By Flynn Espe

Dozens of employees from Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C) visited the Washington State University Tri-Cities campus Wednesday, sharing career advice, industry insights and networking opportunities with students during a special H2C Day event.

The day began with a series of classroom visits, in which H2C employees spoke to students about their own professional journeys, as well as new and emerging career pathways related to students’ fields of study. Students then gathered in two locations for a trio of panels centered on artificial intelligence in the workplace, engineering innovation at H2C and tips for entering the professional workforce. Other representatives, meanwhile, chatted with students about jobs and internships during a free networking picnic outside the Student Union Building.

H2C is one of the U.S. Department of Energy’s prime contractors at the Hanford Site north of Richland. With a workforce of roughly 2,500 employees, the company is responsible for the safe retrieval, treatment and eventual disposal of radioactive and chemical waste stored in Hanford’s underground tank farms.

While students gained many insights about H2C’s workplace culture, company values and large-scale environmental cleanup efforts, much of the career advice that permeated across the various panels and presentations applied to a wide range of industries and job types.

In the panel on AI and emerging technologies, H2C panelists touted the importance of entering the professional workforce with curiosity and courage to ask questions.

“One of the most valuable assets is curiosity. We undervalue being curious, and the benefit of being young in your career or just starting out is you don’t know everything,” H2C Business Services Director Corey Chun told the audience. “Somebody coming in and asking a simple question — ‘Why?’ — can really transform how we look at things and how we ultimately do things.”

After attending the panel on engineering and innovation, student Kolby Smith, a senior environmental and ecosystem sciences major, said he appreciated the opportunity to not only ask specific questions about hiring tips and resume-building advice, but also to learn more about the wide range of work happening at H2C.

“One of the things they highlighted that was impactful was the scale of innovation that they do, from something as small as changing the color on wrenches so they can be easier to see through a camera to large-scale management of fluid systems — or even policy,” Smith said. “It can be something as small as a wrench to something as grand as how we govern safety with nuclear waste. That’s cool, and seeing that scale of innovation is inspiring and encouraging for somebody who wants to go into that field.”

Wrapping up the day’s events, H2C President Ken Langdon joined Executive Vice President for WSU Statewide Campuses Sandra Haynes in Collaboration Hall for a moderated discussion about leadership and career success, in which the two speakers drew from their own personal histories and life lessons.

“At ���سԹ�, we are proud to serve as a bridge between education, industry and our community. Our students come here not only to earn degrees, but to prepare for meaningful careers and meaningful lives,” Haynes said in her opening remarks. “That mission is strengthened when organizations like H2C invest their time, expertise and energy in engaging directly with you, our students.”

Langdon, who also met with students during a special lunchtime meet-and-greet, said he welcomed more opportunities to engage with students to grow their understanding of the career opportunities available at the Hanford Site to help support the cleanup mission.

“We have an important task ahead of us to continue innovating to safely clean up the Department of Energy’s largest environmental challenge so that we can transform the Hanford Site for a new mission,” said Langdon. “There are tremendous opportunities for today’s students as the workforce of tomorrow to take Hanford into a new era.”

By Flynn Espe

Washington State University Tri-Cities graduate Rachel Holland spends a lot of her time��thinking about the��little��things��—��specifically,��insects.��She also��enjoys��sharing her fascination for these six-legged��invertebrates��and��their��remarkable��biodiversity��with��others.��

“There are parasitoids who lay their eggs in other insects, bees that sneak their eggs into other bees’ nests,” Holland says. “There are ants which wage wars with termites, sneaky beetles who find ways around their rivals for mates, and bees that turn rotting flesh into honey. I��don’t��think��I’ll��ever learn everything about them, which is exciting.”��

That��chitinous��curiosity is��shaping her next big step.��Having just completed her��bachelor’s��degree in��environmental and ecosystems sciences,��she’ll��be��continuing��this fall��as a��WSU��graduate student��in��the��Master of Science in Entomology program,��conducting��research on native bees��through��the����in Prosser.������

“My specific research will be on alfalfa fields,” she says.��“I’ll be going to Walla Walla half the time and then to Prosser��to see if the pesticide that they’re using is harmful at a greater rate than another pesticide they’re using on the leafcutter bees and the alkali bees.”��

Her path to this moment has been a rewarding, if��not quite typical, one. As a nontraditional, first-generation college student, Holland’s first attempt at college ended on a sour note. After graduating from high school in 2007, she went straight into taking classes at Columbia Basin College, but with little motivation or direction, her grades suffered and she dropped out shortly thereafter.��

Life moved on.��Holland got married and��soon��focused on raising a family. While her husband went to trade school and into the��workforce, Holland��worked as a stay-at-home mom and��embroidery artist,��selling intricate��craft��pieces��both locally and online.��Eventually,��Holland��decided she was ready to��pursue��a college��education��—��and hopefully find her��career��passion��—��once again.����

Although the plan was always to start at CBC and finish her bachelor’s degree at ���سԹ�, she didn’t begin with environmental studies in mind.��

“I originally was going to do elementary education with a history minor,” Holland says.��

