麻豆视频

Good afternoon! It is my distinct honor to have you with us today for Yakima Valley College鈥檚 inaugural State of the College address.

We are privileged to be joined by a remarkable group of individuals whose leadership, advocacy, and partnership strengthen our college and our community. I鈥檇 like to extend heartfelt recognition to our elected officials, community leaders, education partners, and members of the YVC Board of Trustees. Your presence here today is a testament to your enduring commitment to higher education and to the future of the Yakima Valley.

I am happy today to be sharing with you some of the college鈥檚 recent achievements and talking about some of the exciting initiatives that are currently under way at our institution. At the conclusion of my remarks we鈥檒l have time for a few audience questions so please use the QR code on your program to submit any questions you have and we鈥檒l get to as many as possible. Then I hope you鈥檒l stay for our reception and enjoy some refreshments.

But first, I鈥檇 like to acknowledge the land that we are on and the Native peoples who have stewarded this land. We are gathered on the land of the Yakama, Palouse, Pisquouse, Wenatshapam, Klikatat, Klinquit, Kow-was-say-ee, Li-ay-was, Skin-pah, Wish-ham, Shyiks, Ochechotes, Kah-milt-pa, and Se-ap-cat, who today are represented by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, and whose relationship with this land continues to this day. We offer gratitude for the land itself, for those who have cared for it for generations, and for the opportunity to study, learn, work, and be in community on this land.

Barely a month ago we celebrated the start of the new academic year 鈥� and there is much to celebrate. Over the past three years our enrollment has steadily climbed, and this fall we are very honored to have welcomed the largest incoming class of new students in more than a decade! While we are proud that these 1,895 new Yaks chose our institution as the place to pursue their educational and career goals, more importantly this is wonderful news for our community as a whole. The Yakima Valley鈥檚 future as an economically strong, culturally vibrant place that attracts people who want to live here depends on us having a well-educated population.

Overall, our fall enrollment of 4,930 students is 7.7% higher than Fall 2024 and the highest it鈥檚 been since fall 2019. That enrollment includes 1,003 Running Start students, an all-time record for our college, and almost double the number of Running Start students at YVC just a decade ago. But it isn鈥檛 enrollment numbers alone by which we gauge our success. In a recent survey of YVC students by Ruffalo Noel Levitz, 85% said they were satisfied with their overall experience at YVC and 91% reported that if they were making their decision again, they would re-enroll at YVC. In another recent survey conducted by our own Office of Institutional Effectiveness, 98% of students reported their instructors treated them with respect and 95% said their instructors created an environment in which students are encouraged to actively participate in class discussions and projects. Seeing such overwhelming majorities of students report positively on their experiences at 麻豆视频 speaks volumes about the excellence of our faculty and staff and their dedication to student success 鈥� so please join me in thanking all of these individuals for their hard work.

Here at YVC, we take seriously our role as the cornerstone of post-secondary educational opportunity in our region. Three-quarters of our students are first-generation college students while two-thirds are from low-income households. From Running Start students who earn an associate degree before leaving high school, to individuals starting their college experience here before transferring, to working adults returning to school to advance their career or prepare for an entirely new career, 麻豆视频 is here to serve everyone. And in serving our students, we are opening the door to economic mobility to people throughout our service district.  

Fulfilling our mission isn鈥檛 something we do alone. The community partnerships that we have forged and continue to build are essential to our work. 麻豆视频鈥檚 partnerships with the education sector span from Pre-K providers to K-12 schools to 4-year institutions and beyond. We work closely with medical providers to prepare the next generation of outstanding health care professionals. And our strong relationships with businesses, government agencies and non-governmental organizations are critical to building a strong workforce for our region.

Just one of many examples of how our partnerships are strengthening educational systems for the Yakima Valley is our collaboration with Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. In the last year, we signed a series of articulation agreements with PNWU that make it easier for students in central Washington to pursue careers in critical healthcare professions. These agreements provide clear pathways for students to start their education at YVC and then move on to PNWU鈥檚 programs in osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical sciences and dental medicine. And in the inaugural cohort of PNWU鈥檚 doctor of dental medicine program, who started their studies this July, we are proud that five 麻豆视频 alumni are represented.

