RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Individuals will have the opportunity to meet with a variety of regional employers from across the Tri-Cities and inquire about current and future jobs and career opportunities as part of the Virtual Columbia Basin College/厙ぴ勛圖 Career Fair that takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 20.

The career fair will take place from 10 a.m. ��� 2 p.m. online via a platform called Handshake. To attend, 厙ぴ勛圖 students should register at . Members of the public should register at .

The career fair is free and open to the public.

More than 30 employers are registered to participate. Individuals will have the opportunity to meet with those employers via individual virtual rooms. Attendees can jump from room to room to explore a variety of career opportunities.

For more information, contact AJ Andrade at aandrade@columbiabasin.edu or 509-543-1449.

 

Media contacts:

Jay Frank, Columbia Basin College assistant vice president for communications and external relations, 509-544-2038, jfrank@columbiabasin.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 director of marketing and communication, 509-372-7333 (office), 619-403-3618 (cell), maegan_murray@wsu.edu

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Individuals will have the opportunity to meet with a variety of regional employers from across the Tri-Cities and inquire about current and future jobs and career opportunities as part of the Virtual Mid-Columbia Career Fair that takes place on Tuesday, March 9.

The career fair, which is jointly hosted by , Washington State University Tri-Cities, and , will take place from 10 a.m. ��� 2 p.m. online via a platform called Brazen. To attend, individuals should register and create their profile at .

The career fair is free and open to the public.

���This spring career fair not only provides our current students and spring graduates with insight into job prospects as they head into their professional lives, we are also offering this as a public resource,��� said Kristine Cody, 厙ぴ勛圖 assistant director of career services. ���Given the pandemic, it is a tough job market for many right now, but there are a variety of jobs available regionally and this is a great opportunity to get connected to those.���

Bringing together the two academic institutions with WorkSource has resulted in beneficial partnerships in scaling resources and other career connections for current students, recent graduates and members of the public, said Elisa Hernandez, director for career services at CBC.

���This is a fantastic resource for individuals to access job recruiters and hiring managers of the companies they are interested in for insights into how they can obtain current and future positions,��� she said.

Employers interested in participating should sign-up for a digital booth by today, March 5. There is no cost to participate. For more information and to register as an employer, contact Jasmine Sanchez at JSanchez@ESD.WA.GOV.

KENNEWICK, Wash. ��� The Association of Washington Business, in partnership with the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, Washington State University Tri-Cities, and Columbia Basin College, launched a new online portal connecting employers and students for internship opportunities.

The is an online resource in which employers and educators may post an unlimited number of internship opportunities and have access to an intern candidate database for free. The Tri-Cities is one of two locations in Washington where the project is being piloted. A similar pilot project is underway in Spokane.

Washington state employers often struggle with the current workforce shortage. The Washington Workforce Portal will allow employers to fill positions that align with the skillsets of students in our academic programs and trade schools across the state. In return, young people will gain experience through real world, work-based learning opportunities.

“Internships and other career experiences are a great way in which students can grow, cement their skills, and use what they learn before officially entering the workforce full-time,” 厙ぴ勛圖 Chancellor Sandra Haynes said. “With this workforce portal, all college students, regardless of campus, will have a centralized place to be paired with businesses and organizations for a range of experiential learning opportunities.”

Both regional Tri-Cities businesses and students can now access the portal.

For more information and to access the Washington Workforce Portal, visit .

 

Media contacts:

Austin Regimbal, Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, 509-491-3238, austin.regimbal@tricityregionalchamber.com

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

New agreement helps students save on costs

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Columbia Basin College and Washington State University Tri-Cities signed a new agreement on Monday, Nov. 16, that creates a seamless pathway for students to complete their first two years at CBC and transfer to 厙ぴ勛圖, which saves students costs.

Students significantly save on costs, as students in the program do not pay for the transfer application to attend 厙ぴ勛圖, do not pay for the cost of their transcripts to transfer, and tuition is also frozen from their first semester enrolled at 厙ぴ勛圖. In other words, if tuition rates increase anytime while enrolled at 厙ぴ勛圖, students continue to pay the tuition rate from their first semester at 厙ぴ勛圖.

Students also benefit from one-on-one support throughout their educational journey from both CBC and 厙ぴ勛圖 from their first term in the program. They work directly with academic advisors from both institutions to solidify complete programs of study. This helps to ensure that students complete their degree programs on-time and reduce the likelihood of taking courses unnecessarily that won���t directly transfer.

