College of Arts and Sciences Archives - �� Tri-Cities

�� Tri-Cities presents Women in STEM event March 23

Kyle Kopta — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 23:47:27 +0000

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University Tri-Cities, the MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion and the �� Tri-Cities Career Center will be hosting a Women in STEM event on Thursday, March 23 from 5:30-7 p.m. on the �� Tri-Cities campus in the East Auditorium and via Zoom.

The event features a panel of multiple women in various STEM-related fields discussing their experiences, obstacles and accomplishments. The panelists include Kimberly Harper, a physical scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest Site Office located at Pacific Northwest Laboratory; Jenny Kadinger, engineering manager at Washington River Protection Solutions and Carina Ocampo, �� Tri-Cities adjunct professor of science and an environmental scientist with Central Plateau Cleanup Company.

Kauser Gwaduri, �� Tri-Cities student services coordinator with the MOSAIC Center for Student Inclusion and one of the organizers of the event said, “It is vital that we have events such as ‘Women in STEM’ because STEM fields still have a long way to go for gender equality. Women and other genders bring important skills, perspectives, and innovative ideas to their companies, and organizations will only grow from hiring more diverse populations. Before we can get to hiring, we need our students to know that STEM careers ARE a possibility for them and that professionals are there to help guide the way.”

The event is open to �� Tri-Cities and CBC students, staff, and faculty and the public. Registration is required to attend in-person and via Zoom. Please contact TriCities.Mosaic@wsu.edu for any questions.

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�� Tri-Cities fine art students design and paint a mural for Marcus Whitman Elementary School

Kyle Kopta — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 23:49:19 +0000

�� Tri-Cities fine art students paint a mural they designed at Marcus Whitman Elementary school in Richland, WA: Razan Osman, Silvia Gomez-Hernandez, Steph Osorio, Carola Garcia-Mendez, Liz Jimenez, Elizabeth Yanes, Shanna Conner, Kali Cornwell, & Iratze Lomeli.

RICHLAND, WA – A group of fine arts students from Washington State University Tri-Cities brought the local landscape and inspiring words for students to life in a mural they designed for Marcus Whitman Elementary School.

Dustin Regul, fine arts professor at �� Tri-Cities said, “The purpose for this project was to bring art to the community and add to the aesthetic culture of the Tri-Cities. Plus, it was a great opportunity for students to get experience developing a public installation from concept to completion.”

The mural is located on the grounds of Marcus Whitman Elementary School in Richland. The �� Tri-Cities students came up with the design which features elements of the local landscape and a book filled with inspirational quotes collected from teachers who work at the school. The project took place during the spring semester and included approximately five meetings and two, eight-hour workdays to complete. In addition to the collaboration with the school, Griggs Ace Hardware made significant contributions to this project as well.

Regul initiated the project but said it was the hard work and dedication of the students that made it happen. “This is our first mural, and we hope to make this a yearly thing. In the fall we’ll look at planning one at another school.” Regul said.

Learn more about creative arts programs offered at �� Tri-Cities on the College of Arts and Sciences website.

�� Tri-Cities

�� Tri-Cities is located on shared traditional homelands of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. As a leading public research university with a focus on energy, environment and agriculture, �� Tri-Cities delivers career-connected learning and innovative research that addresses economic and social challenges.

MEDIA CONTACT(S)

Leslie Streeter, Office of Marketing and Communication, (509) 372-7333, leslie.streeter@wsu.edu

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Oct. 7: �� Tri-Cities panel to discuss rise of Nazi and white supremacist organizations

Maegan Murray — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 19:42:15 +0000

By Maegan Murray, �� Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. – A panel hosted by the Washington State University Tri-Cities College of Arts and Sciences on Thursday, Oct. 7, will examine the rise of national and international Nazi and white supremacist organizations throughout the 20^th century and their relationship to each other and to Nazi movements.

