Student finds passion for multimedia arts as result of experiences at BMCC and 厙ぴ勛圖

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� When thinking about what college choice would be best for him, Hermiston native and future first-generation college student Kyle Kopta knew he wanted to stay close to home. It was a decision that would allow him to save money, but also gradually expand his network.

As a student, he completed the first year of his associate���s degree through as part of the program, which helped him save a year on costs of tuition and provided him with gradual entry into the college setting.

���It was a perfect fit for me, as it allowed me to meet my lower division general education requirements and quickly transfer as a junior to any institution of my choosing,��� he said.

While at BMCC, Kopta said he enjoyed being near family while still maintaining that hometown environment. The community aspect, he said, was one of his favorite parts.

���It had a hometown feel where everyone knew each other,��� he said. ���It felt like an extension of the surrounding community, rather than being separate from it.���

When deciding what four-year university he wanted to pursue, affordability and proximity to family remained primary factors, in addition to his career interest in the multimedia arts. He discovered that Washington State University Tri-Cities, located just 40 minutes from Hermiston in Richland, Washington, had a digital technology and culture program. The program would allow him to apply his passion for photography, video, graphic design and fine arts as part of a well-rounded degree that had eventual outlets for a variety of career paths.

Seamless transfer to 厙ぴ勛圖

The transfer process between the two institutions, Kopta said, was seamless. He said with his AAOT degree, everything transferred to 厙ぴ勛圖 without any problems.

���My experiences at BMCC laid the groundwork for helping me navigate higher education, in general,��� he said. ���As I moved to Washington and began my 厙ぴ勛圖 journey, I felt well-equipped to tackle anything that came my way.���

Preparing for future career in multimedia arts

Through digital technology and culture courses at 厙ぴ勛圖, Kopta learned the fundamentals of a wide variety of multimedia skills, ranging from graphic design, to video production, to sound editing, to photography, to typography and more. He said he enjoyed that the program didn���t put his passions into a single box.

���The digital technology and culture program here at 厙ぴ勛圖 ended up being the next logical step for me in my career,��� he said. ���I was attracted to the multidisciplinary nature of the program because I knew it would allow me to explore all the things that interested me, simultaneously. Other programs were rigid in their approach, but the digital technology and culture program would allow me to explore all my options as an artist, designer and working professional in the field.���

At 厙ぴ勛圖, Kopta became involved with a wide variety of hands-on experiences and student organizations. He helped curate student exhibits and display his own work through a variety of art shows and symposiums on-campus. He served as part of the Associated Students of 厙ぴ勛圖 as its graphic designer. He lent his skills in the multimedia arts as a teacher���s assistant and tutor for the campus��� digital technology and culture program, in addition to serving on the Washington State Arts Commission. He also currently serves as an intern through the 厙ぴ勛圖 marketing and communication office.

This spring, Kopta also had the opportunity to create and curate a that allowed users to virtually walk through a digital gallery space to view student art, just as one would during non-COVID-19 times. It is those sorts of experiences, he said, that proved to be true highlights of his college career.

���Being able to see and experience all of the work our Coug community is doing is always my favorite,��� he said. ���The people I am surrounded by are constantly engaging in such important and innovative work. I never know what to expect from my peers, and that���s the best part.���

Saving on costs

Throughout his college journey, Kopta received several scholarships, including the 厙ぴ勛圖 Douglas P. Gast Scholarship in memory of his late digital technology and culture professor. Kopta said he was honored to receive such a significant award that honored his late professor.

This past year as part of his senior year, 厙ぴ勛圖 also launched the I-82 Advantage program, which now allows students from Umatilla County to attend 厙ぴ勛圖 for in-state tuition rates. Kopta was able to save even more on tuition.

Looking toward the future

After graduating this past spring, Kyle is staying on as a student intern through the summer in the 厙ぴ勛圖 marketing and communication office.

His experience both at BMCC and 厙ぴ勛圖, he said, helped him not only navigate the college setting successfully, but also find his future career. As a result of his experience, he hopes to pursue a career in marketing, specifically working in higher education, where he can help other students find their future interests and careers.