Close partnership a win for all students

厙ぴ勛圖 Chancellor Sandra Haynes said she is excited to sign a new agreement with CBC, as it helps reduce the complications and cost to students who wish to first attend a community college and then transfer to a four-year university.

���Our two institutions work together to create seamless pathways so that students can get the most out of their educational experience and graduate on-track,泭on-time and career-ready,��� she said. ���With 厙ぴ勛圖 serving freshman, transfer, first-generation, low-income and non-traditional students, we are opening more doors to meet students where they are,泭today.���

Woods said CBC is also excited to strengthen its partnership with 厙ぴ勛圖.

���Many of CBC’s graduates choose to become Cougs, while staying right here in the Tri-Cities,��� she said. ���This agreement smooths that transition. Whether a student chooses to pursue a four-year degree at CBC, 厙ぴ勛圖, or any other institution, we are committed to helping each student find their best path forward.���

Students see direct benefits

Dawn Hughes, a current 厙ぴ勛圖 education student and alumna of Columbia Basin College, said transferring from CBC to 厙ぴ勛圖 provided a great local and affordable option that was a best fit for both her and her family.

���I moved to Tri-Cities in 2006 and was raising a family,��� she said. ���When I decided to go back to school, it fit our budget and our busy schedule. It was also convenient because I could take classes in-person, locally.���

Hughes said she received tremendous support from both her instructors at CBC and 厙ぴ勛圖. When she started school, her sister was diagnosed with cancer. She served as her sister���s bone marrow transplant and was going to have to miss some school.

���My professors were so supportive through that,��� she said. ���Professors from both programs are that way. They want you to succeed.���

Apply to Bridges

Applications are open now for the Bridges Program. For more information and to apply, visit tricities.wsu.edu/bridges. To qualify for the Bridges Program, students must apply in their first year at CBC and complete the ���Declaration of Intent��� form. Have questions or want to meet with someone about your options? Email tricities.bridges@wsu.edu.

For more information about CBC, visit . For more information about 厙ぴ勛圖, visit tricities.wsu.edu.

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy for civil rights achievements in the United States, Washington State University Tri-Cities and Columbia Basin College will host a series of events surrounding civil rights and civic engagement the week of Jan. 20 that are open to the community.

All events are free to attend and do not require tickets for admission.

Monday, Jan. 20 ��� Martin Luther King Jr. Bell-Ringing Ceremony at CBC

The week begins with the 29^th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Bell-Ringing Ceremony at the CBC campus in Pasco, which honors MLK���s legacy and achievements in civil rights issues locally and across the United States, and also recognizes the efforts that are still to be done. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the MLK statue outside of the T Building, and will then move inside the H Building���s Gjerde Center for the main presentation.

Monday, Jan. 20 ��� MLK Day of Service at Richland Community Center

The Psi Nu Omega Graduate Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will host an MLK Day of Service 10 a.m. ��� 2:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Richland Community Center. Leading up to the event, the 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion will be accepting donations of gently used and new shoes and eye glasses, which will be donated on Jan. 20 during the event. Individuals can drop off their donations between 8 a.m. ��� 5 p.m. at MOSAIC this week through Friday. Donations will also be collected during the event at the community center on Jan. 20. Student are also invited to volunteer or submit created MLK art by reaching out to the chapter at pnopullman@gmail.com.

Thursday, Jan. 23 ��� Civil Rights Organizations Workshop at 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC

The 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion will host a Civil Rights Organizations Workshop from 1 p.m. ��� 2 p.m. in Floyd 140 on campus. As part of the workshop, Bob Bauman, 厙ぴ勛圖 associate professor of history, will present on civil rights groups and will specifically explore the impact of student activism. Bauman teaches American history and public history courses at 厙ぴ勛圖 and his article on racial segregation in the Tri-Cities was awarded with the Charles Gates Award for the best article to appear in the Pacific Northwest Quarterly in 2005.

Thursday, Jan. 23 ��� MLK Celebration Watch Party at 厙ぴ勛圖 Student Union Building

To complete the week, the 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion will host an MLK celebration from 6 p.m. ��� 8 p.m., where a presentation by W. Kamau Bell, a sociopolitical comedian and host of the Emmy Award-winning CNN docuseries ���United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell,��� will be broadcasted to all WSU campuses across the state from WSU Pullman. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about the MOSAIC Center and enjoy some light refreshments.

