Heritage University announces 2019 Moccasin Lake Foundation Scholarship recipients

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Heritage University announces 2019 Moccasin Lake Foundation Scholarship Recipients

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University is proud to announce the 2019-20 academic year recipients of the Moccasin Lake Foundation Scholarship. This year’s cohort and their high schools or programs are as follows:

Elian Coria Brito – Granger High School
Heidy Lemus – Sunnyside High School
Arely Padilla – West Valley High School
Paola Villanueva – Sunnyside High School
Alejandra Morales – GED Program at Heritage University

The Moccasin Lake Foundation Scholarship, first awarded in 2018, is Heritage University’s most competitive scholarship.  It provides for the full cost of attendance, including tuition, books, and room and board for up to four years of study to earn a bachelor’s degree in any of the university’s more than 40-degree programs. The scholarship is awarded annually to five incoming students.  This year’s cohort will join last year’s inaugural cohort. In two years, and in perpetuity, there will be a cohort of 20 Moccasin Lake Foundation Scholars on campus in any given year.

Many of the recipients, including Heidy Lemus of Sunnyside High School, learned she received the scholarship during a surprise visit to her school by Heritage admissions counselors accompanied by several of her family members. “I was so happy to learn I received the Moccasin Lake Foundation Scholarship! I worked so hard to earn this opportunity,” said Lemus.

The Moccasin Lake Foundation is a private not-for-profit organization which seeks to enrich Northwest communities through its charitable contributions. Lisa P. Anderson, President of the Moccasin Lake Foundation, says the endowment created at Heritage by the foundation will provide scholarship funding for deserving students for generations.  “I’m excited to watch these students grow, learn, and graduate,” said Anderson. “It will be very rewarding to then see the amazing things they accomplish in their careers and their lives for the good of their communities.”

Dr. Andrew Sund, President of Heritage University, says he is enthusiastic about the opportunity this scholarship presents to students.  “This gift makes college possible for these five deserving students, and for that, we are truly thankful. It is the generosity of our entire family of supporters that allows us to make higher education accessible to so many promising individuals in our valley. We are grateful for each and every gift- together we are transforming the lives of students, their families and the communities in which they live.”

For more information, contact David Mance, Media Relations Coordinator at (509) 969-6084 or Mance_D@heritage.edu.

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Heritage University to hold 37th annual Commencement at Yakima Valley SunDome

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Heritage University to Hold 37th Annual Commencement at
Yakima Valley SunDome

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University will celebrate the Class of 2019 during the 37th Commencement Exercise Saturday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m. at the Yakima Valley SunDome. Undergraduate and graduate students from the Yakima Valley and the Tri-Cities will participate in the ceremony.  Overall, 363 students will earn their degrees at Heritage this year.

Justice Steven Gonzalez will be the commencement speaker. Mr. Gonzalez was appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court on January 1, 2012, and has been elected to six-year terms in 2013 and 2019. Before joining the Supreme Court, Justice Gonzalez served for ten years as a trial judge on the King County Superior Court hearing criminal, civil juvenile, and family law cases. Justice Gonzalez has also served as Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Washington, a domestic violence prosecutor for the city of Seattle, and in private practice at a Seattle law firm.

Justice Gonzalez earned his B.A. with Honors in East Asian Studies from Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif. and his J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law. He’s received honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2011 and the University of Puget Sound in 2015. Gonzalez has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the “Golden Scarf” from the Seattle Sounders FC, and “Judge of the Year” awards from the Washington State Bar Association, the Washington Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the Asian Bar Association of Washington in 2011.

Heritage University will present the 2019 Violet Lumley Rau Outstanding Alumnus Award to Maria Villalobos-Bevins. Maria is one of Heritage University’s earliest students. She graduated with a Master of Education in Professional Development in 1986. Through her lifetime, Maria has had a significant impact on the people of the Yakima Valley through her professional and volunteer work. As an educator, she nurtured children’s natural curiosity and helped hundreds become life-long learners throughout her 26-year teaching career. Through her volunteer work, she has helped heal bodies and souls both as a translator working with physicians at the Union Gospel Mission and as a visiting preacher working with women incarcerated at the Yakima County jail. Maria is also part owner of Hispanavision and leads a weekly television program that airs on several of the station’s channels.

