Physical currency has been reimagined by students in two art classes at Washington State University Tri-Cities, who joined forces for a unique exhibit showcasing new designs for money. The designs are on display in the CIC building on the 厙ぴ勛圖 campus. 泭

The two classes, Art 103: 3D art and design, and Art 332: digital art and design, were tasked with rethinking what the future of currency could look like by using skills they learned throughout the semester. Students from each class were divided into pairs and given the opportunity to design a bank note and coin pairing, as well as the monetary symbols used on each of them. The designs were first hand-drawn, then designed electronically. The bank notes were then printed on paper, while the coins were 3-D printed, then cast in aluminum through sand casting.泭泭

Professors Marguerite Finch, who teaches 3D art and design, and Peter Christenson, who teaches digital art and design, developed the assignment to consider the history behind currency as one of the first versions of mass-produced art by the Greeks and Romans. With the advent of credit cards, physical currency is used less frequently, so the assignment required students to think creatively and collaboratively about the interpreted values of their end products.泭泭

���I have always enjoyed collaborating with other instructors on assignments and appreciate this opportunity to work with Professor Christenson and his class,��� said Finch. ���Prompts like this give students an opportunity to creatively work through a problem and see visually how you can develop a concept in different ways, but that can still be unified as an end result.���泭

Connor Mitchell, a student in the digital art and design class, appreciated working with one of his favorite professors while having creative freedom to consider the possible uses for his designed currency. ���We decided to utilize aquatic elements in our designs as a way to create something that could be used in international trade. I enjoyed creating something that may not be the most practical, but is rather a fun and creative exercise.���泭

The currencies will be displayed in CIC until the end of January.

Students in Fine Arts 332 along with their professor Peter Christenson collaborated on a 34-page artist book called Codex Absurdum. The book features artistic works, haiku, and exquisite corpse style collaborative art projects that explore a Tri-Cities absurdist parallel universe. Students with work featured in the book are Devin Simpson, Lemmy Jean Suter, Nathan Finke, Newt Ernst, Sarah Torres.泭

���As I see it, Codex Absurdum is a celebration of the inherent strangeness of the unique culture of the Tri-Cities,��� said Suter, a junior studying psychology. ���Our economy is propped up by cleaning up nuclear waste and making wine, and the city itself is constructed in the middle of one of the least-hospitable parts of the Inland Northwest. By all means, the existence of the Tri-Cities and its culture makes no sense. Yet here we are ��� and for those reasons, an artbook centered around absurdity and the culture of the Tri-Cities seems like an excellent celebration of the culture.���泭

Nathan Finke, a senior majoring in digital technology and culture with a minor in art stated, ���Codex Absurdum represents an organized chaos between all of the artists involved. We all have our own unique voices represented in the codex, but we also worked toward a common goal with the theme. I think it represents both collaboration and self-expression within our small part of the art community.���泭

Most of the art featured in the book was created through collaboration. In some cases, one person chose the photography while another person embellished the photo with other design elements using Photoshop. In one collaborative piece, class member Devin Simpson, a senior majoring in creative writing, created a photo of a deer with the head of a cougar standing on a hillside. Then another student added their own unique touches including a sign that says, ���Caution Radiation���, and a barrel with a radiation symbol on it. Simpson said his favorite part of the project was making all the artwork, coming up with the concepts and adding the mythology. ���It was fun to share ideas and a fun experiment in collaboration,��� he said.

The book is also sprinkled with haikus, such as this one:泭

Our minds, we forget.泭泭

The process of destruction.泭

Allows creation.泭

The students interviewed for this story all plan to continue in the field of design and all but one have plans to stay in the Tri-Cities after graduation. Simpson is planning to attend graduate school. Suter hopes to stay in the Tri-Cities after she graduates to work in the anthropomorphic art scene and continue her work in 2D art and costume fabrication. Finke plans to stay in the Tri-Cities to continue doing digital technology work and art.泭泭

The book was printed in limited quantities and is not available for purchase. One of the students set up a website for the project that can be found and perused .泭泭

MEDIA CONTACT(S)

Leslie Streeter, Office of Marketing and Communication, (509) 372-7333,泭leslie.streeter@wsu.edu

Course creates complex machines that were shared through digital film projects

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� For an Art, Science and Technology course at Washington State University Tri-Cities, the transition to virtual learning proved not only to be a natural transition. It played to the course���s sweet spot.