 

Media contacts:

Kristine Cody, 厙ぴ勛圖 MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion coordinator, 509-372-7600, kristine.cody@wsu.edu

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

Anna Tensmeyer, Columbia Basin College marketing and communication director, 509-845-0341, atensmeyer@columbiabasin.edu

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. – After taking one class at a time over a 40-year journey, Washington State University Tri-Cities business administration alumna Vanessa Moore said she now has a sense of professional security and knowledge she can utilize throughout the remainder of her professional career – especially with her position out at the .

After getting involved with a variety of business programming in the mid-1970s as a student at Hanford and Richland High Schools, Moore said she always had a yearning to go into business. She participated in the Cooperative Office Education program at her school, which was business-related, and also in Future Business Leaders of America.

She decided to attend WSU in Pullman because she liked the smaller university size as compared with other public schools and the close-knit community atmosphere where she began her degree in business administration. But shortly afterward, her plans diverged.

“My plan was to go for five years and get two degrees: one in accounting and the other in business administration,” she said. “But plans change.”

Switching gears mid-career

Moore got married in the spring of 1976 and afterward, decided to continue with an associate’s at Columbia Basin College in Pasco. There, while raising two sons, she took one class at a time before earning her associate���s. The slow process allowed her to focus on her family, while gradually working toward her degree. All the while, her husband managed his family’s business.

“I was fortunate to be a stay at home mom at the time, so I was able to take one class at a time and study,” she said. “I wouldn’t have to be away from home that much. I could fit study time in between. And all the while, I could make sure there was no financial burden on our family.”

In 1985, Moore returned to the workforce, holding various positions with Bank of America until taking a job with the prime contractor at Hanford. With improved financial security, she said complacency set in and she took a break from school. A few years later, however, she was laid off due to workforce restructuring.

Knowing that getting her bachelor’s would provide her with a safer foundation for if she were to ever experience that strain again, she decided to go back to school for her bachelor’s at 厙ぴ勛圖 in 2009. Once again, she would take one class at a time.

“I never wanted to be in that position again – not having a bachelor’s,” she said. “I remember looking at the job postings when I wasn’t working, thinking, ���Sure I have years of relevant experience, but you have to have a degree.��� It motivated me to get back in and go until I was finished. You always want to be prepared.”

Why 厙ぴ勛圖?

Moore said 厙ぴ勛圖 provided a great local option for higher education, in addition to the rigor and reputation of an established business program. She said many of her family members are also WSU Cougs. Moore���s brother, Duke Mitchell, also previously served on the WSU Advisory Council of Tri-Cities, in addition serving on the board at Columbia Basin College.

“Of the six of us siblings, four of us are Cougs,” she said. “It’s special knowing that you all have this connection to the same school.”

While studying at 厙ぴ勛圖, Moore said she relished the interaction that she got from the diverse group of students on campus, as well as her professors. The age range of the students, she said, provided her with a good atmosphere to feel comfortable with people her own age, but also to experience the younger side of life with more traditional-aged student.

Her older age, she said, also allowed her to connect to current events that she could then help to explain to some of her younger peers.

“I was able to provide my perspective of what it was like in the real-world, and I think some of the other students appreciated that,” she said.

She also enjoyed the classes, themselves. From her business programming, which is directly applicable in her current position as a staffing coordinator for the work-based learning department at , to her core-curricular classes ranging from history to science, she said there was always something applicable to her life to be gained.

Her business courses were taught by professors, who, in conjunction with their role as educators at 厙ぴ勛圖, also held current or former jobs out in the business sector.

And while on her educational journey, Vanessa use what she learned to co-found three companies and guide two charitable organizations through the non-profit solidification and requirements process.

A bachelor���s is worth it

Now, after spending many years completing her business administration degree and finishing this past semester, she said it feels surreal driving to work every day to PNNL and passing 厙ぴ勛圖 without having to go to class, but that the effort was worth it.

“I am very grateful for my experience here and the people I came to know and what I have gained as a result,” she said. “Getting my degree was important to me, and I wanted to finish it without accruing any student loans. The feeling of completion and accomplishment and knowing that I did well is so validating.”