Her��academic focus��began to��shift��when she found herself��unexpectedly enjoying��two lab classes��during her final CBC quarter.��One was��an environmental science lab that involved growing wheat under various conditions. The other was an entomology lab, which��included a final assignment that��had students catching insects in the wild��and pinning them for identification.��

“As soon as I had that net in my hand, I was ready to go,” Holland says. “The hands-on��part of it really transformed how I saw the world, and I thought, ‘I can��actually��do science.’”����

Not content simply to��pass her��classes,��Holland��succeeded in��graduating��from CBC��with honors��— no easy task, considering she��was still carrying her 2.0 GPA from years earlier.��

“I had to drag that 2.0 out of the mud,”��Holland says.��

Arriving��at ���سԹ�,��her��momentum��continued.��Having��switched��majors,��Holland��found��that environmental and ecosystem sciences offered��a satisfying blend of��physical science��with coursework��exploring��the��delicate interplay��between��manmade��and natural systems.��

“It covers so many bases but includes the human aspect of it, which is what I really like,” Holland says.��

Outside of class,��she��began��building friendships and community��wherever she went.��She��got involved in campus clubs,��serving in leadership roles such as��Environmental Club event coordinator and co-president for the��Women in STEM Club.����

As a senior, she��also��served as the Associated Students of ���سԹ� senator��for the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences,��advocating for students on a��range of��issues like campus recycling��and��a native plant garden for hands-on learning.��

One of��Holland’s��proudest accomplishments��involved joining up with��friend and classmate Evalena Dalsbo��to launch and��nurture��a brand-new campus Craft Club, where��they and others could share��and spread��their love for the crafting arts. The club grew in popularity as��students of all��backgrounds��met up��for��sewing,��sculpting, embroidery, and��other seasonal craft projects.��Their team��went��on��to win the��“Student Organization��of the Year”��award at the 2025 Student Excellence Awards.��

“That club is really fun because everybody can come in there��— engineers, psychology majors, English majors, people I would not meet in classes,”��Holland says.��

Alongside her club involvement,��Holland gained��additional��experience��as��a��lab teaching��assistant��and��student intern��for the Institute for Northwest Energy Futures’��Energy Ambassadors Network.��It all added up��to��Holland��being honored last month as one of three recipients of the 2026 ���سԹ���Award for Distinguished Career in Leadership.����

If it all sounds like a lot to juggle,��it was. Fortunately, Holland says, she had��a strong support��network��— including her husband and��two��kids,��now in the fourth and sixth grades.��

“It’s definitely been a group effort,” she says.��

She��also credits��the��helpful guidance she received from the�����سԹ� TRIO��Student Support Services team.����

Case in point,��Holland��says she still recalls the stress��and uncertainty��she felt at the beginning of her junior year,��when an overpacked course load had her questioning her degree path.��“I was taking an ecology��lab, statistics��lab, and organic chemistry lab — and then another class that did not have a lab attached to it,” Holland says. “That was, on paper, only 15 credits.”��

Not knowing if��she’d��made a��poor scheduling��decision or��simply needed to��push��through, Holland��says��a��drop-in��meeting��to the��TRIO��office��brought her clarity��and relief.��TRIO��staff��confirmed��she’d��taken on an unusually��heavy course��load��and��walked��her through the steps of how to��revise��her schedule.��

“I��couldn’t��have made that decision without TRIO being like, ‘You’re��not insane.��This is��actually really��hard what you decided to do,’” Holland says.��

TRIO staff came through again this past year��when��she��was��still considering��grad��school.��By talking through the process��and working with staff on a step-by-step��plan, Holland felt��better��prepared to��ask her professors the right questions��and��ultimately apply.��

Now,��as a graduate student,��Holland says��she’s��looking forward to��doing more of what she loves — exploring the vast world of insects and��engaging with other scientists in a laboratory setting.��She’s��also excited to be working at the intersection of ecology and agriculture.��

“A major component of agriculture is insects, whether that is beneficial or pest,” she says. “I can see myself continuing to do research and make changes at the government level like in��the��Washington State Department of Agriculture��or through education.”��

When asked about advice she has for��others��starting their own college��journey, Holland��encourages students to��seek out��professors��for academic and career��advice��and��to take advantage of new opportunities.��

“Go to meetings that you��probably don’t��think you belong in. Go to an engineering meeting even if��you’re��not an engineer,” she says.��“If you see an opportunity and you think,��‘I might want to do that,’ just do it.��What’s��the worst��that can happen?”

By Flynn Espe

Washington State University Tri-Cities student Eric Mayo-Gutierrez had a busy semester last fall. In addition to his regular coursework as a third-year mechanical engineering major, he was also juggling multiple campus jobs as a peer mentor, laboratory assistant, and undergraduate research assistant. That was on top of an engineering internship with the Grant County Public Utility District that lasted from June to February.

When he’s not occupied with work or study, you might find him enjoying a friendly game of pool in the Student Union Building, one of his go-to hangout spots on campus. He’s also currently gearing up for his next big adventure as an engineering intern in Tokyo, Japan, later this summer — an opportunity made possible after receiving the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship.

“Would I have it any other way? Probably not,” Mayo-Gutierrez said. “I kind of enjoyed putting myself through it.”