Heritage will announce the recipients of the Board of Directors’ Academic Excellence Award and the President’s Council Student Award of Distinction during the ceremony.

The Yakima Valley SunDome is located at 1301 South Fair Ave. in Yakima. Parking is free. Additional information is available online at  http://www.heritage.edu/Community/2018-Commencement.

For more information, contact David Mance, media relations coordinator at (509) 969-6084 or Mance_D@Heritage.edu.

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The 36th annual Heritage University commencement held May 5, 2018 at the SunDome in Yakima, Wash. (GORDON KING/Gordon King Photography)

Renowned author Sandra Cisneros to visit Heritage University

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Renowned author Sandra Cisneros to visit Heritage University

Toppenish, Wash. – Renowned author Sandra Cisneros will be a guest of Heritage University as she visits the Yakima Valley on April 16, 2019, and meets with students from Heritage and area high schools. Cisneros will give a reading and books signing from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Smith Family Hall located in the Arts and Sciences Center. Cisneros will also give a presentation at the Yakima Valley Museum from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. All events mentioned are open to the public.

Cisneros is a poet, short story writer, novelist, essayist, performer, and artist whose work explores the lives of the working-class. Her classic, coming-of-age novel, The House on Mango Street, has sold over six million copies and has been translated into over twenty languages. Her numerous awards include NEA fellowships in both poetry and fiction, the Texas Medal of the Arts, a MacArthur Fellowship, several honorary doctorates and national and international book awards, including Chicago’s Fifth Star Award, the PEN Center USA Literary Award, the Fairfax Prize, and the National Medal of the Arts awarded to her by President Obama in 2016. Most recently, she received the Ford Foundation’s Art of Change Fellowship, was recognized among The Frederick Douglass 200, and won the PEN/Nabokov Award for international literature.

This won’t be Sandra Cisneros’s first appearance at Heritage; in 2009 she accepted an invitation by then-President Dr. Kathleen Ross snjm to visit the campus and speak to students. Both Cisneros and Sister Kathleen are MacArthur Foundation Fellows and began a friendship in the 90s which continues today.

For more information contact Melissa Hill, interim vice president for Student Affairs at (509) 865-8500 ext. 5807 or hill_m@heritage.edu.

 

Heritage University hosts Career and Education Job Fair

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Heritage University hosts Career and Education Job Fair 2019

 

Toppenish, Wash. – An upcoming event at Heritage University will connect Yakima Valley job seekers with more than 30 employers. The Career and Education Job Fair 2019 is free and open to the public and will also allow companies to explore internship and job shadowing opportunities for Heritage University students and academic programs.

 

Confirmed participants to this year represent a wide range of industries, including education, healthcare, agriculture, and others. They include Astria Health, Comprehensive Health Care, EPIC, Legends Casino Hotel, Virginia Mason Memorial, Yakama Forest Products, Yakima Chief Hops, several area school districts, and many more.

 

The Career and Education Job Fair 2019 is a collaboration between WorkSource Yakima and Heritage University and will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2019, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Smith Family Hall located in the Arts and Science Center on Heritage University’s main campus in Toppenish.

 

Employers interested in participating in the event should contact Heather Collins, Business Solutions Specialist for WorkSource Yakima County at (509) 574-0182 or hcollins@esd.wa.gov. For more information, contact Melissa Hill, interim vice president for Student Affairs, at (509) 865-0411 or hill_m@heritage.edu.​

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Heritage University hosts 3rd Annual All Nations Student Powwow

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Heritage University students bringing successful powwow back to campus for third year

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University’s two Native American student clubs are bringing the successful All Nations Student Powwow back to campus for a third year. This year’s powwow will take place Saturday, April 13, 2019.