As the title of the course suggests, students bring together what some may consider two sides of a coin ��� art, and science and technology. But for Peter Christenson, an associate professor of fine arts, the blending of the two fields is natural.

Through the course, Christenson has students create devices that are not only visually appealing, but bridge the gap between physical art and what can be presented digitally online. The sharing of these projects online, he said, provides a perfect fit for virtual learning.

���The transition to virtual has been beneficial in some ways, especially in more digitally-focused classes,��� he said. ���It is essentially a natural extension to everyone���s practice. Our students are brilliant and very adaptable. They are the creative class of the campus. I have been impressed with their work ethic and diligence ��� With the social context we are going through, I have been impressed with the work that students are putting out.���

Rube Goldberg machines

Many people have probably witnessed Rube Goldberg machines on YouTube, Facebook or Instagram Stories – they just didn���t know what they were called. A ball or other device drops down an increasingly complex matrix of movements, devices and contraptions, all for one goal ��� to perform a simple task.

The machines, named after the American cartoonist Rube Goldberg, who coined the contraptions through his cartoons, serve as a demonstration of what can occur when art is blended with physics and engineering, Christenson said. It proved to be the perfect project at-home amid the pandemic, he said.

While many are stuck at home, students took objects that are commonly found in their house to devise a complex layout. The students filmed the moving device as it traversed its matrix. The video was then shared virtually as a class, as well as with peers and friends. It compelled students to think critically, all while creating art and entertainment that helps maintain connections among students, virtually, Christenson said.

���The Rube Goldberg project is a fun opportunity to arrive at engineering and scientific production via art and creative play,��� he said. ���It explores the historical relationship between art, science and technology and how these have generally been intertwined.���

The best of both worlds

For the Rube Goldberg project, the class studied up on the complex devices, each choosing a particular style that was most suited for their idea or task. After creating the devices by hand, the students recorded the machines in action, with the intent of sharing them digitally with one another as a class. They used their creativity to create both a physical art piece, as well as a video work of art through filmmaking.

Kyle Kopta, a senior digital technology and culture major, came up with the idea for what he calls ���The Photo Machine��� for his project, where the machine automates the process of taking a photo of oneself. The user turns a handle, which activates a gear mechanism, drops a marble into a tube and triggers the shutter on a camera.

���In doing this, I want the operator to ask themselves, ���Are the actual mechanisms that resulted in the physical taking of the photo the photo machine? Or could I, myself, more accurately be described as the actual photo-taking machine in this process?��� ���

Kopta built the contraption in his apartment, where he also filmed and uploaded the video showcasing how his machine worked. The project also allowed him to explore partnership opportunities with students from other disciplines.

���In working on this project, I was really excited with the high-level of collaboration we were able to maintain in a virtual class format,��� he said. ���As a class, we would take time to bounce ideas off each other and look at other artists who created similar machines. For my project, I was able to recruit the help of a friend in the engineering program for a few tips and materials. That interdisciplinary approach was key for me.���

Kopta also relished the opportunity to engage with his classmates in virtual critique sessions, where the students have the opportunity to provide feedback, assess the different projects and what makes them most effective.

���These critique days are always my favorite days of class, and this remains true in our virtual learning environment now,��� he said. ���Everyone takes a radically different approach to these projects, and I���m always surprised by what my classmates are able to put together.���

 

Media contacts:

Peter Christenson, 厙ぴ勛圖 associate professor of fine arts, peter.christenson@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 assistant director of marketing and communication, 619-403-3617, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Sharing the complete picture of humanity, especially the hard topics, so that one-day she can affect positive change.

That���s the reason photographer and Washington State University Tri-Cities alumna Madison Rosenbaum first picked up a camera. Shedding light on difficult social issues and providing a voice for the unheard is also what led her to document local protests following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

The images themselves do the talking, and they allow others to share their own stories, Rosenbaum said.