While he’s certainly making the most of his time as a Coug, Mayo-Gutierrez says it took him a few starts and attempts, including prior semesters spent at two other WSU campuses, to find his stride. As the first person in his family to attend college, he’s thankful for the opportunities and support that have helped him along the way.

From aptitude test to college application

Looking back, Mayo-Gutierrez says he was in middle school when he began to think seriously about his future. That was when a career pathways test revealed he might be well-suited for an engineering profession. As to what kind of engineering profession he should pursue — the test didn’t say.

After briefly looking into electrical engineering during high school, he quickly ruled out that branch of the field. ��“I kind of made the same mistake everyone else does early on and confused electrical engineering with being an electrician,” he says with a laugh.

Eventually, a different pathway emerged when he inherited a hand-me-down vehicle from a late relative. “It had a bad end motor — things that weren’t in tip-top shape and some rust,” Mayo-Gutierrez says. Wanting to restore some of the car’s deteriorated components, he started learning how to weld using some tools from his uncle, who he was living with at the time. That interest led him to an associate’s degree and welding certificate from Big Bend Community College, as well as his first full-time job as a weld specialist at Genie.

Although he enjoyed the work, Mayo-Gutierrez quickly started to have doubts about the longevity of his newfound profession.

“Welding came with health risks that I started picking up on,” Mayo-Gutierrez says. “I had eye-health concerns with the smoke and the different chemicals.”

With the support of his family, Mayo-Gutierrez decided to further his education at WSU Vancouver, choosing mechanical engineering as the best major for pursuing his interest in robotics, while still building upon his welding foundation. Upon completing his first semester there, Mayo-Gutierrez decided he was ready to experience the full breadth of what university life had to offer, and he transferred to WSU Pullman the following spring.

“I dived into some clubs,” Mayo-Gutierrez says, “I met some great people and learned a lot about how to work in a group engineering setting.”

The perfect break

Despite the many positives, however, life in Pullman didn’t fully click.

“I’d been living in small towns before, and I kind of wanted to branch out,” Mayo-Gutierrez says. “I love Pullman, but for me, it just didn’t work out.”

He decided to change campuses once more, this time settling closer to home at ���سԹ� for the fall 2024 semester. It was here that he finally found the winning combination of expanded extracurricular opportunities and a bigger-city environment that felt right for him.

Still, he says, his overall student experience didn’t magically transform overnight, and he soon realized it would take more than a change of zip code to get the most out of his education.

“First semester, I was not as active in the campus as I am now,” Mayo-Gutierrez said. “I was one of the students that just came to campus, went to classes, went back home. That was the daily cycle.”

All of that began to change one day during the spring 2025 semester, when Mayo-Gutierrez asked a classmate if he wanted to check out the pool table in the Student Union Building after class. Neither of them knew how to play well, he says, but they were willing to give it a shot. It soon became his favorite campus activity, but that’s not all.

“Just asking a simple question started rolling the ball for me. I started meeting new people, and from meeting new people I started making new connections,” he says. “I met so many great people that motivated me to keep going forward — convinced me I could do more.”

Mayo-Gutierrez used that momentum to continue pursuing even more extracurricular activities and experiences. For his spring break, instead of sleeping in or going on a trip, he took part in WSU’s Power Practicum, which involved a weeklong series of on-site visits to nearby power and engineering companies.

“You learn what the company stands for, what they plan on doing, and how they’re going to help shape the power industry in the United States,” Mayo-Gutierrez said. “It’s just a good overview of what the company does and what to expect if you were to work there.”

The professional connections he made during the Power Practicum helped him land an engineering internship with Grant County P.U.D. But he didn’t stop there. By the time his fall 2025 semester began, Mayo-Gutierrez had also lined up each of his other aforementioned campus jobs.

As a research assistant, he gained experience testing various materials for 3D printing and manufacturing. In his role as the biology and chemistry laboratory prep assistant, he connected with students and faculty from the other scientific disciplines on campus.

“It went from no jobs, no research, straight to a full workload,” he says. “I feel like that gave me a small glimpse of what I can do later on.”

Paying it forward

Perhaps his most meaningful campus job experience was becoming a mentor in the brand-new Student Success Peer Mentors program. Through that role, Mayo-Gutierrez helped close to 30 new incoming ���سԹ� students navigate their own first semester on campus by encouraging them to get involved.

“That was my main inspiration to become a peer mentor, just to be able to show students what they can become,” Mayo-Gutierrez said. “You don’t know until you try.”

For now, he’s still taking advantage of new opportunities as they arise. In March, for example, Mayo-Gutierrez presented a research paper titled “Performance Evaluation of a Quadruped Robotic Platform” at the 2026 Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities at WSU Pullman, taking home a Novice award in the Engineering & Physical Sciences category.

Mayo-Gutierrez says his new career objective is to work internationally on biomedical devices, creating more affordable healthcare options through technological and mechanical engineering innovation. He also hopes his story and example will encourage other first-generation college students to think beyond their current circumstances and dream big.

“I want to help show that even though we don’t come from a lot, we can still do so much,” he says.

By Flynn Espe

Twelve students from the Washington State University system have received the 2025-26 Power & Energy Society (PES) , making WSU the top institutional producer of PES scholars for this award year.

