Columbia Basin College: Expansion will continue to benefit Tri-City community

I am honored to serve as Columbia Basin College’s sixth president in its 62-year history. Whether it’s helping students complete a baccalaureate degree or the first two years of a transfer degree, finding a fit into a workforce career, or helping with basic skills to achieve a GED or high school diploma, CBC is helping our neighbors achieve their goals.

In the process, we are improving the community’s standard of living, meeting the workforce needs of area businesses, and strengthening our economy. To successfully meet increasing educational demands and support the success of our students, an expansion of our facilities is needed.

Expansion for future student and community success has long been a part of our legacy. During the past year, CBC launched three major projects. The first, a student housing project, turned CBC into a partially residential campus. A second soon will expand the college’s wellness initiative and provide a new recreation facility. And a third will not only help our students in the pursuit of a new craft, but also help enhance the City of Kennewick’s new wine village.

To begin, Sunhawk Hall is CBC’s first residence hall and was built following a survey of students who expressed interest in living on campus. Research shows students living on campus have increased engagement, persistence, and graduation rates.

These results are particularly important with first generation college students, who benefit from increased involvement in campus programs and social interaction with faculty and peers.

Our Sunhawk Hall houses students in a variety of apartment-style venues. Students may choose to live alone or have up to 3 roommates in an apartment. Sunhawk Hall is just the start of what we envision as a new living and learning atmosphere designed to support student engagement and success.

Sunhawk Hall was just the beginning. Additional support and engagement for our students will come with the development of a new Wellness and Recreation Center. Students voted in favor of the new venture and approved a new $50 per quarter fee.

The Center will allow students to participate in an expanded intramural program, rent sports and camping equipment, have access to expanded courts as an extension to the existing fitness center, as well as provide renovated facilities for our athletes.

Finally, a potential new venture for CBC is in the culinary arts. CBC is working with the Port of Kennewick and the City of Kennewick in their efforts to produce a wine village in downtown Kennewick, the Columbia Gardens Urban Wine & Artisan Village.

CBC’s portion will be a culinary education center. Graduates of our program will have numerous career options including Executive Chef, Sous Chef, Pastry Chef, Banquet Manager, and Food and Beverage Director. Our curriculum will also include entrepreneurship elements to support the development of new businesses within our community.

CBC will be working with Tri-Tech, Walla Walla Community College, and WSU Tri-Cities to ensure seamless pathways for students into our program and on to additional education, including CBC’s own Applied Management baccalaureate program.

Columbia Basin College will continue to meet the future as we have in the past: serving our community’s educational needs. I welcome your questions and comments. And Go Hawks!

This story was originally published April 2, 2018 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Columbia Basin College: Expansion will continue to benefit Tri-City community."