���There are seven billion people on this planet experiencing the world differently every day,��� she said. ���If I can provide a glimpse into those experiences for others intentionally or unintentionally seeking to better connect with humanity, then my artistry is serving the purpose I want it to.���

Photography as a catalyst

Rosenbaum said she hopes her photographs of this month help the community mourn the unjust deaths of African Americans, tell the stories of those still experiencing racism and inequality, and serve as a catalyst for positive change.

���As an artist and someone who identifies as white, I want to do better at providing a space for marginalized groups簫���for black, indigenous, people of color���to see themselves in art and to have their stories heard,��� she said. ���I will always be a believer that storytelling through photography can help be the bridge to connecting and understanding someone else���s lived experience with an open mind and open heart.���

Photography, she said, can often shed light on feelings, emotions, actions and even consequences where words may fall short. In her recent photographs of the protests, the portraits display the frustration, grit and pain experienced by many as they held signs stating ���Black lives matter,��� ���I can���t breathe��� and ���Together we stand.���

���In an age of social media, it is easier than ever to be vocal about social issues,��� she said. ���I hope those viewing my work are choosing to listen to the stories told by those in the photographs and take their stories to heart. Their experiences are valid and real.���

Building a foundation with education

While she didn���t know it at the time, Rosenbaum said choosing two seemingly unmatched degree programs to double major in at 厙ぴ勛圖, digital technology and culture and psychology, helped open her mind to how she could use creativity to shine light on social issues.

Through her digital technology and culture courses, she mastered and refined the skills and techniques that now allow her to capture color, angles, light and emotion in her art, and she learned the power of using art to shine light on important topics. Her psychology courses, she said, provided a foundational understanding of the human mind, and how humans interact and relate.

During her senior year, Rosenbaum was invited by digital technology and culture professor Peter Christenson to participate in the ���Women artists from the Columbia Valley��� exhibition, which featured 64 contemporary female artists and their work. As part of her submission for the exhibition, Rosenbaum collaborated with two other artists on images of mental health, and specifically her personal journey with depression.

���They were self-portraits that we each helped one another construct and produce,��� she said. ���Being in front of the camera as a model exploring something incredibly vulnerable was difficult, but I realized it was an outlet to discuss something that I was passionate about and often did not have the words for. It was the first step for me in understanding storytelling through photography and an experience I keep in mind always as I help others explore theirs.���

Telling stories

After that first exhibition, Rosenbaum began producing and participating in other photography and art projects that helped shed light on social, emotional and political topics.

She organized 厙ぴ勛圖��� first student-curated photo exhibition, which featured artist-submitted works on the topics of domestic and sexual violence, social injustice, racism, sexuality and inequality. She said while it made some people uncomfortable, it was well received by individuals who stated that it helped them explore hard to discuss topics.

After graduating from 厙ぴ勛圖 in 2015, she expanded upon a series of photographs she began as a student called ���,��� which features dozens of individual portraits and stories that explore vulnerabilities of humankind and examine sociopolitical barriers through an artistic lens. She began another series titled ������ on what life is like as an immigrant in 21^st century America, as well as a series specifically detailing struggles with mental health called ���.���

In March of this year, amid the COVID-19 health crisis, she began a series detailing individuals��� experiences from home and those who work on the frontlines in healthcare titled ���.��� The series features individuals from the Tri-Cities area, as well as others who live around the world. Many said they wanted to participate because they wanted to share their personal experiences, and also as a way to connect while everyone feels so isolated.

���When Madison asked me if I would be interested in participating in the project, my family and I [had recently] experienced a tragedy and I wanted to share a realization,��� said Carina Le籀n, a participant in the project. ���My life has suddenly become more precious, and I want to be more conscious of the moments I have with myself and with my loved ones.���

���I participated in ���Tales from Home��� because I wanted to give people the perspective of someone in the heart of the pandemic, one of the largest metropolitan hotspots in the world,��� said Maximilian VonderMehden, a 厙ぴ勛圖 alumnus and a nurse in Los Angeles. ���I wanted to give some perspective that even if the disease isn���t ���right at your doorstep,��� what we���re all doing still matters, still plays a part, and is still essential.���

Using art to open eyes

Rosenbaum said while some of her projects may make people uncomfortable, it is for the purpose of positive change, and it has helped to open her eyes to her own inherent thoughts and emotions.