The PES Scholarship Plus is presented on behalf of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and can award students up to $10,000 over a three-year period. The scholarship is given to high-achieving undergraduate students majoring in an IEEE-designated field of study who are pursuing careers in power and energy.

The 12 WSU students, who hail from three system campuses, comprised almost a third of the 38 total PES scholars chosen from colleges and universities in IEEE’s Western U.S.A. region, a cluster that includes 12 states. The students are:

• Katelyn Albertin, ���سԹ�
• Gianni Avilan Losee, WSU Vancouver
• Gerrit Bruland, WSU Pullman
• Hugo Contreras, ���سԹ�
• Jacob Culligan, ���سԹ�
• Daniel Gapper, WSU Pullman
• David Hysjulien, ���سԹ�
• Jesus Miranda, ���سԹ�
• Miguel Palomino, ���سԹ�
• Jessica Pantoja-Garcia, WSU Vancouver
• Tarang Teredesai, WSU Pullman
• Manuella Tossa, ���سԹ�

Bruland and Tossa are both two-time recipients.

To qualify for the scholarship, students must be considering a career in electric power and energy engineering, having earned a minimum number of academic credits within those areas of study. Applicants are evaluated by way of grades, achievements, work experiences, and volunteer activities. Selection is also based on the quality of the institution’s academic programs and curriculum related to power and energy engineering.

Palomino, a first-time recipient majoring in electrical engineering with minors in computer science and mathematics, found out about the PES scholarship through his academic advisor. He says he’s currently interested in working on energy systems that are healthier for the environment, noting that emerging technologies like ChatGPT and other large language models have proven to be heavily energy dependent.

As a student intern at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) since 2023, Palomino has contributed to research projects involving high-voltage systems analysis for an experimental time projection chamber, the creation of an automatic cooling system, and more.

“My second project at PNNL, I created a standalone digital display system for a pressure transducer,” Palomino said. “For this, I had to integrate a microcontroller, analog-to-digital converter, and a digital display screen. This system required me to create a voltage divider to scale down the input signal to prevent any damage to the components.”

After earning his associate’s degree from Columbia Basin College, Palomino transferred to ���سԹ� as a part of the Bridges Program and expects to graduate with his bachelor’s in electrical engineering in the spring of 2027.

“I feel honored to be recognized by IEEE,” he said. “It is encouraging to know that others have faith in me and are willing to give me that support which I greatly need.”

Pantoja-Garcia, who transferred from Clark College to WSU Vancouver in 2023, said she became interested in the field thanks to power-related projects and classes, as well as her participation in the PNW Hydro Think Tank Competition. At WSU Vancouver, it was her Intro to Power and Energy Systems course and two key electives — Renewable Energy Conversion Systems and Introduction to Solar Cells — that further cemented her enthusiasm.

“Both of these electives stood out to me from other electrical engineering classes I have taken because they involved learning with a project-based approach,” Pantoja-Garcia said. “As a student, I have found that when I am tasked with projects instead of problem sets, I feel more involved and a sense of ownership over my education.”

Outside of the classroom, Pantoja-Garcia took part in two four-month electrical engineering internships with Burns & McDonnell — an architecture, engineering, and construction firm. She recently joined the company as a full-time assistant substation engineer after graduating in December with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering.

“I spent most of my time working on substation projects,” Pantoja-Garcia said. “In my application, I described how my internship allowed me to take on projects that directly affected our electric grid and that it taught me the importance of making safe and smart design choices.”

The PES Scholarship Plus program grew sharply over the past year, increasing from 84 PES scholars in 2024 to 244 in 2025. The jump was driven in part by expanded eligibility, which now includes majors such as computer science, technical communications, education, and more. WSU students outpaced that growth, rising from two scholars last year to 12 this year.

According to Noel Schulz, inaugural director of the ���سԹ� and Bob Ferguson endowed professor, who joined the IEEE board of directors in 2024, it’s a promising sign for the trajectory of WSU’s programs.

“This is a significant accomplishment for the entire WSU system,” Schulz said. “It’s encouraging to see that our students are excelling not only in the labs and classrooms on campus but also being recognized by professional societies like IEEE PES.�� The WSU system continues to be a strong program in electrical power education and research. It’s a true testament to our incredible engineering faculty and curriculum that WSU is producing so many talented and committed students.”

By Flynn Espe

A new method for identifying types of plastics, built on advanced spectral imaging and machine learning, could make recycling more efficient and reduce landfill waste, according to a new study involving Washington State University researchers.

The method, in the journal Resources, Conservation and Recycling, offers the promise of a sorting system that is more accurate in distinguishing and separating different types of plastics on conveyer belts, which is crucial for producing high-quality recycled materials.

Maria Paula Garcia-Tovar, a Ph.D. materials science and engineering student at WSU Pullman, served as lead author. Macy Christianson (’22 BS Comp. Sci., ’24 MS Comp. Sci.), a ���سԹ� alumnae now working at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL); Luis de la Torre, associate professor of computer science at ���سԹ�; and John Miller, emeritus associate professor of computer science at ���سԹ�, were among the co-authors, alongside other colleagues from PNNL and the University of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez.