CPJ6DF Parade of the youth group of the German-American Bund on Long Island, 1936

The panel, titled “The Holocaust, Neo-Nazism and White Supremacy,” takes place from 4:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. via Zoom. It is being held in cooperation with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the �� Center for Arts and Humanities. It is made possible by the Curt C. and Else Silberman Foundation, which supports programs in higher education that “promote, protect and strengthen Jewish values in democracy, human rights, ethical leadership and cultural pluralism.” The presentation is open to students, faculty and staff at �� Tri-Cities, as well as the larger �� system and other university campuses.

To register to attend the virtual panel, visit

“This panel presentation marks a pertinent opportunity to explore how white supremacist groups rise to power and their impact on not only our nation, but the world,” said Robert Bauman, �� Tri-Cities history professor and academic director for the College of Arts and Sciences. “Especially given recent events regarding social injustice in communities in our own country, this panel will present perspectives that will help shed light on how these groups arise in the first place and the ways communities have responded to those groups.”

The panelists featured include:

Richard King, professor and chair of humanities, history and social sciences at Columbia College of Chicago
Kristine F. Hoover, associate professor in the master of arts organizational leadership program and director of the Institute of Hate Studies at Gonzaga University
Rebecca Erbelding, historian of education initiatives at the William Levine Family Institute for Holocaust Education of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Bauman will serve as the moderator for the panel.

For more information about the presentation and panelists, visit tricities.wsu.edu/event/the-holocaust-neo-nazism-and-white-supremacy.

Disclaimer: “The US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center’s mission is to ensure the long-term growth and vitality of Holocaust Studies. To do that, it is essential to provide opportunities for new generations of scholars. The vitality and the integrity of Holocaust Studies require openness, independence, and free inquiry so that new ideas are generated and tested through peer review and public debate. The opinions of scholars expressed before, during the course of, or after their activities with the Mandel Center do not represent and are not endorsed by the Museum or its Mandel Center.”

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�� Tri-Cities celebrates opening of first state-funded academic building in over 30 years

Maegan Murray — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 13:00:55 +0000

By Maegan Murray, �� Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University Tri-Cities celebrated the opening of its first fully state-funded academic building in over 30 years as part of a ribbon cutting celebration on Sept. 22.

Students study in the atrium of Collaboration Hall at �� Tri-Cities.

The grand opening of Collaboration Hall featured remarks from university leaders, light refreshments and open tours of the building.

Hands-on, career-relevant learning

The building, which officially opened on the first day of fall classes this year, features a range of state-of-the-art science teaching laboratories, three large interactive classrooms, study and collaborative areas, an open atrium ideal for presentations and events, as well as an outdoor amphitheater that seats 100.

�� Tri-Cities Chancellor Sandra Haynes said the building was designed and constructed with student success in mind.

“Being a STEM-focused campus, this building, complete with labs specific to the full array of science disciplines, will enhance students’ education, resulting in graduates even more prepared to meet the demands of the workforce,” she said. “At �� Tri-Cities, we partner with a range of companies and organizations that contribute to groundbreaking research, technology development and overall community growth. As signified in its name, this building will help further academic and industry collaboration and truly help prepare our students for future careers rooted in regional needs.”

The teaching laboratories featured in the building include:

A physics laboratory
Two biology laboratories
A chemistry laboratory
An anatomy and physiology laboratory
An environmental science laboratory
An innovation and design laboratory

Early construction on Collaboration Hall at �� Tri-Cities.

Funded by state and local support

The construction of Collaboration Hall was made possible by $3 million in design funding and $27 million in construction funding from the Washington state Legislature.