���I want to challenge viewers and their biases,��� she said. ���I want to challenge my own views and biases. These stories have changed my life. I have become more educated about the histories and cultures and experiences of marginalized groups. I have become an advocate in my community. My work to dismantle white supremacy and examining my white privilege is a constant journey, but I am trying every day and in every story I share.���

Photography, Rosenbaum said, is a way to not only express herself, but to express the thoughts, emotions, struggles and triumphs of others.

���We can all be agents of change,��� she said. ���Blog. Write. Sing. Create. Photograph. Draw. Paint. No matter your craft, do it with intention.���

To view Rosenbaum���s work, visit .

By Maegan Murray, WSU泭Tri���Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� In light of the ���Stay Home, Stay Healthy��� order by Gov. Jay Inslee, as well as K-12 schools not returning to in-person learning throughout the state, Washington State University Tri-Cities launched a new website dedicated to educational children���s activities and a new reading program where kids virtually read along with 厙ぴ勛圖 faculty and can earn WSU prizes.

The泭website泭features a variety of do-it-at-home activities ranging from those that pertain to WSU and Coug spirit, such as creating your own Butch T. Cougar mask, to science experiments and other fun activities using supplies that most families likely already have and use in their home.

Additionally, through the new ���Super Coug Readers��� program in partnership with The Children���s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia, children can watch videos of 厙ぴ勛圖 faculty reading their favorite books. Children can also earn prizes for completing a Super Coug Readers reading calendar and/or completing a ���Super Coug Readers Bingo��� challenge.

The project is being led by the 厙ぴ勛圖 community engagement team in partnership with the 厙ぴ勛圖 College of Education and The Children���s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia.

���As a public university, we saw an opportunity to provide children and their families with fun and educational activities that are safe and readily available to complete in their own homes, especially during this unusual time,��� said Jaime Heppler, 厙ぴ勛圖 executive director of advancement and community engagement. ���Many parents, such as myself, are looking for engaging activities for their kids. This new website and reading program provide activities that foster learning and curiosity. We are excited to offer this as a resource for our regional families.���

Benefits of reading aloud with your kids

Elizabeth Barnes, executive director of The Children���s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia, said children who read for at least 20 minutes per day score in the 90^th泭percentile in standardized tests, are successful in school, are more likely to graduate from college and become successful in life.

���The skills and knowledge you gain from reading or being read to from birth are astronomical,��� she said. ���This is a very natural partnership for The Children���s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia and 厙ぴ勛圖, as both organizations are trying to better the community through education.���

Barnes said children reading along with 厙ぴ勛圖 faculty presents a great way for children to be exposed to different educational opportunities and careers that are available in the regional Tri-Cities community.

���What kind of impact could an engineering professor have on a young girl and her parents if they were to hear ���Rosie Revere, Engineer,��� for the first time?��� she said. ���What kind of connections to the real world could this have on a family that may never have contemplated a life for their daughter in the sciences?���

Reading with industry experts ��� 厙ぴ勛圖 faculty

Sara Sorensen Petersen, a 厙ぴ勛圖 clinical assistant professor of education and board member with the Children���s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia, said she and her fellow faculty members are excited to provide educational opportunities for regional students to learn from faculty members in a range of fields and from a range of backgrounds and cultures.

���Speaking as a mom and an educator, it is great for kids to see others than mom and dad reading, as well as see professionals in their communities and learn a bit more about what they do,��� she said. ���We have female science professors, for example, that could inspire young girls to think about a career in the sciences. It���s just a great tie-in and presents a great opportunity for our local families.���

A free resource for families

The new Cougar Family Fun website泭is available for free and accessible to the public.

Additionally, The Children���s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia is supplying 厙ぴ勛圖 with an assortment of children���s books that will be given out at the 厙ぴ勛圖 Cougar Cupboard sponsored by Lamb Weston food pantry, in addition to food pick-up locations in Pasco and Kennewick for 厙ぴ勛圖 students and their families.泭泭on pick-up locations and how to donate can be found online.