She said she also wants to thank her family and employer, PNNL, for their support.

“My husband, Leonard Moore, was so supportive of it all and patient in understanding why it was important for me,” she said. “He, I and the boys kind of went on this journey together … I am also thankful to my employer for the tuition reimbursement program, and to my colleagues. My manager at work was so excited for me when I finished.”

Moore���s brother, Duke Mitchell, said seeing his sister graduate from WSU after all these years is inspiring.

���In my opinion, higher education is one of the primary keys to success in life for everyone, not only now, but throughout history,��� he said. ���I am so proud of Vanessa ��� She has raised children and helped raise grandchildren and she has always been a great role model for everyone throughout the years. Her graduation from WSU now is just one more example of her strength and character.���

���Don���t wait and lose out���

Moore encourages people to take advantage of the opportunities while they are younger.

“It definitely got harder as I got older,” she said. “The ability to stay up late and study and remember it all. I noticed a big difference in my 60s as compared to my 40s.”

She also encourages people to think about the earning potential and possibilities at stake without a bachelor’s degree.

“Think of the earning power that was lost and the opportunities,” she said of her years without a university degree. “There are a lot of benefits that come with a bachelor’s degree. Don’t wait and lose out on those opportunities.”

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� It was engineering that brought student Anthony Michel to Washington State University Tri-Cities and it was the study abroad opportunities that brought a cultural enrichment.

Michel, a Tri-Cities native, had studied the Japanese language and culture for several years before coming to WSU after transferring from Columbia Basin College for the engineering program. Attending 厙ぴ勛圖 meant he could plan his rigorous class schedule around a semester trip to Japan where he would interact with locals, improve his Japanese fluency, as well as experience new opportunities typically only offered in eastern Asia.

���Before going to Japan, I didn���t know what I wanted to do with my interest in Japanese, but after going there, I want to go back,��� he said. ���It was an amazing experience. I could potentially become a mechanical engineer and also apply my skills in Japan.���

School in Japan

While studying in Japan, Michel took more than 10 credits including courses in linguistics, Japanese, aikido, which is a form of martial arts, as well as a few others.

���All of them but one met only once a week,��� he said. ���Comparatively speaking, the

college that I was going to requires credits are kind of light so you can also immerse yourself into the culture. It worked well because I got to practice my Japanese while learning more about the country, itself.���

Because he was attending a school specializing in foreign language, he took courses with students from the United States, France, China and Korea. For many, the only common language among each of the students was Japanese, which meant they put their practice of the language to good use.

���It was really cool because you can���t communicate in English because most of the other people spoke other languages,��� he said. ���I definitely improved my Japanese while I was there.���

Michel also got to make friends with a variety of Japanese students, most of which who shared dorms with himself and his course peers.

���Most of the Japanese students there were learning English,��� he said. ���I was able to make some pretty good friends.���

Worldly cultural experiences

While living in the dorms and visiting other cities in Japan, Michel learned about the Japanese style of living, which often times is smaller in scale.

���Over there, everything is very compact because they are limited in many cities on space,��� he said. ���My dorm room was very small and the hotel rooms, especially, were really small.���

And in addition to his courses, Michel got to visit a variety of interesting places. During his first week, he and his classmates traveled from Nagasaki to Onsen, where they experienced the Obama Onsen hot spring resort, which is famous for its lengthy hot spring that participants put their feet in.

He also ventured to Sasebo, which is about 1.5 hours north by car from Nagasaki. There, he visited a military base, which offers a variety of American foods, an amusement park and a variety of Dutch-themed buildings. He also visited Fukuoka, which resides on the northern shore of Japan���s Kyushu Island, among others.

���As students of the program, we got to experience a variety of different spots meant

to expose new students to the country,��� he said. ���It was pretty great.���

Value of studying abroad

Looking back on his experience, he said he would definitely recommend the opportunity to study abroad to other students.

���It���s a great opportunity to experience a culture besides your own,��� he said. ���It���s an opportunity to expand your mindset on the world, especially your expectations and view as an American.���

Chosen as one of approximately 30 students泭nationwide泭for summer optometry experience in Berkeley泭

By Jessica Roth, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash.泭���泭As a result of泭resources and mentorship she received at泭Washington State University Tri-Cities,泭student泭Catalina泭Yepez泭not only began the initial steps of realizing her future dream of becoming an eye doctor.泭The opportunities also led her to be泭selected for an opportunity open to only 30 students nationwide.