In addition to state allocations, financial contributions have been made by university leadership by naming study, collaborative and learning spaces:

�� President Kirk Schulz and First Lady Noel Schulz | Noel and Kirk Schulz Academic Support Lounge
�� Tri-Cities Chancellor Sandra Haynes | Sandra Haynes Collaboration Space in Honor of First-Generation Students
�� Regent Lura Powell and Art King | Lura Powell and Art King Lounge – Supporting First-Generation and Underserved Students and STEM

The following individuals and organizations also committed to naming seating on the grand staircase located in the atrium of Collaboration Hall. The naming of each step pays tribute to �� Tri-Cities students and the regional community:

Washington River Protection Solutions | “Investing today for the challenges of tomorrow”
Central Plateau Cleanup Company | “Building our future workforce step by step”
Patrick and Tia Jensen | “In honor of first-generation students”
Phil and Diane Ohl | Ohl Family Foundation | “We always find our way back home, Go Cougs!”

Haynes said the �� Tri-Cities campus community is incredibly grateful for the generous state, private and organizational support.

“It’s a stunning and functional space that, as a result of our state and community contributions, is one of the most valuable assets for our campus in fulfilling our educational mission,” she said.

An anatomy lab in Collaboration Hall at �� Tri-Cities.

Serving community needs

Collaboration Hall lives up to �� Tri-Cities’ historical roots. The Tri-Cities campus dates back to the 1940s when it began as the General Electric School of Nuclear Engineering to provide educational advancement to engineers and others working at the Hanford Nuclear Site amid the Manhattan Project. Collaboration Hall was constructed to provide an educational space that would prepare regional students for current and future regional, state and national needs.

Kirk and Noel Schulz, both engineers, said the building is a prime example of a facility that capitalizes on ��’s land-grant mission of providing exceptional learning, research and community service.

“For a campus that thrives in providing excellent STEM education, Collaboration Hall at �� Tri-Cities is a fantastic place for students to learn, grow and excel, all in partnership with our regional industry,” Kirk Schulz said. “We want to thank the Washington state Legislature and the many individuals and organizations that made this facility a reality. It is a space where students will learn foundational and practical skills that will be applied to serve regional, state and national needs.”

For more information on Collaboration Hall, visit tricities.wsu.edu/collaborationhall.

Those interested in providing a gift or naming a space in the building should contact Jaime Heppler, �� Tri-Cities senior director of development, at 509-372-7207 or jaime.heppler@wsu.edu.

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History professor part of Manhattan Project film nominated for Daytime Emmy

Maegan Murray — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 17:49:43 +0000

By Maegan Murray, �� Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. – A Washington State University Tri-Cities history professor is part of a history film focusing on the Manhattan Project that was recently in the category of “Outstanding Daytime Non-Fiction Special.”

Robert Franklin, assistant director of the �� Tri-Cities Hanford History Project and teaching assistant professor of history, chats with Sara Cassin, a student from Delta High School, in front of the B Reactor at the Hanford Nuclear Site as part of a video shoot for the Daytime Emmy-nominated film “The Manhattan Project Electronic Field Trip.”

Robert Franklin, assistant director of the �� Tri-Cities Hanford History Project and teaching assistant professor of history, was one of a handful of talent that starred in “” produced by based out of New Orleans. The project focuses on the three major sites that were instrumental in the Manhattan Project, which developed the technology and produced the plutonium and uranium for the world’s first atomic bombs: Hanford, Washington; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

The 70-minute film, which is also , has been shown to middle schools and high schools across the country throughout the last year, exploring the science, sites and stories of the creation of the atomic bomb.

Franklin, with his role and expertise on Hanford as part of the �� Tri-Cities Hanford History Project, was approached about participating in the project in 2019. That summer, crew from the National WWII Museum traveled to all three sites, using a local high school student as the host for each site and referencing local experts in the region on the history of each site as part of the film. Franklin had the opportunity to not only voice his expertise on the site as part of the film, but also provided input to the script.

Sara Cassin, a student from Delta High School, was selected as the local student host, who, with Franklin, led filmmakers through the B Reactor, the world’s first large-scale nuclear reactor, as well as other historical landmarks and buildings located at Hanford.

Robert Franklin (right), assistant director of the �� Tri-Cities Hanford History Project and teaching assistant professor of history, chats with Sara Cassin (center), a student from Delta High School, at the old Hanford High School on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation as part of a video shoot for the Daytime Emmy-nominated film “The Manhattan Project Electronic Field Trip.”