“The powwow is a great way to showcase the rich culture of the Yakama people, and share it with the community, said Brenda Lewis, president of the American Indigenous Business Leaders (AIBL) of Heritage University chapter. “We are honored that more and more people come out each year to celebrate with us and to experience a bit of the cultural traditions that we hold close to our hearts.”

Central to the powwow are the dance and drumming competitions. Registration for the competitions opens at 10:00 a.m. The event officially kicks off with the Grand Entry at 11:00 a.m. Men and women of all ages – from tiny tots to seniors over 55 – will compete in traditional, fancy, and grass for men and jingle for women dance competitions. Several honor dances and intertribal dances, where people from every culture are invited to participate, are also planned.

Local drum group Chute #8 will serve as Head Drum. Heritage University board member and long-time supporter Arlen Washines, deputy director for Yakama Nation Human Services, and Clayton Chief from the Ministikwan Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada will serve as masters of ceremonies. Casey Wallahee will be the Arena Director and Karen Umtuch will serve as the Whip Woman.

In addition to the drum and dance competitions taking place in the arena, various other cultural activities will go on throughout the day, including a stick game demonstration, storytelling and basket weaving demonstrations. Shoppers can enjoy handcrafted Native and western arts as well as enjoy food from a variety of vendors. Rounding out the day will be a hosted evening meal at 5:00 p.m. prepared by the Toppenish Longhouse.

The Powwow is a free event and open to the public. It is presented by AIBL and the Heritage University Native American Club (HUNAC). Vendor applications are still being accepted. For more information, visit heritage.edu/powwow or call (509) 865—8588.

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Science Olympiad Event returns to test young minds’ collaborative, competitive skills

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Science Olympiad Event Returns to YVC to Test Young Minds’ Collaborative, Competitive Skills

Yakima, WA – Middle school students from throughout Central Washington will once again show off their scientific skills during the 7th annual South Central Washington Science Olympiad (SCWSO) Regional Tournament on Saturday, January 26, 2019.

This isn’t the typical science fair where kids create and show their own separate projects; instead, the Science Olympiad brings together teams of students for group competition. Each team has 15 competing members and will form small groups for each of the 23 competition events. These events include building and testing battery-powered buggies and elastic launched gliders and conducting experiments in chemistry, anatomy and herpetology. The teams with the top overall score will move onto the state competition in April; with the winner of that competition moving on to the national event in May.

“This is an event that teaches kids to collaborate and compete in science projects at the same time,” says Cresanna Zintzun, tournament co-director and adjunct faculty at Heritage University. “It also fosters the study of and engagement in science throughout the year.”

The Science Olympiad is a national program that started more than 30 years ago, and has been held in Washington state for more than two decades. Before 2013, teams from Central Washington had to travel to Spokane or Western Washington to compete. The event is being presented jointly by the three Yakima Valley colleges and universities: Heritage University, Yakima Valley College (YVC) and Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU).

“In more than 20 STEM-related events, middle school students from central WA will test their creativity, preparation and knowledge at the 7th annual SCWSO tournament. We expect a day of big achievements for small scientists in the making,” said Matthew Loeser, president of the SCWSO board of directors and a YVC biology instructor.

The Science Olympiad State Organization awarded $1,000 towards the regional tournament at YVC, which will be held in Glenn Anthon Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Teams from schools in the Yakima, West Valley and Kennewick school districts as well as a private school in Yakima are expected to participate.

You can learn more about Science Olympiad online at www.washingtonscienceolympiad.com.

For more information, contact:

Matthew Loeser, (509) 574-4858 or mloeser@yvcc.edu

Diana Rhodes, (509) 249-7737 or drhodes@pnwu.edu

Cresanna Zintzun, (509) 865-8558 or Zintzun_C@heritage.edu

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Comments sought for Heritage University accreditation

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Its accreditation status was most recently reaffirmed in spring 2014 after the acceptance of the university’s three-year evaluation.

