Washington State University Tri-Cities: Growing opportunities so more may succeed

Washington State University Tri-Cities is different from many universities across the nation. We serve a higher rate of students who identify as first-generation and those who identify as minorities compared with many others. As we’ve grown significantly in recent years, that continues to be on the forefront of our minds in our roles as educators so that we can meet the needs of all our students from throughout the region and state.

We grew by 17 percent this fall compared with fall 2015, and among our nearly 1,870 students, 33.5 percent identify as minorities and 38.4 percent identify as first-generation. In an effort to increase access and opportunity for not only those students, but students of all types and from all demographics, we have increased our programming, infrastructure and extracurricular learning opportunities so that all students will flourish. In the coming year, we plan to do even more.

Expanding facilities

In 2016, we broke ground and are now in the process of constructing two facilities that will have a profound impact on our student’s college experience. With the construction of the student union building nearing completion, students will have a space of their own to study, relax and meet with one another, as well as a place to grab a bite to eat or a coffee to go.

We also broke ground on our first student housing complex, which we expect to be completed next school year. With the housing complex, students will live close to resources including WSU Tri-Cities’ new success center, which provides students with tutoring, mentorship, advising, studying spaces and technology for studying and preparing for presentations, in addition to their courses. Their close proximity to university resources will also encourage them to get more involved through clubs, intramural and club sports and other university extracurricular activities that take place outside of the classroom.

What sets our university residential housing experience apart from other universities, however, is that ours is just up the street from many of the state’s leading research and innovative organizations. Some of those include the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, LIGO Hanford, Hanford Site contractors and the Kadlec Regional Medical Center. Students that live in our campus housing will have the ability to walk or ride their bikes to world-class internships and co-op experiences for nearly all degree programs offered at WSU Tri-Cities. No motorized vehicles required.

Expanding programming

This year, we introduced two new degree programs: fine arts and biology. While we held many courses affiliated with these majors before, students now have access to the full range of programming associated. Our engineering and computer science program also became established as its own WSU Tri-Cities School of Engineering and Applied Sciences just months after the program received its own accreditation last year. The fact that the program has developed into a school of engineering showcases its reputation for excellence, its academic rigor and its high standards for student achievement and success.

This year, we also established a partnership with WSU Pullman’s Office of International Programs Intensive American Language Center (IALC) for an English as a second language program. The IALC expanded their services to WSU Tri-Cities this January. The program provides students with courses to build their skills in the English language, while also acting as an incentive for international students who wish to study at U.S. colleges and universities, but may not have met English language requirements to do so.

The 2016-17 academic year at WSU Tri-Cities has proven to be one of promise and excitement. We are very excited to see what the next several have in store for us.

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Washington State University Tri-Cities: Growing opportunities so more may succeed."