These alumni include students like Kristian Mendoza. Kristian grew up in Mabton, where he was raised by his mother, who was forced to drop out of school to provide for her sons. When Kristian learned at age 16 that he was going to become a father himself, it lit a fire inside of him. He earned all A鈥檚 his junior and senior years of high school, then earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in dental hygiene here at Yakima Valley College. Thanks to the rigorous education he received at YVC, Kristian was well prepared to continue in PNWU鈥檚 program, which is focused on preparing excellent dentists to practice in rural and underserved communities like the Yakima Valley. As Kristian shared in the latest edition of YVC Voice magazine: 鈥淢abton is where I called home for all my childhood and this town means the world to me. My mother raised me to always remember where we come from, and I have always done my best to give back to this place I love.鈥�

It鈥檚 a result of partnerships such as our collaboration with PNWU that we are able to create more opportunities for students like Kristian. I know that our students, alumni, faculty and staff share Kristian鈥檚 sentiment 鈥� the Yakima Valley and all the communities within Yakima, Kittitas and Klickitat counties mean the world to us. And so, we are driven to not only help students build better lives for themselves and their families, but also to create a stronger Yakima Valley.

In the years to come, these kinds of partnerships between educational institutions will become even more important to our region鈥檚 ability to thrive. Today, 70% of job openings in Washington state require postsecondary education according to the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, a number that will only go higher in the future. Yet in Yakima County, only 45% of residents age 25 and older have attained education beyond high school. 麻豆视频 has a responsibility to close that gap.

One such initiative that aims to do that is our partnership with Yakima School District and Central Washington University to develop integrated, seamless and guaranteed pathways for high school students to earn postsecondary credentials. Our institutions launched this work last year and have had many fruitful conversations. This includes:

• Defining coursework completed through Running Start and College in the High School to be shared with Yakima School District students;
• Ensuring students who complete the General Education program at YVC or CWU will not need to complete the program at the other institution; and
• Creating clear pathways for students interested in specific degrees at YVC so they can complete coursework in either Running Start or College in the High School.

Ultimately, this work will help more YSD students complete a postsecondary degree that is affordable, convenient and high quality. And, it can be a model for creating similar pathways with other schools in our service district.

 

Another example of the power of collaboration is our work with Yakima Valley Partners for Education and People for People to address transportation challenges in the Lower Yakima Valley. Working together, we were able to add a bus stop at our Grandview Campus this September on the People for People bus route connecting Mabton, Sunnyside and Grandview. Residents of these communities interested in pursuing higher education but lacking transportation can now ride People for People鈥檚 Route 201 at no cost and access the classes and services at YVC鈥檚 Grandview Campus.

Yet another major initiative taking place at 麻豆视频 this year is re-envisioning our workforce education efforts. Our region is inextricably connected to the rest of the world. From rapid technological changes such as artificial intelligence to demographic trends like an aging population, our college must be nimble in responding to the challenges and opportunities these and other changes pose. As such, we are in the process of restructuring our workforce education division, guided by a handful of key principles:

• First, create greater capacity for YVC鈥檚 workforce education leaders to exercise active and meaningful engagement in economic development initiatives within our service district.
• Second, streamline the reporting structure for our workforce education programs, increasing our efficiency and long-term financial sustainability.
• And finally, to recognize some of the unique workloads within workforce education. For example, our dental clinic treats patients and bills for services while our veterinary program performs surgery on live animals.

YVC is grateful to have Dr. Skye Field leading this work as our new associate vice president of workforce and economic development, and we are currently in the process of filling additional leadership positions within the new workforce education structure. These changes will build on YVC鈥檚 history of innovation in workforce education, connecting students to the hands-on training, critical thinking, and technical knowledge needed to be successful in our ever-evolving workforce. We are very excited for the new growth opportunities ahead. We look forward to engaging more deeply with our community, businesses and other stakeholders in conversations about our shared future. We must prepare people for the jobs that will be needed here, not only today, but in the decades to come. When we do this, we will help ensure our region is a place that offers more economic opportunity, with communities that are diverse, vibrant and thriving. 

While there is much to be excited about with the work happening here at YVC, there are challenges that confront institutions of higher education across the state and nation. While our college has received federal funding to continue our two TRIO programs 鈥� Upward Bound and Student Support Services 鈥� this academic year, the U.S. Department of Education discontinued funding for College Assistance Migrant Programs across the country, including ours. Title V funding for Hispanic Serving Institutions like YVC also is under threat, with additional funding for our Relevance Project grant cancelled. This lost funding is disappointing for many reasons, most importantly that we know they have been successful in strengthening a sense of belonging among students, which makes a material difference in their likelihood of successfully completing their degree.