On April 8 – 10, 2019, NWCCU’s accreditation evaluation team will be visiting Heritage University to confirm and verify the content of the university’s Mission Fulfillment and Sustainability Self-Evaluation Report through collegial and compliance peer review and feedback for continuous improvement. As part of the process, Heritage University invites third party entities to submit their signed, written comments to:

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
8060 165thAvenue NE, Suite 100
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 558-4224

Comments must be received by the Commission no later than March 8, 2019. The NWCCU will consider all comments in regard to Heritage University’s qualifications for accreditation. All signed comments will be forwarded, as received, to Heritage University, the evaluation committee, and the Commission.

To obtain a copy of Commission Policy A-5, Public Notification and Third Party Comments Regarding Full-Scale Evaluations go to www.nwccu.org  and visit either the Standards and Policies or the Operational Policies links on the website, or contact the Commission office at (425) 558-4224.

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Heritage University Announces Fall 2018 Dean’s List

Toppenish, Wash. –  The following are students who earned a place on the Heritage University Dean’s List for the fall 2018 semester.  To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must be full-time, matriculated undergraduates who have earned semester grade point averages of 3.5 or better.

 

Marixa Abacara-Perez, Kennewick Josue Aguilar, Yakima Gissell Aguilar, Sunnyside
Amalia Akagi, yakima Clarisa Alcala, Buena Paulina Alcala, Yakima
Sonia Allende, Pasco Danielle Almanza, Granger Lorena Alvarez, Wapato
Yessyca Alvarez, Grandview Yanett Alvarez, Yakima Eilee Andujo, Prosser
Elizabeth Arellano, Toppenish Rosalinda Arreola, Toppenish Alonso Arroyo, Wapato
Alejandra Arteaga, Yakima Emma Avalos, Yakima Marisol Avila, Toppenish
Alexys Ayala, Buena Maria Ayala, Toppenish Jeremiah Baker, Toppenish
Regina Baker, Toppenish Michelle Barba, Yakima Nadine Bare, Kennewick
Sabrina Bare, Kennewick Teresa Barnes, Richland Elizabeth Benitez, Kennewick
Esther Bermudez, Kennewick Jeanne Blakeman, Pasco Cristina Blanco, Sunnyside
Zaireth Borges Zamora, Yakima Justin Burke, Yakima Daisy Bustamante Orduno, Granger
Juan Cabrera-Santos, Buena Jennifer Cantu, Prosser Roma Cantu, Toppenish
Alexandra Cardenas, Toppenish Brenda Cardona, Mattawa Janette Cardona, Mattawa
Jenny Careaga, West Richland Delia Castanon, Wapato Leslie Castillo, Sunnyside
Erica Castro, Wapato Zachary Catron, Wapato Noelia Causor, Yakima
Rosalinda Ceja Navarro, Sunnyside Jocelyn Celis Torres, Wapato Jennifer Cervantes, Toppenish
Kevin Cervantes, Pasco Lizbeth Chavez, Pasco Diana Chavez Cerda, Yakima
Ruben Chino Bustamante, Toppenish Heather Christensen, Richland Ana Cisneros Chavez, Outlook
Shelby Clark, White Swan Heather Collins, Zillah Gardenia Contreras-Vazquez, Sunnyside
Grace Corning, Benton City Melissa Correa, Pasco Esmeralda Correa, Pasco
Guadalupe Cortes, Wapato Kristina Cortez, Moxee Almarosa Cortez, Wapato
Veronica Cruz, Sunnyside Estefani Cruz, Wapato Stefany Cuaspud Guevara, Kennewick