���Marketing allows me to work in design, photography and video, simultaneously,��� he said. ���I would also love to continue working in a higher education setting. Collaborating with different groups of people on all different sorts of projects is important to me. Working at a college allows me to do just that.���

Applications open at BMCC and 厙ぴ勛圖

Applications are open for summer and fall 2021 at both BMCC and 厙ぴ勛圖.

To apply to BMCC, visit . To apply and/or transfer to 厙ぴ勛圖, visit .

厙ぴ勛圖 digital technology and culture student Kyle Kopta.

For more than 80 years, Washington State University has recognized ten of the top seniors in each graduating class. The WSU Alumni Association selects these women and men who represent the highest standards in specific aspects of the college experience, including academics, athletics, campus involvement, community service, and visual and performing arts.

Kyle Kopta, a senior studying digital technology and culture at 厙ぴ勛圖, was selected as a WSU Top Ten Senior for the category of visual/performing arts.

He is a talented graphic designer, photographer, videographer, writer and overall creative. He serves as an intern with the Office of Marketing and Communication, served as a graphic designer for the Associated Students of 厙ぴ勛圖, serves as a DTC lab tutor, as well as on the Washington State Arts Commission. He transferred to 厙ぴ勛圖 from Blue Mountain Community College.

VISUAL/PERFORMING ARTS

• College of Arts and Sciences
• Digital technology and culture
• 厙ぴ勛圖
• Hermiston, Oregon

INVOLVEMENT

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society; President���s Honors List, summa cum laude; ASWUTC Perseverance Award; Douglas P. Gast Fine Arts Scholarship; member, committee of the Washington State Arts Commission overseeing the Washington State Art Collection; graphic designer for ASWSUTC; marketing intern for 厙ぴ勛圖; teacher���s assistant and tutor in the��; host of biweekly community radio show; and 厙ぴ勛圖 Student Employee of the Year for the 2020-2021 academic year

FAVORITE WSU EXPERIENCE

The 厙ぴ勛圖 Undergraduate Research Symposium and Art Exhibition is held at the end of each semester. What stands out most to me is really those shows. Our students are making just incredible work. I helped put it on when we were in-person. Being able to showcase their work and my work is always the most fun event. I���m currently 3D modeling a space for us so we can hold it virtually this semester. I���m doing it in my free time; I���m not doing it paid or part of any job. It���s something I know how to do and can donate. It���s just so important for students to have this kind of culmination for all their hard work. They create all this amazing work, and they have to be able to somehow show it.

厙ぴ勛圖 also has a lot of mentors who helped me navigate the higher education world and the art world. I grew up in a rural area. There were zero galleries. Neither of my parents graduated from college, but they have been so supportive of my journey in higher education. I couldn���t have done it without them and my professors, who helped me succeed inside and outside the classroom. I think art in general has been a vehicle for self-growth in my professional, personal, and academic life. Through video, photography, and painting, I can learn about myself and my community and how I fit into it and I can help other people. Sometimes the things you don���t expect can end up having the most impact and being the most rewarding. Limitation can breed innovation.

FUTURE PLANS

I���ve really found a love for marketing. It���s not something I expected to love as much as I do. I came to 厙ぴ勛圖 putting myself in a box, saying, ���I���m going to become a videographer or graphic designer,��� but I���ve been awarded so many opportunities to collaborate with so many different WSU departments that I���ve found I have a real love for creating things for the community with other people. My plan now is to get a marketing job. I contemplated whether I should move to a bigger city or stay local, and I think I���ve kind of settled on staying local because it���s really important to me to foster this small but tight-knit arts community. I really want to contribute to the Tri-Cities community what I wish I had growing up in Hermiston.

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� For as long as Mario Rodriguez could remember, his mother, Maria Luisa Rodriguez, had taken one or two classes at a time, determined to earn her bachelor���s degree in business.

After working in an assortment of jobs, ranging from harvesting crops, to warehouses, to restaurants, to childcare, she and her husband wanted to provide a better life for their family. While Mario Rodriguez and his siblings were out on the playground, his mother would study for a class or complete an assignment – first for her courses at Columbia Basin College and then for her courses at Washington State University Tri-Cities.

