Every day, leaders walk through the halls of Yakima Valley College. Our students lead clubs or hold positions in student government. Others are active in civic organizations or run a business while they pursue their studies. YVC graduates hold countless positions of leadership throughout the Yakima Valley, from elected offices to operating businesses large and small that ensure we enjoy a vibrant economy. Meanwhile, the impact of our YVC faculty and staff stretches beyond the bounds of our campus, with many of these individuals also taking on leadership roles in their communities and professions.
Preparing future leaders is integral to YVC’s work of strengthening the communities we serve, and in this issue of YVC Voice we feature stories about some of this work. In one feature story, we explore a new student leadership program that aims to help our students develop their ability to lead. We also highlight how YVC is strengthening its career services for students, an effort that will help more students take on leadership roles early in their careers.
In addition to these stories focused on leadership, the spring edition of YVC Voice highlights the college’s recent work to strengthen diversity and belonging, a profile of our new dean of arts and sciences, our drama program’s upcoming production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and much more.
We are proud of a legacy that includes educating multiple Washington State Supreme Court justices (Robert Brachtenbach and Tom Chambers), a distinguished geneticist (Elaine Ostrander), a U.S. ambassador (David Shinn), and other leaders in numerous fields. I know that many of today’s students will similarly distinguish themselves in the years to come thanks to the experiences they gain here at Yakima Valley College.
Sincerely,
Teresa Rich, PhD
Interim President