Franklin said even with the excellent production of the project, neither he, nor any of the members of the crew or other talent, anticipated they would be nominated for a Daytime Emmy for the project.

“I was kind of in shock when I found out,” he said. “Really, I was just a small part of the project – it was the folks at the museum who organized it, wrote the script and packaged the whole thing. But I am honored to have participated in it. I never thought I would say that I was in something that was nominated for an Emmy. It’s not a sentence I ever thought I would say.”

Franklin said to be part of a project that is now recognized with such a prestigious award is an incredible honor. He said working at �� Tri-Cities and bringing the knowledge he has gained and cultivated about the Manhattan Project, and specifically Hanford history, to students and the public is his dream job.

“Being able to teach in the classroom and bring what we’re doing with the Hanford History Project to students and further cement my role as a historian means the world to me,” he said. “The film was such a great project to be involved with. It’s such an incredible way to engage students and the public, and it’s just really well-done. It was such an honor to be a part of and apply even a small part of my work as a historian to the project.”

The will air at 8 p.m. Friday, June 25, on CBS. It will also be available on-demand and via streaming.

Media contacts:

Robert Franklin, assistant director of the �� Tri-Cities Hanford History Project and teaching assistant professor of history, robert.franklin@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, �� Tri-Cities director of marketing and communication, 619-403-3617 (cell), maegan_murray@wsu.edu

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�� senior leaders first to donate for academic building naming rights

Maegan Murray — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 14:00:30 +0000

President and First Lady Schulz, Chancellor Haynes hope their investments will inspire others to support new building on Tri-Cities campus

By Maegan Murray, �� Tri-Cities

�� President Kirk Schulz and First Lady Noel Schulz

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University President Kirk Schulz and First Lady Noel Schulz, and �� Tri-Cities Chancellor Sandra Haynes, are the first to donate for naming rights for the new state-of-the-art academic building currently being constructed at �� Tri-Cities. The building is on-schedule to open this fall.

Kirk and Noel Schulz committed $50,000 in funding to name the “Noel and Kirk Schulz Academic Support Lounge.” Haynes, a first-generation college graduate, donated $25,000 to name the “Sandra Haynes Collaboration Space in Honor of First-Generation Students.”

�� Tri-Cities Chancellor Sandra Haynes

The state-funded academic building features eight science teaching laboratories, two large active learning classrooms, a large open-concept atrium ideal for presentations and events and a variety of study and collaborative areas. As a late addition to the exterior, the building will also house an outdoor amphitheater.

The �� leaders hope their contributions will inspire others to follow in their footsteps and give to support the new building, which stands to prepare students for future careers in the sciences, health and medicine, engineering and other technical fields that are critical to the growing Tri-Cities region.

“Donating to this building is an investment in our students’ futures, and by doing so, contributing to the future of our region,” Haynes said. “I hope others will join us in contributing to this building.”

Noel and Kirk Schulz Academic Support Lounge

The Noel and Kirk Schulz Academic Support Lounge will provide greater access to academic and student support services and a dedicated beyond-the-classroom space for faculty and students to meet and collaborate.

Noel and Kirk Schulz Academic Support Lounge digital rendering

“My wife, Dr. Schulz, is spending two weeks a month in the Tri-Cities working with �� Tri-Cities, working with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on the Advanced Grid Institute and helping the engineering program and the Tri-Cities grow and thrive,” Kirk Schulz said. “As the new building was coming up, we were talking to people about making investments and naming opportunities and Noel came home and said, ‘Hey, I think we should participate in this. Given what is taking place in the Tri-Cities, this would be a really opportune time.“

Kirk Schulz said the Tri-Cities is a hub for STEM education, with reputable expertise in energy, agriculture and environmental sciences. Earlier this year, �� Tri-Cities announced it would be launching a new institute centered on energy and the environment. The campus is also a part of three focusing on nuclear science and technology, advanced grid and bioproducts.