Spectral imaging builds upon the principles of spectroscopy — a technique for observing how light interacts with matter across different wavelengths. Using specialized cameras with spectroscopic sensors, spectral imaging machines detect and record spectral data for each pixel of an image. Analysis of that data can, in turn, identify the chemical composition or other properties of the materials. Hyperspectral imaging, which requires more sophisticated camera equipment than traditional spectral imaging, offers a higher level of resolution, providing a full spectrum at each pixel.

“It’s like a regular color image, which has red, green, and blue, but a hyperspectral image has a whole wavelength band — sometimes 3,000 wavelengths,” Miller said.

For this study, the research team sought to investigate the feasibility of plastic identification in a simulation using hyperspectral imaging technology and convolutional neural networks (CNNs), a deep-learning artificial intelligence model often lauded for its ability to process complex image data. By training their CNN model on image data sets derived from two types of vibrational spectroscopies, the researchers determined both to be highly accurate in identifying six chemically distinct plastic types — with one model achieving 100% accuracy.

Although some recycling facilities have begun implementing hyperspectral imaging for plastic classification, most still rely on older, less accurate technologies such as near‑infrared sensors and RGB cameras. These systems are used during the sorting stage, after plastic loads have been screened for metal or other non‑plastic contaminants. Sensors mounted over fast‑moving conveyor belts capture and identify the plastics as they move past, and precision‑targeting air jets separate individual items by type.

Accurate sorting is important because different plastics have distinct chemical compositions and require specific processing conditions, including different melting temperatures. When plastics are improperly sorted, the quality of recycled materials can suffer, sometimes resulting in discarded batches that end up in landfills or incinerators.

Garcia-Tovar said the plastic samples used in the study were recovered from a recycling center in Puerto Rico, which made successful identification of the materials more challenging but also more reflective of real-world conditions.

“These plastics are real plastics, so they had some environmental degradations,” Garcia-Tovar said, adding that some samples were even discolored from additives, making them harder to identify with older technologies. “But the model was successful.”

Garcia-Tovar, who is originally from Colombia and has a background in industrial engineering, was initially recruited to the project while pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez, working under the guidance of co-author Samuel P. Hernández-Rivera. She collected the samples and provided infrared spectral imaging data using equipment at her university. She then brought the samples to PNNL, where she worked as a research intern during the summer of 2024, using the lab’s high-end imaging equipment to obtain the rest of the hyperspectral images for the machine learning experiment.

According to Miller, who worked on the machine learning framework, there were certain essential functions that had to be implemented for the experiment to work. One of the first tasks, he said, was getting the image analysis software to isolate and identify each plastic item within each spectral image.

“One of the weird things is that the conveyor belt is also plastic, so you have to distinguish the [recycled] plastic from the conveyor belt as well,” Miller said.

Another challenge Miller pointed to was optimizing the computational process so that it matched the speed of a fast-moving conveyer belt. A potential future step, he said, would be to test the imaging framework on a physical conveyor system.

Garcia-Tovar, for whom this is her first published paper as lead author, said she decided to further her education at WSU based on her positive PNNL internship experience. She says another paper from her PNNL internship is forthcoming — this one dealing with microplastics.

“I am very happy to continue studying at this university,” she said. “This experience has been really amazing.”

By Flynn Espe

Washington State University Tri-Cities student Roxie Bates remembers coming to New Coug Orientation last fall feeling somewhat anxious about starting her college career.

“What if I don’t do this one thing and then it ruins everything?” she recalls thinking. “I was very nervous.”

Though she’d been on campus at least once before, it was a much different environment than the one she’d recently graduated from at Chiawana High School in Pasco. More than that, as a first-year student in the ���سԹ� Teaching Bridge Program, Bates still had practical questions about how she would be balancing her time between taking classes and working part-time as a paraeducator — one of the main features of her elementary education program.

Fortunately, Bates says, most of her day-one jitters were quickly calmed when she went into a scheduled group meeting with Lisandra Farías, her assigned mentor in a brand-new Student Success Peer Mentors program aimed at helping new ���سԹ� students settle in during their first semester on campus. Farías introduced herself to the group as a senior elementary education major.

“She kind of explained everything, like, ‘I’ve been through it. This is what it’s going to look like, and if you have any questions, I’m here,” Bates says. “It was a lot more reassuring.”

From there, Bates stayed in frequent contact with Farías throughout the semester, using a special text messaging platform.

“I would say we talked about one to two times a week. And it would often just be a quick check-in, like, ‘Hey, how’s everything going? Do you have any questions?’” Bates says.

Bates and her fellow new Cougs weren’t the only ones going through the peer mentorship process for the first time. This being the pilot year for the program, it was a learning experience for everyone — students and staff included.

“The point is to help new students, both first-years and transfers, successfully transition to life at ���سԹ� by offering guidance, support, and a friendly connection to the campus community,” says Evelyn Martinez-Ostrom, ���سԹ�’ director of student engagement and leadership.

She says the program emerged from a series of director-level meetings the year prior in which campus leaders from the Office of Academic and Student Affairs looked closely at an industry study on student success in higher education. In evaluating the , which identified the “Big Six” college experiences linked to lifelong preparedness, the group latched on to two key indicators. One was a correlation between successful outcomes for students who were highly active in extracurricular activities and organizations. A second indicator was having a mentor to inspire and encourage the student.