Kathryn Curtiss, Toppenish Ashley Davis, Naches Xavier Day, Toppenish
Connie Delacruz, Yakima Cynthia Deleon, Toppenish Fatima Delgado, Toppenish
Esperanza Delgado, Toppenish Paige Delp, Yakima Jesus Diaz, Zillah
Keila Diaz, Granger Irvin Diaz, Yakima Josue Diaz, Mesa
Maria Diaz, Zillah Rylie Dixon, Kennewick Amanda Donelson, Kennewick
Sara Duran, Wapato Crecenciana Espinoza, Pasco Jocelyne Espinoza, Wapato
Kaylyn Fairchild, Pasco Krisana Fernandez, Sunnyside Flor Fernandez-Mendoza, Mattawa
Cristy Fiander, Wapato Jose Figueroa-Orduno, Grandview Spencer Fisher, Richland
Artemio Flores, Toppenish Stephanie Flores-landin, Yakima Hector Franco Velazquez, Granger
Anabel Garcia, Pasco Evelyn Garcia, Wapato Leticia Garcia, Granger
Esmeralda Garcia, Wapato Rosa Garcia, Kennewick Victoria Garcia, Pasco
Marlenne Garibay, Sunnyside Anali Garibay, Pasco Kimberling Garibay, Sunnyside
Kimberly Garibay Zapien, Toppenish Dorothy Garwood, Prosser Anahi Garza, Richland
Delia Garza, Pasco Lindsy Gatewood, Pasco Nicole Glatt, Burbank
Lesly Gomez, Yakima Tania Gomez, Pasco Rhiannon Gonzales, Yakima
Diana Gonzalez, Kennewick Noe Gonzalez, Toppenish Alfonso Gonzalez-Colin, Yakima
Amanda Goodman, Pasco Heidy Granados Lopez, Kennewick Ashley Grego, Richland
Shelby Groth, Selah Brenda Guadarrama, Granger Isaias Guerrero, Outlook
Estefania Guerrero Angel, Granger Yazmine Guido, Yakima Eva Guizar, Kennewick
Alissa Gutierrez, Yakima Melissa Gutierrez, Granger Melissa Guzman, Pasco
Alexis Guzman, Pasco Martha Guzman, Yakima Yuli Guzman, Yakima
Kori Haubrich, Sunnyside Anna Hempel, Kennewick Mayra Hermosillo, Prosser
Elena Hernandez, Wapato Lizbeth Hernandez, Yakima Xochitl Hernandez, Pasco
Tracie Hicks, Kennewick Savannah Hill, Wapato Christina Holland, Kennewick
Chaelee Hudson, Yakima Kasey Hutto, Kennewick Ricardo Iriarte, Yakima
Yasmin Islas Martinez, Yakima Jason Janovitch, Pasco Kaneeta Jeffery- Zack, Zillah
Samanta Jimenez, Pasco Miguel Juarez, Yakima Alondra Juarez, Wapato
Ekman Kaur, Kennewick April Kent, Toppenish Wendy Kleppin, West Richland
Valentyn Konko, Kennewick Viktoriia Konko, Kennewick Michael Kummer, Kennewick
Rachel LaBelle, Benton city Maria Lara, Pasco Maria Lechuga, Wapato
Shiraz Lefeber, Pasco Yovana Leyva Carmona, Wapato Ilse Leyva Manzanarez, Yakima
Idalis Licea, Zillah Andres Lima Elias, Othello Mark Litka, Richland
Brittany Loeken, Yakima Yesenia Lopez, Wapato Maria Lopez, Wapato
Elvira Lopez, Toppenish Yezie Lopez Perez, Yakima Reina Luna, Wapato
Daisy Luna, Wapato Jeffery Lybbert, Toppenish Jennifer Macias, Toppenish
Claudia Madrigal, Pasco Yareli Madrigal Luna, Pasco Marlene Magana, Sunnyside
Herminia Magdaleno, Yakima Edgar Maranon, Wapato Ana Marquez, Grandview
Rosalinda Marquez, Toppenish Cooper Martin, Yakima Daisy Martinez, Wapato
Natalie Martinez, Sunnyside Dulce Martinez, Sunnyside Andrea Martinez-Santiago, Toppenish
Christina Mattson, Richland Stephanie Maybee, Selah Sara McColloch, Pasco
Shaunacy McMurray, Yakima Ashlee Mearns, Kennewick Judit Medina, Kennewick
David Mejia, Yakima Stephanie Mendoza, Mabton Yesenia Mendoza, Mattawa
Jazmin Mendoza, Pasco Daniel Mendoza, Toppenish Karen Mendoza, Prosser
Cassandra Mercado, Pasco Jheymy Mercado-Covarrubias, Yakima Rebecca Meza, Sunnyside