���At an early age, I knew that if I wanted something I had to work hard in order to achieve it,��� Maria Luisa Rodriguez said. ���Earning my degrees would be no different. As life created its path for me, I had the realization that not having a degree would limit me in the dreams and goals I had. I mentally made myself a life goals checklist: Earn a college degree, get a job with purpose and fulfillment, and simply live a good life.���

So when Mario Rodriguez decided to pursue his own path toward earning at college degree at 厙ぴ勛圖 a couple of years ago, he wanted to make his mom proud.

���She wanted to make sure that she earned that degree,��� he said. ���Her being in school always motivated me. She took a class or two while raising us. She is really inspiring, and I want make her proud.���

Saving money and getting an excellent education

Rodriguez chose 厙ぴ勛圖 as his own college option after studying at another college campus for a year because he could live at home, save money, remain close to his family, and get an excellent, well-rounded education.

In his classes, Rodriguez said he enjoyed learning from professors who are ���passionate, in-tune with business needs of today and really engaging with their teaching.���

He chose to pursue a double degree option���studying digital technology and culture, where he specializes in graphic design and video production, and business administration, where he is working to grow his foundational knowledge in business, which can be applied to an assortment of areas in marketing and running a multimedia marketing firm.

���I have had classes with business professor Jesus Bravo, who was super into the subjects he was speaking about,��� he says. ���He would talk to you about the products you have in a business, how to keep your business relevant, and why many businesses fail or succeed.���

���Our professors teach us material that is applicable today and they constantly engage us and ask us questions to make us feel important and that our feedback matters,��� he says.

��On-campus opportunities to spur potential career in marketing

Rodriguez has had the opportunity to work in several capacities on campus that support his goal of pursuing a career in marketing.

He worked in the Office of Professional Development and Community Education where he designed flyers, created materials, and helped manage office duties. This provided him with a good foundation for how an office worked.

Because his mother worked for the running start program at 厙ぴ勛圖, he had the opportunity to use what he learned through his digital technology and culture classes to take photos and video to be used by the program. These opportunities helped showcase his talents to the university marketing and communications office, where he was recruited to work as an intern.

In the marketing and communications office at 厙ぴ勛圖, Rodriguez blends his passion for design with his skills in business to produce materials ranging from video features, to crafting plans for social media marketing, to creating designs that are used for flyers, and other marketing materials.

���It���s cool to be able to work on projects that will highlight our campus and be used for real marketing purposes,��� he says. ���I am applying what I���m learning while still going to school.���

From mom to son

Last spring, Rodriguez witnessed his mother receive her diploma for a bachelor���s in business from 厙ぴ勛圖. She is now using her degree as a program coordinator for the Carson College of Business at 厙ぴ勛圖.

���Seeing her walk across that stage made me really proud, and even more so, made me want to live up to what she had set for me,��� Mario Rodriguez said.

Now, he looks forward to making his mom proud by following in her footsteps while setting forth in his own path in marketing.

Mario Rodriguez completed his digital technology and culture degree last spring and now is finishing his bachelor���s in business administration with the goal of one-day working for a multimedia or advertising firm.

Maria Luisa Rodriguez said she couldn���t be more proud of her son.

���I constantly remind Mario that there are no limits to your dreams and to never let anything stop you from achieving them,��� she said. ���There will be times where you will want to give up and wonder ���Why am I doing this?��� But after all those heartaches and late nights, nothing beats the feeling of when you walk across that stage, receive your degree and shake the hands of the very same people who supported, guided and motivated you along the way.���

Interested in pursuing a career in business? Visit��tricities.wsu.edu/business.

RICHLAND, Wash. ����� Washington State University Tri-Cities students will present semester and course research and art projects as part of the Undergraduate Research Symposium and Art Exhibition Dec. 9 and Dec. 11-13.

Sessions will take place from noon ��� 1 p.m. each day in Consolidated Information Center (CIC) 120, with the exception of Wednesday���s session, which takes place from noon ��� 1 p.m. in the CIC Art Gallery.

���Students have the opportunity to publicly present course and research projects that not only provide hands-on opportunities to explore topics within their field, but also projects that bridge into community partnerships to solve real-world problems,��� said Allison Matthews, clinical associate professor of psychology and coordinator for the symposium.

Some of the academic areas highlighted during the symposium include: the sciences, digital technology and culture, fine arts, history, mathematics and psychology.

