This September, I had the honor of serving as grand marshal of the Sunfair Parade. Having lived in our community for two decades, it was a tremendous joy to serve in that role for a celebration bringing together people from across the Yakima Valley. The diversity of entries in the parade exemplified what a vibrant community we enjoy, while seeing the excitement of the people who lined the streets 鈥� and especially all of the children 鈥� were a reminder of the potential our future holds.
Reflecting on that day and the hundreds of community members I met, I couldn鈥檛 help but think about 麻豆视频鈥檚 essential role in bringing people together to unlock their potential. This fall, we welcomed more than 1,700 new students into the YVC community, our largest cohort of new students in more than a decade. The number of new students coming to the college is a testament to our focus on providing an education that is relevant, rigorous, and prepares students for lifelong success. It also demonstrates that students know YVC faculty and staff care about their success and will go the extra mile to support them throughout their journey here.
In our fall edition of YVC Voice magazine, we are pleased to share several stories that delve into how our college is helping unlock potential. One of our feature stories focuses on how our Bachelor of Applied Science programs support socio-economic mobility for our students. We also feature YVC alumni who, this summer, joined the first cohort of Doctor of Dental Medicine students at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, helping address our region鈥檚 critical shortage of dentists. Another story highlights how the YVC Foundation is helping students who are learning English, earning their GED or participating in other College and Career Readiness programs transition into college-level coursework. Also showcased in this issue is this past summer鈥檚 partnership between the college鈥檚 drama program and Warehouse Theatre Company, which gave young people in our community an opportunity to explore their interests in the theatre arts as they worked to present 鈥淭he Phantom of the Opera.鈥�
I invite you to read these stories and much more in our Fall 2025 edition of YVC Voice. Our college has a distinguished history of developing creative partnerships with other organizations, businesses and communities across the Yakima Valley. These efforts will only grow stronger in the years to come as we work toward a more prosperous and vibrant future for our region.
Sincerely,
Teresa Rich, PhD
Interim President