” said Dr. Andrew Sund, President, Heritage University.

“Heritage University has a strong Bachelor of Social Work Program, but graduates have limited access to in-person MSW programs in Eastern Washington. Because our graduates are so committed to living and working here near their families, going away to graduate school is a barrier for many. This program will train our future social workers to serve children and families in the same communities that they themselves were raised in. We know that they are committed to supporting and improving the lives of the children and families right here. This program will have a lasting effect on the well-being of our region,” said Corey Hodge, Interim Vice President of Student Affairs/ Chair, Social Work Program.

The opportunity to implement this new Master program comes with the announcement that ESD 105 is one of two organizations within Washington State to be awarded with a Mental Health Service Professional Grant through the Department of Education, the other being the University of Washington. This five year grant will provide $1,108,985 annually to support the Yakima Grow Your Own Consortium.

Both organizations will play integral roles in the design, implementation and delivery of this new programming. While Heritage University will be designing the coursework and offering the degree, ESD 105 will be partnering with local school districts to oversee internships. These unique internships will allow program students the opportunity to gain skills in social work and clinical mental health therapy in a school setting. School districts partnering with ESD 105 to host internships include Union Gap, Wapato, Toppenish, Mt. Adams, Granger, Mabton, Grandview, Royal and Wahluke.

This “grow your own” consortium, which has the support of the Yakama Nation, seeks to open pathways for candidates from historically underrepresented groups, such as those who identify as Indigenous and/or Hispanic/Latino. Of this new offering, Emily Nelson, ESD 105 students support director, who will supervise the grant implementation, states, “We believe that representation in school and clinical settings has a positive impact on the success of our Pre-K to 12th grade students. Through the Yakima Grow Your Own Consortium, we seek to help build a more diverse workforce that reflects and connects with our growing student population. We are excited to support the growth of professionals in our region and to help address the workforce shortage in mental health and social work that impacts access to care. ”

Yakima Grow Your Own Consortium is expected to begin enrolling students in Spring 2024.

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About ESD 105:

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ESD 105 supports 25 public school districts and more than 20 state-approved private and tribal schools in South Central Washington. The agency serves the expressed needs of those schools in coordinating and conducting cooperative programs to benefit the approximately 68,000 K-12 students who are served in Kittitas and Yakima counties and portions of Grant and Klickitat counties. As one of nine ESDs in the state, ESD 105 carries out liaison activities between local school districts, the Washington State Office of Public Instruction, and the State Board of Education.

About Heritage University:

Heritage University is a non-profit, independent, regionally accredited institution of higher education offering undergraduate and graduate education across the state of Washington. Rooted in the homeland of the Yakama Nation, we embrace transformational student-centered education that cultivates leadership and a commitment to the promotion of a more just society. Visit our website, www.heritage.edu.