Some of the projects featured during the symposium include:

• The exploration of American roots, including topics such as immigration, migration and ethnic identity
• Nutrient limitation of microbial and algal biofilms in Cascade streams
• Drawing and paintings that depict a variety of themes, including topics of expressing the evolution of humanity, nostalgia for the past or hope and/or fear for the future; ��and spirituality, mythology, or emotional state

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

 

Media contacts:

Allison Matthews, clinical associate professor of psychology and symposium coordinator, 509-372-7146, almatthews@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations specialist, 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��tricities.wsu.edu/cas/undergraduate/dtc.

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Several Washington State University Tri-Cities students got to see first-hand how top-tier university research can impact their local community through the 厙ぴ勛圖 Chancellor���s Summer Scholar Program supported by Washington River Protection Solutions.

Throughout the summer, selected students worked one-on-one with a university professor and graduate students to perform research pertaining to their degree interest. Each student receives funds to support their summer research projects from WRPS.

���Through the Chancellor���s Summer Scholar program, students pursuing a bachelor���s degree get the opportunity to be a part of intensive research that could positively influence the Tri-Cities community,��� said Kate McAteer, vice chancellor for academic affairs at 厙ぴ勛圖. ���Ranging from engineering, to the arts, to the sciences, there are a variety of opportunities for students to apply their skills in a real-world setting, which only further sets them up for success in their future career.���

This year, 10 students were selected for the program in the areas of computer science, the arts, materials engineering, bioengineering, environmental science, electrical engineering, and biological sciences.

Students were provided with $2,250 in funding to support their summer project, with the exception of one student group, who received $2,000 as a team. Many students also continue to work with their faculty mentors during the regular school year.

Willow of the Waste ��� Jared Johnson and Aaron Van Morris

Students Jared Johnson and Aaron Van Morris worked with Sena Clara Creston, clinical assistant professor of fine arts, to refine and re-engineer a robotic sculpture known as ���The Willow of the Waste.���

The project is an designed to look like a tree, incorporating mechanical and electrical components. The tree is animated and interactive, with the branches slowly opening, closing and pulsating light to give the appearance of a living, breathing plant. Once the viewer approaches the tree, the branches open, inviting the viewer inside. The students are applying skills in circuit design, power distribution and coding from different inputs and outputs to improve upon an existing design. The interdisciplinary project combines engineering, computer science and the arts to create an interactive sculpture that also speaks to plastic waste, as it is made from discarded plastics like water bottles and shopping bags.

Flexible sensors for robotics ��� Mikaela Matkowski

Student Mikaela Matkowski worked with Amir Ameli, former assistant professor of engineering, to investigate the sensing behavior of 3d-printed sensors that can be used in a range of robotics.

She used a material called thermoplastic polyurethane with various weights of multiwalled carbon nanotubes to produce a material that has excellent conductive properties and reacts well to compression and stretching. She analyzed the pressure and touch sensing abilities, as well as the electrical resistance behaviors of the printed sensors. The sensors have potential application in robotics hands that, when used to touch a surface, have the ability to appropriately register contact of the hand to the object.

Refining a waste material for commercial bioproducts production ��� Yesenia Che

Student Yesenia Che worked with Bin Yang, associate professor of biological systems engineering and doctoral student Xiaolu Li to find a seamless and cheaper way to refine a high-value product in the biofuels creation process that is used for many commercial products.

Lignin, a primary material comprised in the cell wall of plants, is a large waste product in the biofuels creation process. Vallinin is a valuable product derived from lignin that can be used for a range of bioproducts. It is currently used in various fields, including food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The price for the material, however, tends to be unstable due to cost and complicated procedures required for producing the material from lignin. Che worked with Yang to use a bacteria that degrades lignin and allows for the easier refinement and production of vallinin that doesn���t require the use of the whole plant cell for extraction ��� a process known as a cell free system. This process may lead to an effective technique for the production of natural vanillin at low cost.

Identifying nutrient limitations in Cascade Mountain Range for understanding nitrogen fixation ��� Jeannette Lilly

Student Jeannette Lilly worked with Sarah Roley, assistant professor of environmental science, and graduate student Erica Bakker to analyze nutrient limitation in the Cascade Range that could lead to better understanding of where nitrogen fixation occurs in freshwater streams in the Pacific Northwest.