“We want to help take the building to the next level through our support of the faculty and student support lounge,” Noel Schulz said. “It’s really about all of us chipping in to make ��, as a whole, better.”

Sandra Haynes Collaboration Space in Honor of First-Generation Students

Chancellor Sandra Haynes understands the significance of being the first in her family to go to college, like so many �� Tri-Cities students. More than 40% of �� Tri-Cities students are the first in their family to attend college.

Sandra Haynes Collaboration Space in Honor of First-Generation Students digital rendering

Haynes said her investment and dedication of the collaboration space celebrates first-generation students and serves as a reminder that, on the other side of adversity, is success.

“It is so important to make sure that those students feel very supported throughout their college careers,” Haynes said. “They are taking a leap of faith and they are doing something that no one in their family has done, before. I’m contributing to this building because I want our students to be able to learn in a state-of-the-art facility with state-of-the-art equipment. It feels great to be giving back to the campus that has given so much.”

Haynes said the new building will be significant in growing the campus’ STEM-focused programs and curriculum, which stand to benefit regional industry.

“The industries in this region are highly STEM-focused,” she said. “This building will benefit regional industry by providing well-prepared graduates in these fields and welcoming regional companies and organizations in for shared experiences ranging from presentations, to partnerships for projects and more.”

Naming opportunities and other support

Mike Connell, acting vice president and CEO of the , said when �� leaders choose to make personal investments in the future of the university, they are truly leading by example.

“The most recent investments by the Schulzes and Chancellor Haynes will open doors for students at �� Tri-Cities while inspiring others to join their lead in adding to ��’s already world-class student experience,” he said.

For more information on the new �� Tri-Cities academic building and naming opportunities, contact Jaime Heppler at Jaime.heppler@wsu.edu or by phone at 817-243-6019.

For more information about the new �� Tri-Cities academic building and to access a virtual tour. visit tricities.wsu.edu/academic-building.

Media contacts:

Jaime Heppler, �� Tri-Cities senior director of development, 817-243-6019 (cell), Jaime.heppler@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, �� Tri-Cities director of marketing and communication, 619-403-3617 (cell), maegan_murray@wsu.edu

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Finding community on either side of the Columbia River

Maegan Murray — Mon, 24 May 2021 17:56:31 +0000

Student finds passion for multimedia arts as result of experiences at BMCC and �� Tri-Cities

By Maegan Murray, �� Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. – When thinking about what college choice would be best for him, Hermiston native and future first-generation college student Kyle Kopta knew he wanted to stay close to home. It was a decision that would allow him to save money, but also gradually expand his network.

Kyle Kopta, �� Tri-Cities digital technology and culture alumnus, works on a computer in the Mac lab at �� Tri-Cities.

As a student, he completed the first year of his associate’s degree through as part of the program, which helped him save a year on costs of tuition and provided him with gradual entry into the college setting.

“It was a perfect fit for me, as it allowed me to meet my lower division general education requirements and quickly transfer as a junior to any institution of my choosing,” he said.

While at BMCC, Kopta said he enjoyed being near family while still maintaining that hometown environment. The community aspect, he said, was one of his favorite parts.

“It had a hometown feel where everyone knew each other,” he said. “It felt like an extension of the surrounding community, rather than being separate from it.”

When deciding what four-year university he wanted to pursue, affordability and proximity to family remained primary factors, in addition to his career interest in the multimedia arts. He discovered that Washington State University Tri-Cities, located just 40 minutes from Hermiston in Richland, Washington, had a digital technology and culture program. The program would allow him to apply his passion for photography, video, graphic design and fine arts as part of a well-rounded degree that had eventual outlets for a variety of career paths.

Seamless transfer to �� Tri-Cities

The transfer process between the two institutions, Kopta said, was seamless. He said with his AAOT degree, everything transferred to �� Tri-Cities without any problems.