We also face headwinds here in Washington state. While our Governor Ferguson stands as a strong supporter of community colleges, state revenue forecasts are challenging and the state鈥檚 community and technical college system lost funding in the 2025-2027 state budget that was passed and signed into law last spring, even as our operating costs increase. Moving forward, our state legislators will be facing some difficult decisions when they return to work in Olympia this January.

However, we have already begun adapting to this challenging landscape. One such effort is our participation in the Complete College Accelerator national initiative to improve student success and close gaps in college access and completion. Being in the inaugural cohort of this initiative has given us access to the expertise of CCA staff and a nationwide network of 18 state partners and 100 colleges and universities. Faculty and staff across the college are building on our existing data and strategies to identify and implement research-based practices designed to significantly increase college completion on our campuses, particularly for students from historically underrepresented populations.

We are accelerating work on a college-wide advising framework grounded in best practices, proactive outreach, and culturally responsive support. At the same time, we are leveraging the knowledge gained from CAMP, the Relevance Project and other programs to expand and coordinate holistic student services, including tutoring, career exploration and financial literacy.

In the face of some of these fiscal uncertainties, we continue to seek fresh funding opportunities, whether federal, state or from other sources, to position Yakima Valley College competitively. And finally, we are continuing to strongly advocate for YVC.

Last month I traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with legislators and their staff along with Department of Education officials. During these meetings, I emphasized the essential role of community colleges like YVC in providing students with socioeconomic opportunity and mobility. Indeed, at a moment when there is much negative talk about affordability and whether college pays, I strongly believe that community colleges like 麻豆视频 are an essential part of the solution. For those looking to start their college journey here before transferring to a four-year institution, YVC can help students save potentially tens of thousands of dollars. Yakima Valley College also provides affordable pathways directly into numerous in-demand, well-paying careers through our associate degrees, short-term certificates and five Bachelor of Applied Science programs.

I鈥檇 like to take a minute to talk more about YVC鈥檚 bachelor鈥檚 programs in particular and their importance for our students, many of whom also hold jobs and are raising families. Recent work from researchers at the University of Washington鈥檚 Evans School of Public Policy & Governance shows that the earnings of individuals who complete their baccalaureate degree at a community college compare favorably with those who graduate from similar programs at four-year universities.

Here at 麻豆视频, that includes alumni like Diana Rodriguez, a single mother and first-generation college student who earned her Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology and now works as an IT support technician for Certinet Systems in Yakima. Thanks to the opportunity to earn an affordable bachelor鈥檚 degree close to home, Diana is now working in a career she loves and recently became the first member of her family to purchase a home.

Meanwhile alumni of our Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management program have started their own businesses, creating new jobs here in the Yakima Valley. Norma Garcia, a mother of three, is one of these YVC graduates. The flexibility of YVC鈥檚 program made it possible for Norma to pursue further education and gain the knowledge she needed to launch Yakima Valley Business and Mail Center in Toppenish earlier this year. Norma saw a gap in the services people had access to, especially for the Spanish-speaking community, and she saw an opportunity to make her dream of opening her own business a reality. After just 6 months in business, she鈥檚 steadily added new services based on customer demand, showing what is possible when we make education accessible to community members with dreams of making a positive impact in the world.

And, our bachelor鈥檚 programs are yet another example of how we are partnering with other educational institutions in our community to expand opportunity. YVC and Perry Technical Institute recently created a streamlined path for students who complete Perry Tech鈥檚 Business Technology and Accounting Associate of Applied Science degree program to enter our Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management program. Employers in the Yakima Valley have a need for managers who are the problem-solvers and leaders that their organizations need to grow and thrive. We are pleased that our two institutions can partner to help meet this need and make it possible for more students to reach their goals in pursuit of their dream career.

As I bring my remarks this afternoon to a conclusion, I鈥檇 like to leave you with this message: as educators and leaders in our community, we need to look past our egos and personal interests. Our focus must be on what each student needs to dream bigger and go further as they become the changemakers, innovators and community leaders of tomorrow. This means listening to our students, understanding their individual challenges and gifts, and supporting their journey. Throughout our region, we must continue to build partnerships across early education, K-12, higher education, and our business and non-profit sectors. This will ensure every student has access to educational opportunity.

Within our own institution, that means bringing an attitude of servingness to our work every day. As you can tell from my earlier remarks, we have already made significant progress toward this goal, yet there remains much work to be done. I am confident that our collective creativity and commitment to our work will allow us to navigate the uncertainty of the present moment and create a brighter future for everyone in the Yakima Valley. Thank you for joining 麻豆视频 as we continue to pursue this work.