Nitrogen fixation converts nitrogen gas into a nutrient that is essential for all life. While there has been extensive research on nitrogen fixation in the open ocean, estuaries and lakes, comparatively little research has been done on nitrogen fixation in freshwater streams. Nitrogen fixation typically occurs in nutrient-poor streams like those in the Cascades. It may be critical to supporting the food web, including insects and fish, in Cascadian streams. Jeanette established the nutrient status of the study streams, which helps to predict where this process is important.

Finding ways to reduce methane production using bioengineering ��� Tina Tran

Student Tina��Tran��is working with Birgitte Ahring, professor of biological systems and chemical engineering, and doctoral student Supriya Karekar on the bioengineering of cow rumen microbiota by bio-augmentation with selected microorganisms to reduce methane production from the rumen.

Ruminants such as cows and sheep are major contributors of greenhouse gas coming from the methanogens inhabiting the rumen. Methane is more than 20 times more potent as a greenhouse gas compared to carbon dioxide. In the laboratory, they are working with rumen model systems and are trying to find ways to mitigate the problems of methane release by substituting methanogens with other and potentially more beneficial microorganisms. The specific focus is on homo-acetogenic bacteria, which potentially could replace methanogens in the rumen while producing beneficial products, which can promote livestock production.

Improving efficiencies of home heating and cooling systems ��� Arturo Gutierrez Larios

Student Arturo Gutierrez Larios worked with Mohamed Osman, professor of electrical engineering, to identify ways to increase the efficiency of home heating and cooling systems through the implementation of better temperature regulations systems.

Gutierrez Larios developed a concept based on what is known as the Internet of Things, where the internet can be extended to an infinite amount of applications through components like sensors and wireless communication between devices. His system implements multiple temperature sensors that are connected through a network, as opposed to utilizing a single temperature sensor as is common in homes today. A temperature controller receives information from the sensors in each room, and the controller sends commands to the network to adjust the airflow of each register based on comparisons made on the calculated temperature differentials. Temperature settings are managed through a smartphone app. The system helps minimize wasted energy in homes.

Studying jaw protusion in fish for insights into evolutionary changes in organisms ��� Ellie Barber and Danielle Ringo

Students Ellie Barber and Danielle Ringo are working with Jim Cooper, instructor of biology, to study why jaw protrusion does or does not occur during the development in fish that could lead to insights into how organisms evolve and when.

Fish develop different feeding biomechanics in their lifespan that determines their economic feeding niche and where they fall on the food chain. Using high-speed filming techniques, the team is working to pinpoint the precise phase during metamorphosis in which the feeding biomechanics of young fish begin to resemble that of adult fish with protrusile jaws. By using gene expression labelling and transcriptome comparative analysis, they hope to gain a clearer insight as to exactly how and why these morphological changes occur in the wild.

Determining impact of fungi on tomato plants ��� Javier Chavez Lara

Javier Chavez Lara is working with Tanya Cheeke, assistant professor of biology, to determine the impact of a type of fungi on the growth of tomato plants, specifically comparing highly-bred tomato plants with less-domesticated wild type varieties.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi forms symbiotic relationships with most plant species by colonizing plant roots to provide the plants with nutrients and water in exchange for carbon. Plants grown in conditions of high fertilization and other agricultural practices reduce the ability of the fungi to colonize their roots. Chavez Lara hypothesizes that the less-domesticated wild-type varieties will have a greater growth response with the fungi than the highly-bred tomato plants. The project will allow for the development of a model system to test mechanisms that regulate the level of the fungi colonization in plant roots.

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 ����� 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��tricities.wsu.edu/dtc.

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� The emotionally powerful, poignant ���Empty Photo Project,��� created by Washington State University Tri-Cities student Susana Butterworth, that details the tragic and emotional experience of what it is like to lose a child, will be on display from Jan. 12-Feb. 8 in the 厙ぴ勛圖 Art Gallery.

The exhibition, which Butterworth began in a fine arts course at 厙ぴ勛圖 after losing her own son in utero, tells the story of 25 parents who have lost a child, and the physical and emotional impact it has had on their lives and their relationships with family, friends and even strangers. In addition to the written stories of each parent featured, each features a photo of the parent taken by Butterworth, which represents both the physical and mental hole left in the parents��� lives after the child���s passing.