Yepez泭was selected as one of 30 students泭across the country泭to participate in a weeklong workshop that prepares students for medical school泭and泭careers in optometry泭at the University of California, Berkeley, this summer.泭The opportunity is one that was recommended to her by a 厙ぴ勛圖 professor.

She is now using the support of both her professors and her academic advisor to propel her opportunities as a future optometrist.

Identifying career dreams

Prior to beginning泭college,泭Yepez泭said she didn���t know what she wanted to pursue as a professional career.泭While going to school at Columbia Basin College,泭Yepez泭earned a receptionist job at a local vision clinic to help finance

her education. As she worked her way up, from clerical duties to conduction pre-testing for patients, she became fascinated by the whole field of optometry and found that she enjoyed working in the clinic.

While泭conducting泭an eye exam for a young boy who was fearful of the whole experience, but then became elated when receiving his first pair of glasses,泭Yepez���s泭eyes were opened about the opportunities in optometry.

���He exclaimed ���I can see! I can see!��� she said of the young boy���s reaction upon receiving his new glasses. ���It was泭rewarding knowing that something so small and simple can change a person���s attitude and expression for the better. That is when I realized that optometry is what I wanted to do.���

Propelling dreams into actions

Shortly after that experience,泭Yepez泭began restructuring her academic plan to meet the pre-med requirements for optometry. She decided to transfer to 厙ぴ勛圖 her junior year to complete her undergraduate degree and to take advantage of the opportunities and resources available through the four-year university. An academic advisor, she said, was incredibly helpful with that process.

���I spoke to泭Mariella泭(Lora) with advising, she helped me out so much with my decision to transfer to 厙ぴ勛圖,��� she said. ���It���s amazing how far you can go with the right support.���

Last spring,泭Elly泭Sweet, 厙ぴ勛圖 clinical assistant professor of biology, encouraged Yepez to apply to internships to help her prepare for her future in optometry. This prompted her to look into prospective schools that she���d be interested in attending, and through her search she found a workshop offered at University of California, Berkeley.

The workshop allows students to experience what life was like as a medical student in the school���s optometry program. The program also provides students with valuable information about the admissions requirements and standards for medical school.

Yepez泭gained a recommendation from泭Nelmi泭Devarie泭Baez, 厙ぴ勛圖 clinical assistant professor of chemistry, to include with her application for the program. She said she had泭Devarie泭Baez as an instructor for her organic chemistry class, which was one of泭her泭hardest courses. But through his mentorship, she gained an understanding for the material that would be vital to her future as an optometrist. With his recommendation and to her surprise,泭Yepez泭was selected of one of 38 students from around the United States for the experience.

���I didn���t expect it at all,��� she said of her admittance into the program.

Through the program,泭Yepez泭spent泭one week in California with her cohort learning about strategies for a good score on the Optometry Admission Test, which is required for admittance into any optometry program, in addition to learning about how to prepare for an interview in the medical school application process and opportunities for real-world experiences in optometry after graduation. She also got to tour the university���s facilities and get a feel for the types of things they would be doing as medical optometry students.

���It was exciting,��� she said. ���We played with all of their equipment and learned how to perform a basic eye exam on each other. We learned more about the eye and vision and we got to experience a little bit of what it���s like to be a student there.���

Planning泭future career success

Yepez泭said if it wasn���t for the help and support of the faculty and staff at 厙ぴ勛圖, she might not have realized her potential as a future optometrist and wouldn���t have gained admission into the Berkeley泭workshop.

���Everybody here at 厙ぴ勛圖 is trying to help you succeed,��� she said. ���There are a lot of resources here if you use them, and they help you out a lot. I am very happy I came here.���

Following her graduation this spring,泭Yepez泭said she plans to spend a gap year job shadowing local optometrists in the field and volunteering at a local cancer center before applying to optometry programs. She said she one-day hopes to work in a medical firm in the泭Tri-Cities泭region and might consider opening her own practice.

���WSU泭Tri-Cities泭has made me realize that optometry泭is a competitive field and I need to be a competitive applicant,��� she said.泭���There泭are ways for me to prepare and resources here I can use.泭I���ve definitely gotten help every time I���ve asked for it.���