Celine Michael, Yakima Jennifer Mitchell, Kennewick Gladys Monroy, Pasco
Priscila Montiel, Yakima Brenda Montoya-Roman, Yakima Ana Morales, Toppenish
Domitila Morales, Pasco Lizbeth Morales Perez, Toppenish Gabriela Moreno, Toppenish
Eva Morfin, Kennewick Kaitlin Morris, Richland James Muggli, Kennewick
Guadalupe Navarro, Sunnyside Thuan-Thien Nguyen, Pasco Edith Noriega, Sunnyside
Arlene Olea, Sunnyside Meaghan Oliver, Richland Rosa Olvera, Pasco
Lorena Ornelas, Sunnyside Esther Osorio, Toppenish Rebecca Ozuna, Toppenish
Karina Padilla, Yakima Carlos Paniagua, Sunnyside Mary Pantoja, Yakima
Seong Park, Yakima Shane Parkhurst, Kennewick Yolanda Penaloza, Mabton
Marcelo Penaloza, Toppenish Ana Perez, Pasco Hunter Perez, Kennewick
Carmen Perez, Grandview Sabrina Persinger, Pasco Eric Philipp-Petrick, Yakima
Kelsey Picard, Seatac Diana Picazo Villanueva, Outlook Allison Platsman, Sunnyside
Oscar Ponce, Harrah Carlos Prado, Yakima Katherine Priddy, Goldendale
Daisy Quinones, White Swan Laura Quintana, Union Gap Lezly Quintanilla, Yakima
Viridiana Ramirez, Pasco Briceida Ramos, Grandview Olivia Ramos Alvarez, Kennewick
Lazaro Ramos Aragon, Walla Walla Rosa Rangel, Wapato Anyssa Rebollero, Yakima
Joshua Rein, Wapato Shealynn Reuther, Wapato Alfredo Reyes, Granger
Gloria Reyes, Granger Anitramarina Reyna, Yakima Andrea Rhode, Zillah
Amy Richter, Pendleton Rosa Rios, Moxee Abigail Rivera, Zillah
Candelaria Rivera, Mabton Maria Rivera, Yakima Timothy Roa, Wapato
Morgan Roberts, Kennewick Hunter Roberts, Yakima Ellie Robins, Selah
Eileen Rodriguez, Pasco Adriana Rodriguez, Kennewick Andrea Rodriguez, Toppenish
Heidy Rodriguez, Wapato Jesus Rodriguez, Granger Liliana Roman, Grandview
Sarah Romano, Richland Juan Romero, Zillah Erika Romero-Vargas, Pasco
Dalia Romo Pinon, Sunnyside Leidy Rosales, Pasco Eva Rosenow, Kennewick
Rosario Ruiz, Yakima Jose Salcedo, Granger Renee Saldana, Yakima
Mayra Sanchez, Kennewick Danielle Sauceda, Pasco Johnathan Schab, Prosser
Erika Scheel, Meridian Margaret Sewell, Yakima Blaine Shearer, Zillah
Jeniya Slutskaya, Kennewick Gerardo Soto, Zillah Maria Soto-Galvan, Yakima
Hunter Strickland, Richland Christy Taylor, Othello Autumn Teegarden, Yakima
Destiney Theisen, Kennewick Stephanie Tolley, Othello LisaLyn Tormey, Yakima
Jose Torres, Outlook Omar Torres, Sunnyside Jonay Torres, Pasco
Yanet Torres, Zillah Maribel Torres, Kennewick James Torres, Grandview
Alejandra Treece, Zillah Anthony Tzib, Prosser Daisy Vaca, Wapato
Victoria Valdez, Toppenish Cecilia Valdivia, Yakima Maria Valencia, Toppenish
Anakaren Valenzuela, Toppenish Elizabeth Van Corbach, Sunnyside Brenda Vasquez, Toppenish
Veronica Vigil, Yakima Maurita Villafan, Toppenish Julia Villagomez, Toppenish
Eva Villalba-Arevalo, Prosser Maria Villanueva, Yakima Allyssa Villanueva-Guillen, Grandview
Citlaly Villegas, Wapato Arcelia Virgen, Wapato Cecilia Vizcaino de la Mora, Yakima
Dawn Waheneka, Wapato Kyle Wandling, Pasco Mette Warnick, Richland
Katie Wentz, WhiteSwan Shelby White, Burbank Devin Williams, Kennewick
Janae Williams, Kennewick John Williams, Kennewick Kaitlyn Wormington, Kennewick
Jasmine Yellow Owl, Zillah Valentin Zaragoza, Zillah Ruby Zarate, Moxee