“My experiences at BMCC laid the groundwork for helping me navigate higher education, in general,” he said. “As I moved to Washington and began my �� Tri-Cities journey, I felt well-equipped to tackle anything that came my way.”

Preparing for future career in multimedia arts

Kyle Kopta, �� Tri-Cities digital technology and culture alumnus, takes a photo along the river at the �� Tri-Cities campus.

Through digital technology and culture courses at �� Tri-Cities, Kopta learned the fundamentals of a wide variety of multimedia skills, ranging from graphic design, to video production, to sound editing, to photography, to typography and more. He said he enjoyed that the program didn’t put his passions into a single box.

“The digital technology and culture program here at �� Tri-Cities ended up being the next logical step for me in my career,” he said. “I was attracted to the multidisciplinary nature of the program because I knew it would allow me to explore all the things that interested me, simultaneously. Other programs were rigid in their approach, but the digital technology and culture program would allow me to explore all my options as an artist, designer and working professional in the field.”

At �� Tri-Cities, Kopta became involved with a wide variety of hands-on experiences and student organizations. He helped curate student exhibits and display his own work through a variety of art shows and symposiums on-campus. He served as part of the Associated Students of �� Tri-Cities as its graphic designer. He lent his skills in the multimedia arts as a teacher’s assistant and tutor for the campus’ digital technology and culture program, in addition to serving on the Washington State Arts Commission. He also currently serves as an intern through the �� Tri-Cities marketing and communication office.

This spring, Kopta also had the opportunity to create and curate a that allowed users to virtually walk through a digital gallery space to view student art, just as one would during non-COVID-19 times. It is those sorts of experiences, he said, that proved to be true highlights of his college career.

“Being able to see and experience all of the work our Coug community is doing is always my favorite,” he said. “The people I am surrounded by are constantly engaging in such important and innovative work. I never know what to expect from my peers, and that’s the best part.”

Saving on costs

Throughout his college journey, Kopta received several scholarships, including the �� Tri-Cities Douglas P. Gast Scholarship in memory of his late digital technology and culture professor. Kopta said he was honored to receive such a significant award that honored his late professor.

This past year as part of his senior year, �� Tri-Cities also launched the I-82 Advantage program, which now allows students from Umatilla County to attend �� Tri-Cities for in-state tuition rates. Kopta was able to save even more on tuition.

Looking toward the future

After graduating this past spring, Kyle is staying on as a student intern through the summer in the �� Tri-Cities marketing and communication office.

His experience both at BMCC and �� Tri-Cities, he said, helped him not only navigate the college setting successfully, but also find his future career. As a result of his experience, he hopes to pursue a career in marketing, specifically working in higher education, where he can help other students find their future interests and careers.

“Marketing allows me to work in design, photography and video, simultaneously,” he said. “I would also love to continue working in a higher education setting. Collaborating with different groups of people on all different sorts of projects is important to me. Working at a college allows me to do just that.”

Applications open at BMCC and �� Tri-Cities

Applications are open for summer and fall 2021 at both BMCC and �� Tri-Cities.

To apply to BMCC, visit . To apply and/or transfer to �� Tri-Cities, visit .

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�� Tri-Cities student Kyle Kopta named �� Top Ten Senior

Maegan Murray — Fri, 07 May 2021 01:11:59 +0000

�� Tri-Cities digital technology and culture student Kyle Kopta.

For more than 80 years, Washington State University has recognized ten of the top seniors in each graduating class. The �� Alumni Association selects these women and men who represent the highest standards in specific aspects of the college experience, including academics, athletics, campus involvement, community service, and visual and performing arts.

Kyle Kopta, a senior studying digital technology and culture at �� Tri-Cities, was selected as a �� Top Ten Senior for the category of visual/performing arts.

He is a talented graphic designer, photographer, videographer, writer and overall creative. He serves as an intern with the Office of Marketing and Communication, served as a graphic designer for the Associated Students of �� Tri-Cities, serves as a DTC lab tutor, as well as on the Washington State Arts Commission. He transferred to �� Tri-Cities from Blue Mountain Community College.