“It was really broadly stated as somebody that has their back on campus, and an overwhelming number of examples cited a peer as that mentor,” Martinez-Ostrom says. “So the combination of those two things, having a peer mentor and having involvement in co-curricular activities, is what we centered this idea of a peer mentor program around.”

Getting the program up and running required a major effort from multiple ���سԹ� departments, including the Office of Admissions and Office of Academic Engagement. Funding for the first year of the program was provided by a generous outside sponsorship from Battelle, with additional contributions from the ���سԹ� College of Arts and Sciences and TRIO Student Support Services.

By the time fall 2025 orientation arrived, Martinez-Ostrom’s office had assembled and trained a team of 14 ���سԹ� upperclassmen as peer mentors — selecting candidates through a competitive hiring process that also sought to bring in a mixed representation of undergraduate majors.

Peer mentor Devin Simpson, who graduated last December as a digital technology and culture major, says he decided to apply to the campus position having previously worked as a student outreach ambassador for the ���سԹ� GEAR UP program.

“I was interested in it because I had experience interacting with students,” he says. “I thought, ‘Oh, that could translate well into the Student Success Peer Mentors position.’”

For his orientation meet-and-greet session, Simpson prepared a few simple games and ice-breaker activities to help people get to know one another.

“I had them talk about themselves and why they enrolled at WSU,” Simpson says. “They were meeting for the first time, so obviously nerves were going to be a little bit high. But the more I talked to them and the more activities and games we did, the more comfortable they got.”

Throughout the fall, Simpson and his fellow mentors regularly reached out to their assigned students via group and personalized texts, informing students about academic deadlines and resources while encouraging them to participate in upcoming social events. The new students, meanwhile, were also free to contact their mentors with questions and requests.

One peer mentor guided a new student through the process of starting a campus club for the education students, Martinez-Ostrom says. Sometimes the requests were more urgent.

“At one point we had a peer mentor who was off-campus, and one of their mentees had messaged them, ‘Hey, I have an exam today. I forgot my calculator. Can you help me with this?’” Martinez-Ostrom says. “The peer mentor contacted me, ‘I need to help my mentee. Are you on campus? Can you find a calculator for her?’ I said, ‘Yes, send her to our office.’ And we had a TI-89 waiting for her.”

To celebrate the completion of the first semester of the program, the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership hosted a special “Cheers for Peers” event in the Student Union Building last December. While there, each of the 14 mentors had a chance to stand up and share about their experience.

Peer mentor Alyssa Perez, a senior viticulture and enology major, said being in the program taught her valuable lessons about leadership.

“Real leadership often looks like stepping back. You have to listen first, ask questions, and create a space for someone else’s voice to be heard,” Perez told the group. “I also learned that small moments matter more than we think. A quick check-in, a high five in the hallway, or a ‘You’ve got this!’ at just the right time — those interactions can be the thing that keeps someone going.”

For questions about applying to the peer mentor program for fall 2026, email Martinez-Ostrom at evelynmtz@wsu.edu.

By Flynn Espe

Seven students from Washington State University Tri-Cities are bringing their collective passion for community service beyond the confines of the Richland campus. As members of the newly relaunched Mid-Columbia Rotaract Club, they’re on a mission to give back to the region through a range of charitable activities, including an upcoming bowling fundraiser event.

“We hope to better the community in any way possible,” says ���سԹ� sophomore Romeo Ross, currently serving as the Rotaract chapter president.

are official sub-organizations of Rotary International chapters, aimed at cultivating leadership and service-minded professionalism among young adults, ages 18–30. The Mid-Columbia Rotaract Club is sponsored by Columbia Center Rotary, based in Kennewick.

Ross says he became involved in getting the Rotaract chapter up and running in late 2025 when Rotary member and ���سԹ� donor Phil Ohl (’87 BS Mat. Sci. & Eng., ’92 MEM) pitched the idea to him. Although the Mid-Columbia Rotaract club had been active in years past, the group had effectively dissolved during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving no one left from the chapter’s former membership to carry the mission forward.

“(Phil) gave me a little bit of insight as to what they had done in the past,” Ross says. “The pitch was, ‘This is really big for our community, and we’re looking for someone to revitalize this and serve in this way.’”

Despite his already busy schedule, including serving as vice president for the Associate Students of ���سԹ�, Ross says he agreed immediately.

“I love humanitarian work. I love service projects,” Ross says. “So I said, ‘Of course, I would love to.’”

His first task was to recruit other new members for the chapter who would be just as committed to community service and engaging with people. Fortunately, he didn’t have to look far. As of now, ���سԹ� undergraduate students comprise more than three quarters of the group’s nine-person leadership team, which includes Diedre Cady, freshman; Xavier Cox, sophomore; Felix Galvan, junior; Harleen Kaur, freshman; Anas Mohamed, sophomore; and Nate Sibaja, sophomore.

Despite the heavy representation of ���سԹ� students, Ross says the makeup of the group is diverse in other ways, with three members hailing from other countries.

“Every individual on the team speaks at least another language,” Ross says, citing Italian, Japanese, and Twi as three languages currently represented. “The team is so multifaceted.”

