The University of Washington and Heritage University kicked off the Public Leadership & Civic Engagement Academic on Saturday, October 14, 2006, at the HU/UW Community and Business Training Center on the campus of Heritage University. A cohort of twenty-one enthusiastic participants with diverse backgrounds from all over the Yakima Valley area participated in the first all-day training session.

Robert Ozuna, Director of the UW-Yakima Valley Community Partnership, began the day with a welcome and overview of the academy. This was followed by an introduction of participants and a small group activity that establish ground rules for the remainder of the trainings facilitated by Dr. Christine DiStefano, UW Political Science Professor. The key presenter for the day was Dr. Frances Contreras, UW Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. She delivered an outstanding presentation titled Introduction to Leadership. A working lunch, sponsored by Central Valley Bank, included a panel of distinguished public leaders. The leadership panel members included Jesse Palacios, Yakima County Commissioner; Vickie Ybarra, Yakima School District Board President; and Teri Johnson-Davis, Yakama Nation Economic Development Director. The panel discussed leadership styles and described how they arrived at their current position. This was followed by an extensive question and answer session.

The Public Leadership & Civic Engagement Academy is a new partnership initiative between the University of Washington and Heritage University, designed to provide an intense series of learning activities for community members to build their skills in public leadership and civic engagement. The goal of the Academy is to increase the number of skilled individuals engaged in public leadership and civic service in the Yakima Valley. The list of the 31 selected candidates are as follows:

• Bengie Aguilar, Sunnyside
• Elizabeth Alba, Grandview
• Ron Anderson, Yakima
• Holly Castle, Grandview
• Mary Jane Colby, Toppenish
• Bianca Cole, Yakima
• Cristina Galvan, Toppenish
• Kay Gamache, Yakima
• Paul Garcia, Sunnyside
• Josh Garza, Toppenish
• JR Gomez, Benton City
• Maryrose Gonzalez, Toppenish
• Alex Kitchen, Yakima
• Christina Kwan, Toppenish
• Rocio Loera, Sunnyside
• Gabriel Martinez, Granger
• Larry Mattson, Yakima
• Janie Navarro, Toppenish
• Christina Pelayo, Yakima
• Dora Queampts, Toppenish
• Frank Ramirez, Yakima
• Fitzgerald Reyes, Sunnyside
• Mark Reynolds, Wapato
• Heidi Riojas, Toppenish
• Alex Santillanes, Yakima
• William “Don” Tahkeal, Toppenish
• Mathew Tomaskin, Toppenish
• Ricardo Valdez, Wapato
• Guille Vasquez, Zillah
• Stephanie Wendt, Toppenish
• Veronica Wesley, White Swan

Please visit the website for more information: Public Leadership & Civic Engagement Academy Overview

The Public Leadership & Civic Engagement Acadmey is a new partnership initiative between the University of Washington and Heritage University in the Yakima Valley. The Leadership Academy will provide a series of engaging and learning activities for community members to build their skills in public leadership and civic engagement. The goal of the Leadership Academy is to increase the number of under-represented groups in public leadership positions.

The Leadership Academy will consist of a nine month training program beginning in September of each year and concluding in May. Participants will attend skills building seminars one full day Saturday and one evening each month for the duration of the program.

If you would like to read more about the Leadership Academy, or nominate someone, check out these links:

• Public Leadership & Civic Engagement Academy Overview
• Nomination Form

The eighth annual Faculty Field Tour headed through Toppenish, Washington on June 13, 2006. Faculty were greeted by our Yakima Valley Community Partnerships colleagues; joined them for lunch, and a great conversation with UW student Grace Preyapongpisan, who worked through the Heritage University, Hispanic Serving Institutions grant to create a new website for the Toppenish Tourism Association.

Our office renewed our commitment to partner with Heritage University, when UW Provost Phyllis Wise and Heritage University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Sneh Veena, signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding.

If you would like to read more about the 2006 Faculty Field Tour, check out these links:

• Faculty Field Tour participants get to know their corner of America Nancy Wick, University Week
• Official Field Tour website and blog

On Wednesday, May 3, 2006 we had a celebration of the UW-Southwest Seattle Community Partnership, created in 2005 by the University of Washington and South Seattle Community College, and guided by community leaders as well as faculty advisors from both the UW and SSCC campuses.

The day was designed to provide an overview of current collaborations between the UW, South Seattle Community College, and communities in Southwest Seattle and to lay the groundwork for future collaborations.

As you can see on the agenda, a bus left the UW campus at 7:30 a.m. and took us to Youngstown Cultural Center in Delridge. We then traveled to South Seattle Community College, met with faculty and community leaders at Marra Farms in South Park, and stopped at the Salvadorean Bakery in White Center for lunch.

The day ended in downtown White Center with a walking tour and an open house celebration at the office in White Center recently opened by the UW and South Seattle Community College.

This was a significant milestone for the UW, South Seattle Community College and our community partners, and we hope that all who joined us to celebrate on May 3rd had a great experience.