 

Media Contacts:

Jaime Heppler, 厙ぴ勛圖 executive director of advancement and community engagement, 509-372-7207, jaime.heppler@wsu.edu

Sara Sorensen Petersen, 厙ぴ勛圖 clinical assistant professor of education, 509-372-7395, sarapetersen@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations/communication coordinator, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Life preparation. It was the thing that most drove Dana Dollarhyde to get a college degree and the thing that she said she is most grateful for her college experience from Washington State University Tri-Cities.

Dollarhyde chose 厙ぴ勛圖 for her college option because it was affordable ��� she received thousands in scholarships and also qualified for the College Bound Program, which would pay for her tuition in full. But it was 厙ぴ勛圖 staff and faculty that helped her find her passion for graphic design and marketing and a career pathway that made most sense for her personal goals.

���I knew I wanted to get a degree in something that I was going to use, not only career-wise, but also in life,��� she said. ���I wanted it to be something practical that I could apply directly to my life. 厙ぴ勛圖 helped me find that path and helped get me there. I found my ideal degree program.���

That program, she said, was digital technology and culture ��� an multimedia and arts-based degree that allows students to study and explore communication through media platforms. And it was the connections she made along the way that led to her success.

Finding her dream career

Dollarhyde had first decided on a pathway in computer science when she started at 厙ぴ勛圖 as a freshman. She took introductory courses in coding and other related fields, but realized the path wasn���t for her. She decided to take a course in digital technology and culture, which would allow her to build skills in graphic design, video production, photography and web design. The degree program proved to be a perfect fit.

She switched majors, intending to still use her experience in computer science, and instead dedicated full-force to a career path in graphic design.

In her courses, she was taught out to use programs like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere and more. She learned how to edit videos, take photographs using a DSLR camera and how to market herself digitally in the multimedia sphere.

Her professors, she said, were knowledgeable and supportive of her and her peers in their preparation for a career in multimedia fields.

���I really enjoyed my classes and my professors really cared about us succeeding in our field,��� she said. ���I was also able to make a number of connections that set me up for success.���

Connecting degree to real-life

As a student at 厙ぴ勛圖, Dollarhyde first worked for the financial aid office, and then in the Office of Admissions as a student ambassador. Through this role, she gave tours and educated prospective students about life as a student at 厙ぴ勛圖.

She was then connected with an opportunity to work as a student graphic designer with the Office of Student Life, where she used what she had learned in class to produce flyers, pamphlets, screen displays and more.

In combination with her role as a graphic designer, she also served as an orientation leader, where she worked with new students to educate them about all that 厙ぴ勛圖 has to offer and use her creative mentality to help come up with programming and activities.

By the end of her student experience, Dollarhyde was overseeing her fellow student leaders in the Office of Student Life, which provided an incredible learning opportunity where she also gained some management experience.

The small campus size, she said, made it easy for students to pursue leadership and other extracurricular opportunities ��� all of which were incredibly valuable to her college experience.

���The connections I made and the opportunities I had at 厙ぴ勛圖 were great,��� she said. ���I always had someone to connect with and talk to because of the things I got to be involved in on campus. It���s the real reason why I was successful.���

���厙ぴ勛圖 prepared me for real life���

After graduating in 2018, Dollarhyde is now pursuing a career in design, where she works as a marketer for Retter and Company Sotheby���s International Realty ��� a job connection she made as a result of her mentor at 厙ぴ勛圖.

Chris Meiers, vice chancellor for student affairs at 厙ぴ勛圖, saw that the company was looking for someone to fulfill the full-time position and connected Dollarhyde with a contact at the company and gave her a recommendation.

���He thought I would be a good resource for them,��� she said. ���They were looking for someone to do design and web ��� someone with a full skills set. He reached out to me and it worked out really well.���

She spends her days producing website, creating digital graphics and other design materials, creating videos for realtors and more.

Looking back on her 厙ぴ勛圖 experience, Dollarhyde said her experience at 厙ぴ勛圖 really did prepare her for the real world, especially in her field.

���厙ぴ勛圖 really prepared me for real life,��� she said. ���Looking back, it���s more than the degree you get. It���s the skills that you get, the connections you make. It���s the little things along the way that prepare you for something big.���

Interested in pursuing a degree in design or other multimedia field? Visit泭tricities.wsu.edu/cas/undergraduate/dtc.