Rotaract members are focusing their efforts on fundraising support for the Prescott School District, which serves approximately 225 children in rural Walla Walla County and has been facing potential dissolution due to financial distress.

Ross says the decision to focus on helping the district was made during the club’s inaugural meeting on Jan. 15, after each new member brought in three ideas for potential service projects and causes. Cox, who grew up in the town of Prescott, was the one who brought the issue to the group’s attention.

“We came to a consensus that this was the most time-sensitive project,” Ross says. “It was a unanimous vote.”

For Ohl, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from WSU and currently serves as managing director for the Tri-Cities Angel Alliance, getting young people involved in community service has been a driving passion. He praised the new Rotaract team for getting up and running so quickly.

“Romeo and the new members of Mid-Columbia Rotaract embody the Rotary motto, ‘Service above self,’” Ohl says. “All the members are passionate about our Tri-Cities and surrounding area communities, and I’m excited to get to work with them. The fact the group is Coug-centered is a great bonus.”

The group’s first planned outreach activity is a bowling night fundraiser event from 9:30-11:30 p.m. on March 19 at Atomic Bowl in Richland. All proceeds go to the Prescott School District.

For more information on upcoming events, you can follow Mid-Columbia Rotaract Club on . Ross says his team is still on the lookout for new members who exhibit ambition, compassion, and optimism.

“It’s an amazing opportunity, especially if individuals are interested in community service and leadership,” Ross says.

By Flynn Espe

In this third year as a Cougar, Eric Mayo-Gutierrez can already say that Washington State University has taken him places. For starters, he’s been a student at three different WSU campuses, spanning both sides of the Evergreen State.

But that’s just the beginning for this first-generation mechanical engineering major from Moses Lake, Washington, who now has his sights set on a scholarship-funded trip later this summer to Tokyo, Japan. That’s where he plans to take part in an engineering internship through the Council on International Educational Exchange’s Summer Global Internship program.

To make the trip possible, Mayo-Gutierrez applied to and recently received the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship, a federal program that helps fund educational travel experiences for undergraduate students facing financial hardship.

“I’m a recipient of the Pell Grant, so thankfully I had the opportunity to receive this,” Mayo-Gutierrez says. “It helps students be able to explore opportunities that they might not have been able to due to financial circumstances.”

The Gilman scholarship program has to work and study overseas as they take part in all manner of travel experiences — learning about food and culture in Spain and Portugal, researching , and , to name a few. In 2025, there were 14 WSU students who received a Gilman scholarship, including one from ���سԹ�.

Although Mayo-Gutierrez has yet to be matched with an employer for his overseas internship, he looks forward to seeing and experiencing all that Tokyo has to offer when he gets there this summer.

“Not a lot of students have this opportunity,” Mayo-Guiterrez says. “I’m just thankful.”

Mayo-Gutierrez began his bachelor’s degree studies at WSU Vancouver in the fall of 2023 before transferring to WSU Pullman the next semester. He then made one final move, beginning his sophomore year at ���سԹ�, where he’s since taken part in several extracurricular jobs as a peer mentor, biology and chemistry lab prep assistant, undergraduate research assistant, and mechanical and electrical engineering intern at Grant County P.U.D. He previously earned his associate degree and welding certificate from Big Bend Community College.

He says his long-term career goal is to become a mechanical or robotics engineer working on biomedical devices — bonus points if he can live and work internationally. Through engineering innovation, he says, he hopes to advance new technologies and solutions that will increase access and lower costs for patients.

For current students interested in applying for a , WSU will be hosting a Gilman Scholarship Workshop Series on Zoom this February.

As any parent can attest, raising young children is demanding and unpredictable. Adding work or school into the mix can be a lot to juggle, especially when childcare plans can fall through at a moment’s notice.

That’s where a new Washington State University Tri-Cities campus resource aims to help. Dubbed the “Coug Family Corner” and located in the Learning Commons area of the Consolidated Information Center, it’s a room where student parents and caregivers can bring their children or young relatives to campus on a short-term basis while attending to their studies at the same time. Furnished and stocked with a wide assortment of kid-friendly books, games and activities on one side of the room, the other half includes a conference-style table intended for student work and—if necessary—small group meetings.

The newly renovated space launched at the beginning of the fall semester and is available on a first-come, first-served basis to any student who needs it. To use the Coug Family Corner, students simply need to sign a check-in form, noting their agreement to a brief list of guidelines, which includes a requirement that student caregivers must remain with their children at all times.

“It’s a great resource for student parents or anyone who needs to watch a younger sibling,” Cristal Sternfeld, a junior pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing, says. “It’s safe, comfortable and gives you the chance to get homework done while keeping your child close by.”

As the parent of a 2-year-old daughter, Sternfeld says she has used the space a few times this semester already.

“One time I came to campus just to pick up a book and brought my daughter with me. Since I had an assignment due that day, I decided to stop by the family corner,” she says. “It ended up being the perfect spot. I was able to finish my assignment, and my daughter stayed busy and happy playing in the space.”

According to Evelyn Martinez-Ostrom, ���سԹ�’ director of student engagement and leadership, that’s precisely the kind of scenario university leadership had in mind when creating the Coug Family Corner this past summer.