An opening reception for the exhibition will be held 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12, in the 厙ぴ勛圖 Art Gallery.

Butterworth lost her son Walter in March 2017. Butterworth���s son suffered from a rare condition known as Trisomy 18 where the baby develops with an extra chromosome. The condition disrupts the normal pattern of development in significant ways and leads to death in approximately 50 percent of cases. Butterworth���s son passed away at 36 weeks in utero.

���After losing Walter, I was experiencing a lot of grief, but there was also this disconnection with people that I was feeling,��� she said. ���I wanted to explore this realm of capturing emotions that people go through, but I also wanted to make it relevant to what I was going through. Coming out of the hospital, I want to show that losing a baby is a big deal. Some people don���t realize that or know what to say.���

The��Empty Photo Project��has now been viewed by thousands after being featured by a variety of platforms, some of which include Babble (a parenting website operated by Disney), the Huffington Post and Pop Sugar. Butterworth said she plans to continue the project as long as there are people who want to contribute their stories to the project.

���Child loss is not going to stop,��� Butterworth said. ���One out of four women experience miscarriage and approximately 26,000 pregnancies result in stillbirth. I think that so often as child death happens, there is always going to be a need to talk about it. As long as people want to share their story, there is always going to be a need for this project.���

For more information on Butterworth���s project, visit her��泭硃紳餃泭泭梯硃眶梗莽.

 

Contact:���

• Susana Butterworth, 厙ぴ勛圖 student, susana.vidrio@tricity.wsu.edu
• Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations specialist, 509-372-7333,maegan_murray@wsu.edu

By Adriana Aumen, College of Arts and Sciences

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Peter Christenson, assistant professor of fine arts at Washington State University Tri-Cities, has received the��Governor���s Arts & Heritage��Young Arts Leader Award from the Washington State Arts Commission.

��is a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker. He co-founded Left of Centre, an artist collective and guerrilla-marketing firm, and has been the catalyst behind Null Set, a locally produced interventionist magazine and collaborative organization in the Tri-Cities.

He also initiated the Guest House Cultural Capital Residency, a short-term residency program that invites scholars and creatives from across the globe to Richland.

At WSU, Christenson teaches in support of the fine arts and digital technology and culture programs with a pedagogy and research agenda focused on multidisciplinary, new media and social art practices.

���This award is particularly meaningful for me as an artist and scholar committed to culture-building and community-based development across the state,��� Christenson said. ���I���m very honored and grateful to the Arts Commission and Governor Inslee, and feel so indebted to the communities whom I���ve had the pleasure of working with here in Washington.���

Christenson is a recent recipient of a US���UK Fulbright Scholar Award in Art & Design. His current practice is rooted in new media and video, collective campaigning and protest, performance, psychosocial and interventionist art, and site-specific installation. His research is significantly informed by his previous experiences as a social worker and licensed psychotherapist.

���Peter continues to build a reputation as a practicing artist in the Northwest, across the country and around the world,��� said Squeak Meisel, chair of fine arts at WSU. ���It is nice to know that the state of Washington values his contribution to the cultural landscape. His research is a model for how all students can choose to be innovative in their approaches to making and having a career as an artist.�� I look forward to what he does next!���

Originally from Metro Detroit, Christenson holds bachelor of arts and master of social work degrees from the University of Michigan and a master of fine arts degree in intermedia from Arizona State University.

Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) is a state government agency established in 1961. Among its various activities is advocating for the public value of the arts; building leadership in and for the arts; strengthening arts education in Washington public schools; documenting the impact of and building community participation in the arts; and acquiring and caring for artwork in the State Art Collection at K-12 public schools, colleges, universities, and state agencies.

Other ArtsWA programs include Art in Public Places, Arts in Education, Poetry Out Loud, and Washington Poet Laureate.

 

Contacts:

• Peter Christenson, assistant professor of fine arts, 509-372-7285,��peter.christenson@wsu.edu
• Adriana Aumen, College of Arts & Sciences communications,��adriana@wsu.edu, 509-335-5671