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Washington State University Tri-Cities undergraduate students will display semester and course research and art projects as part of the Undergraduate Research Symposium and Art Exhibition April 30 – May 3.

Sessions will take place from noon ��� 1 p.m. each day, Tuesday through Friday, in Consolidated Information Center (CIC) 120. The fine arts session will also take place noon ��� 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 2, in the 厙ぴ勛圖 art gallery in the CIC.

“Throughout the symposium and art exhibition, students have the opportunity to share their research and art projects, and to practice communicating their work to people outside their area of study,��� said Allison Matthews, clinical assistant professor of psychology and coordinator for the symposium.

���This event also highlights the development of research and creative skills through their coursework, as well as undergraduate student involvement in WSU’s larger research initiatives to advance knowledge and pursue discovery,��� she said.

Academic areas highlighted during the symposium include: anthropology, sociology, political science, English, biology, digital technology and culture, fine arts, computer science, history, psychology and engineering.

Some of the projects featured during the event include:

• Investigating the Effects of Nutrient Addition on Mycorrhizal Colonization of Grassland Plants
• The development of a Solid Liquid Interface Monitor (SLIM) ��� the design, of which, has potential to one-day be implemented at the Hanford Site to create three-dimensional scans of waste in Hanford tanks
• A remote-controlled, small-scale airplane that was entered into the SAE Aero Design Competition
• The design of an application that visualizes location-enabled cabs in a map interface, selects the trips from a common list and assigns them to the perfect driver or car to maximize a driver���s profit
• An empirical assessment of an undergraduate teaching assistant training program
• Advanced drawing and sculpture projects from throughout the spring semester

For more information, contact Matthews at 509-372-7146 or almatthews@wsu.edu.

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Washington State University Tri-Cities will confer 352 degrees at its commencement ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, at the Toyota Center, 7000 W. Grandridge Blvd. in Kennewick.

Doors open at noon. The event is free to the public and tickets are not required.

Among those degrees, 308 bachelor���s degrees will be conferred, 32 master���s degrees and 12 doctoral degrees.

Washington state Sen. Sharon Brown will present the keynote address.

Chancellor Sandra Haynes will present the welcome address and introductions and recognitions. Zachary Harper, president of the Associated Students of 厙ぴ勛圖, will present the graduate greeting. Kathleen McAteer, interim vice chancellor for academic affairs, will conduct the presentation of graduates.

Six students were selected to carry gonfalons, which are colorful banners that represent each of the academic colleges, based on their academic excellence. Those students include:

• Alex Arteritano, College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences
• Megan Brauner, College of Arts and Sciences
• Ivan Chavez, Carson College of Business
• Olga Maria Sandoval Zazueta, College of Education
• Danielle Young, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
• Megan Christie, College of Nursing

Kayla Stark, 厙ぴ勛圖 alumna, will sing the national anthem.

厙ぴ勛圖��� commencement ceremony will also be livestreamed on YouTube at .

For more information, visit .

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� For student Lian Jacquez, finding the ideal university fit was a bit of a challenge – that is, until he arrived at Washington State University Tri-Cities.

Originally from eastern Oregon, he attended a university located in his home state, but found that the decision was an expensive one and more based on impulse than it was in finding a good fit for where he was at in his life.

But after his parents moved to the Tri-Cities, he decided to move back in with them so he could save money, but could also find a university that would allow him to pursue his passions. He decided to attend 厙ぴ勛圖 and it ended up being one of the best decisions he has made to date.

Whether it be interacting and learning from his professors through tight-knit classes, to participating in a variety of clubs, to participating in student government, to finding the perfect job on campus, Jacquez said he feels like he has found a home at 厙ぴ勛圖.

���厙ぴ勛圖 is a hidden gem,��� he said. ���We are located in an area that offers great opportunities without a lot of the competition that one might experience at a much larger university. And the people who work here ��� our faculty, administration, staff and everyone behind the scenes ��� are here to make sure we all succeed. We, as students, aren���t just a number or another name on the roster.���

Majoring in digital technology and culture ���泭 a focus on the creative

Jacquez found his ideal major at 厙ぴ勛圖 after taking the MyMajors Quiz on the university website. He was recommended to study digital technology and culture, elementary education and psychology.