“What if we created a space on campus where students could bring their children in unexpected situations?” Martinez-Ostrom says. “Say your childcare fell through but you still need to come to campus. Maybe this can be a way to get your work done, even if your kid happens to be with you.”

Martinez-Ostrom says the Coug Family Corner was spearheaded by a special committee on which she served with other ���سԹ� department representatives—including staff from the Office of Advancement and Facilities Services Department. That committee had been tasked by the Advisory Council Tri-Cities with exploring new ideas for bringing childcare support to campus.

“We’re kind of in a childcare desert out here,” Martinez-Ostrom, who also became a first-time mom around the time of the group’s formation, says. “We talked about what was realistic for us.”

Ultimately, the committee landed on the idea for Coug Family Corner and identified an underutilized location in the Learning Commons that had previously housed the Learning Glass, a room used primarily for online instruction during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding for the room’s renovation, including supplies and furniture, came from the College of Nursing’s social work program.

Now that the space is open, Martinez-Ostrom says she hopes to spread the word about Coug Family Corner not only to students, but also to student-facing staff and faculty who might be able to use the space as an alternative meeting location when students are accompanied by their children.

“It’s important to have an understanding from everyone on campus about this resource so that they can know how to accommodate that student in need,” Martinez-Ostrom says. “That’s really step one to being a more family-friendly institution for our students.”

As more students begin to take advantage of the resource, Martinez-Ostrom says she welcomes any feedback that will help make Coug Family Corner more useful and accommodating to more people.

For her part, Sternfeld says she appreciates having a family-friendly space on campus where she can go when the need arises. “It makes being a student parent feel more supported, and it helps reduce some of the stress of balancing school and childcare,” she says.

By Angela Sams

CHIȘINĂU, Moldova — During a recent trip to Moldova, Washington State University students toured medieval ruins, a monastery, and subterranean caves where monks hid from enemies while protecting wine, a historically symbolic and religious product in the eastern European country.

“Learning about Moldova really opened my eyes to how they value their wine as a livelihood and culture,” said Julie Hilland, a graduate student in WSU’s��. “It was inspiring to converse with people about their historical and agricultural challenges, from medieval to modern times, and how it has shaped their wine heritage and traditions. They want to celebrate this with the world.”

Supported by the����and a U.S. State Department-funded grant received by the Technical University of Moldova (TUM), the trip built on a 2024 partnership established by the two universities. The WSU visitors, which also included staff and faculty, received an overview of TUM’s academic programs, collaborated with TUM faculty and students, and toured the university’s facilities, including recently remodeled labs.

As one of the two WSU graduate students on the trip, Hilland shared the grape smoke exposure research taking place in Associate Professor Tom Collins’ lab at the��.

“I was honored to present,” said Hilland, who is pursuing a PhD in horticulture. “This trip was a really exciting opportunity. I wanted to learn about Moldovan wine production and see the winemakers’ artistry and passion for their product. I also wanted to understand their challenges and successes and how those compare to the U.S.”

The trip solidified WSU undergraduate Cecilia Sevier’s desire to work abroad after graduation.

“One reason I’m drawn to this industry is because it’s very internationally collaborative,” said Sevier, a senior V&E major. “This trip proved that. It was an amazing chance to connect with winemakers outside of the U.S. and see what students in Moldova are learning and what they want to do with their education.”

Throughout the weeklong visit, the group sampled Moldovan wine varietals including Fetească albă, akin to a muscat or muscadine; Fetească regală, similar to a Pinot noir; and Viorica, a dry, citrusy orange wine that pairs well with the local cuisine.

“I was thrilled to return this year, this time with both undergraduate and graduate students, to engage in hands-on learning opportunities that foster global collaboration, experiential education, and cross-cultural understanding between WSU and Moldovan wine scientists, educators, and producers,” said V&E Department Chair Jean Dodson Peterson.

The itinerary included stops at the Cricova and Asconi wineries, where the group learned how the country’s wine industry supports its citizens. The group also learned more about local history during a day trip to Old Orhei.

“Winemaking isn’t just a business for Moldovan people,” Sevier said. “It’s part of their tradition and culture. It was really inspiring to be part of that, even for just a short while.”

Sevier was especially struck by the humbleness of the Moldovan winemakers.

“Moldova has one of the oldest wine industries in the world, and the winemakers never seemed to be bragging or trying to prove something,” she said. “They were so excited to share their wines and hear which ones we preferred and why. The community aspect of wine is at the center of everything they do.”

As the trip ended, the students attended the Moldovan Wine Festival, a lively cultural celebration that included wine tasting, crafts, music, and other activities.

“Experiencing the level of enthusiasm the Moldovan people have for their wine was galvanic!” Hilland said. “From historical events to modern research, Moldova is the perfect balance of production and artistry.”

Both Hilland and Sevier hope the connections they established with TUM faculty and students during the trip will remain as they pursue future careers in the wine industry.

“This trip made the world feel smaller in a good way, and it changed my perspective on wine as a whole,” Sevier said. “It made me feel like a student of the world, rather than just one university. I now feel so much more ready to be a part of this industry when I graduate.”