 

Heritage University faculty member named ‘Distinguished Nurse of the Year’

Heritage University faculty member named Distinguished Nurse of the YearAnita shoup

Toppenish, Wash. – The March of Dimes’ Washington state chapter has named Heritage University Assistant Nursing Professor Anita Shoup as Distinguished Nurse of the Year. With this award, the March of Dimes recognizes Dr. Shoup for having a lasting positive impact on the nursing profession in Washington state.

Dr. Shoup has nearly 40 years of experience as a clinical nurse specialist and is a founding member of the Washington State Council of Perioperative Nurses, an organization now in its 28thyear. Dr. Christina Nyirati, the director of the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program at Heritage, said Shoup has played an important role in developing, implementing and evaluating the BSN’s curriculum. “The dedication she’s shown in working as a nurse, influencing healthcare policy and training our students for excellence in nursing makes her a perfect choice for recognition as Distinguished Nurse of the Year,” said Nyirati.

Dr. Shoup, Dr. Nyirati and sixteen BSN students from Heritage attended the March of Dimes ceremony in Seattle last month where Shoup received the award. “While I was surprised, humbled and honored to win, I felt it was more important that the students who were there got the chance to engage in professional networking and celebrate outstanding nurses who care for patients day in and day out,” said Dr. Shoup.

Anita Shoup joined Heritage University in 2015 as an assistant professor of nursing and the coordinator of simulation and experiential learning. In addition to overseeing classroom, laboratory and clinical instruction, she oversees the program’s learning resource center and simulation suites to ensure an authentic experiential learning experience for students. Shoup has worked for Swedish Medical Center and the University of Washington Medical Center, both in Seattle, as a perioperative clinical nurse specialist, as a clinical nurse consultant for Mölnlycke Healthcare, and as a faculty member for the University of Washington School of Nursing. She earned her doctorate, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing all from the University of Cincinnati.

For more information, contact Anita Shoup at (509) 865-8596 or Shoup_A@Heritage.edu.

 

Heritage University and Yakima Valley College Sign MOU for Criminal Justice Program Press Release

Heritage University, Yakima Valley College sign memorandum of understanding for criminal justice program

Toppenish, Wash. – Heritage University (HU) and Yakima Valley College (YVC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that makes it easier for students studying criminal justice at YVC to transfer to Heritage University to earn a bachelor’s degree in that field.

The MOU ensures that YVC students who successfully complete an associate of applied science-transfer (AAS-T) degree are guaranteed to be accepted into HU’s undergraduate criminal justice program. “We want students who start at YVC and then transfer to HU to experience a smooth transition, with minimal to no loss of credit and duplication of coursework,” said Janet Foster Goodwill, criminal justice instructor and department chair at YVC. “The process by which our students can turn their two-year degree in criminal justice, into a four-year degree at Heritage has never been easier.”

YVC students who pursue a bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice can take advantage of a program designed for career success. “Studying criminal justice is so much more than public safety,” said Kimberly Bellamy-Thompson, social science department chair at Heritage. “We teach innovative ways to approach public policy and justice in an ever-changing America. Students can take advantage of established internship programs with law enforcement agencies who have a need for people with critical-thinking skills, the ability to integrate ideas and a commitment to lifelong learning.”

For more information, contact Janet Foster Goodwill at (509) 574-4794 or jgoodwill@yvcc.edu or Kimberly Bellamy-Thompson at (509) 865-0748 or Bellamy-Thompson_K@Heritage.edu.

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