Patrick earns state tourism award
Adjunct Business Administration Instructor Eric Patrick, who serves as marketing and tourism director for Union Gap, recently received the Outstanding Marketing Program or Campaign award at the State of Washington Tourism Conference. The award was presented for Union Gap’s #SmallTownTourismChat campaign — which Patrick launched four years ago. The campaign is described as a fast and furious 30-minute chat about tourism in small towns that has quickly attracted the attention of other communities, travel writers and local stakeholders. The campaign was recognized for its collaborations around the state and across the country.
Yakima Valley Vintners earn honors
Yakima Valley Vintners (YVV), Yakima Valley College’s teaching winery, received multiple honors at the prestigious 2022 Great Northwest Wine Platinum Competition. YVV’s 2017 Red Backpack Red Wine received double platinum while the 2018 Dean’s List Merlot and 2017 Senioritis Red Blend each earned platinum honors. In addition, double-gold honors were presented to YVV’s 2017 Final Exam Cabernet Franc and 2018 Foreign Exchange Touriga Naçional.
All award-winning wines submitted by YVV were produced by students completing coursework in YVC’s Vineyard & Winery Technology program. The Great Northwest Wine Competition builds upon the history of the Platinum Awards. In preparation for the Platinum Awards competition, Great Northwest Wine tracks more than 50 professionally judged wine competitions worldwide and compile a list of wines that won gold medals during the previous 12 months and were produced with fruit from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Idaho or Montana. The winners are invited to enter their wines for Platinum Awards. Entries are then categorized and judged blind, and wines are honored based on the majority of the judges’ votes. For entries that all judges on the panel deem worthy of platinum honors, that wine is awarded double platinum. Wines are also rated on a 100-point scale and make up the top wines for “The Best of the Best” list.
With these awards, YVV’s total of Platinum honors is 12, more than any other winemaking school in the Pacific Northwest.
English Department honored for antiracist work
YVC’s English Department recently received an award for its antiracist writing assessment ecology work from the Two-Year College English Association (TYCA) of the National Council of the Teachers of English. The Diana Hacker TYCA Outstanding Programs in English Award, given annually, honors two-year college teachers and their institutions for exemplary programs in English studies and its related disciplines. These programs enhance students’ language learning and help them achieve their college, career and personal goals by engaging with one or more areas of program activity: curriculum, faculty development and assessment.
Learn more about how YVC is building a more inclusive English curriculum.
Millard publishes article
Adjunct Art Instructor Robert Millard’s article, “The Last Judgment of Savonarola“, was recently published in the academic journal Notes in the History of Art.