���Out of the three, digital technology and culture, or DTC as we call it, resonated with me and made me the most excited to pursue, and I always imagined doing something in design,��� he said.

Through the digital technology and culture program, Jacquez is learning about graphic design, photography, video production, sound production, media and technical writing and much more in the creative sphere. With his experience in the program, he said he initially wanted to pursue a career as a graphic designer. But after working more with individuals on campus and speaking with people in similar creative industries, he realizes he now wants to pursue a career as a creative director or program coordinator.

���Being the person creating the work is fun, but being able to establish a concept, all of its components and tracking it from beginning to end is more appealing,��� he said.

Jacquez said he loves the creative freedom that he and all the other students in the DTC program have.

���There are guidelines and requirements, but we have creative reign to create something that is an extension of ourselves,��� he said.

Varied campus experiences to fit every student

In addition to his experience in the DTC program, Jacquez is a student ambassador for the office of admissions on campus, is director of diversity affairs for the

Associated Students of 厙ぴ勛圖 (student government), is vice president of the World Research Club on campus, in addition to serving as a member of the Queers and Allies Club.

He said since coming to 厙ぴ勛圖, he feels he can really make his academic and student life experience his own.

Through his experiences with the student clubs, he is able to truly connect with his peers and organize programming and events to benefit his fellow students. Through his role with student government, he is able to extend and create initiatives so that all students on campus feel connected with the resources to make them successful. And through his role as a student ambassador with the office of admissions, he is able to communicate and inspire prospective students who express an interest in attending 厙ぴ勛圖, giving them a genuine look into what his life as a student on campus looks like.

As director of diversity affairs with ASWSUTC, he said he values opportunities created on campus that directly benefit students, including a range of student resources: access services, counseling, a student pantry called Cougar Cupboard, the veteran center and being able to connect with the international student coordinator ��� both to see about options for studying abroad and to connect with international students. Another example is the UndocuQueer Conference that is being held this year on the 厙ぴ勛圖 campus.

���I am really excited to learn more about the intersections of the LGBTQ and undocumented communities and the people who are affected by them,��� he said. ���This will be my first time attending the conference.���

Career connections

In addition to his job in the admissions office on campus, Jacquez said there are also a variety of resources to help students connect with prestigious internships at 厙ぴ勛圖 and in the community.

Last spring, after participating in the campus Career Development Etiquette Dinner where students are connected to professionals for an evening of networking through dinner, he met an an internship coordinator who connected him with an internship at the National Park Service. He now works as an interpretive specialist for the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.

He also hopes to land another internship before he graduates, which he aims to get connected with through 厙ぴ勛圖.

The connections at 厙ぴ勛圖, he said, are truly what has allowed him to get involved with many of these opportunities on campus.

���I love how incredibly diverse the campus is and the fact that not everyone is a stranger, thanks to the size of 厙ぴ勛圖,��� he said.

For more information on the 厙ぴ勛圖 Digital Technology and Culture program, visit泭tricities.wsu.edu/dtc.

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Washington State University Tri-Cities will host a career fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20, in the Student Union Building on campus, which will feature more than 30 employers throughout the region.

The career fair offers employers an opportunity to reach its staffing goals while allowing 厙ぴ勛圖 students and community members to search for and connect with potential employment and internship opportunities. There is no cost of admission and the event is open to 厙ぴ勛圖 students, alumni and the general public.

Attendees are encouraged to bring several resumes and/or business cards to pass along to employers with updated contact information. Individuals will have the opportunity to discuss their talents, skills, experience and education with those employers.

For those employers who would still like to register for a booth, they can do so until Sept. 17. 泭is open until Sept. 17 for those paying with a credit card. Employers requesting to pay by check should contact the 厙ぴ勛圖 Career Development office at泭tricities.careers@wsu.edu.

Late employer registration costs $125 and is subject to space availability after Sept. 17. For late registration availability, employers should contact Jason Yi, 厙ぴ勛圖 career and internship coordinator, at泭509-372-7613泭or泭jason.yi@wsu.edu.

For more information about the Career Fair, visit泭/careerdev/careerfair.