VISUAL/PERFORMING ARTS

College of Arts and Sciences
Digital technology and culture
�� Tri-Cities
Hermiston, Oregon

INVOLVEMENT

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society; President’s Honors List, summa cum laude; ASWUTC Perseverance Award; Douglas P. Gast Fine Arts Scholarship; member, committee of the Washington State Arts Commission overseeing the Washington State Art Collection; graphic designer for AS��TC; marketing intern for �� Tri-Cities; teacher’s assistant and tutor in the ; host of biweekly community radio show; and �� Tri-Cities Student Employee of the Year for the 2020-2021 academic year

Photograph “Dance Dance” by Kyle Kopta, �� Tri-Cities digital technology and culture student.

FAVORITE �� EXPERIENCE

The �� Tri-Cities Undergraduate Research Symposium and Art Exhibition is held at the end of each semester. What stands out most to me is really those shows. Our students are making just incredible work. I helped put it on when we were in-person. Being able to showcase their work and my work is always the most fun event. I’m currently 3D modeling a space for us so we can hold it virtually this semester. I’m doing it in my free time; I’m not doing it paid or part of any job. It’s something I know how to do and can donate. It’s just so important for students to have this kind of culmination for all their hard work. They create all this amazing work, and they have to be able to somehow show it.

�� Tri-Cities also has a lot of mentors who helped me navigate the higher education world and the art world. I grew up in a rural area. There were zero galleries. Neither of my parents graduated from college, but they have been so supportive of my journey in higher education. I couldn’t have done it without them and my professors, who helped me succeed inside and outside the classroom. I think art in general has been a vehicle for self-growth in my professional, personal, and academic life. Through video, photography, and painting, I can learn about myself and my community and how I fit into it and I can help other people. Sometimes the things you don’t expect can end up having the most impact and being the most rewarding. Limitation can breed innovation.

�� Tri-Cities digital technology and culture student Kyle Kopta paints from home as part of a fine arts course amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

FUTURE PLANS

I’ve really found a love for marketing. It’s not something I expected to love as much as I do. I came to �� Tri-Cities putting myself in a box, saying, “I’m going to become a videographer or graphic designer,” but I’ve been awarded so many opportunities to collaborate with so many different �� departments that I’ve found I have a real love for creating things for the community with other people. My plan now is to get a marketing job. I contemplated whether I should move to a bigger city or stay local, and I think I’ve kind of settled on staying local because it’s really important to me to foster this small but tight-knit arts community. I really want to contribute to the Tri-Cities community what I wish I had growing up in Hermiston.

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Fine Art Student Exhibition | Spring 2021

Monique Vansant — Mon, 03 May 2021 15:00:19 +0000

Throughout human history, art has been a powerful force for communication, creativity, and connectivity during good times, as well as difficult ones. This online art exhibition demonstrates not only the creativity and skill of students here at �� Tri-Cities, but also their dedication to growth and resilience in these abnormal times.

The art in this show are works created from the following courses: Fine Arts 110 Drawing, Fine Arts 102 2D Art & Design, and Fine Arts 320 Painting. Students developed and explored how methods, mediums, and techniques could be utilized for creative personal expression, as well as visual communication. This show is a testament to the hard work, diligence, and creative enthusiasm of our fine arts students.

Course: Fine Arts 110 – Introduction to Drawing
Instructor: Kay Sisson
Description of the project assignments: Description of the project assignments: A series of 6 drawing-from-observation assignments was given during the semester ranging from simple boxes to more complex still lifes, such as transparent glass objects, fruits and vegetables, trees, and self-portraits. Students chose which drawing to exhibit.

Course: Fine Arts 103 – 2D Art + Design
Instructor: Dustin Regul
Description of the project assignments: 2D Art + Design is an introduction to visual and conceptual studio art practice through an interdisciplinary approach to two-dimensional space. In this course, students developed technical, as well as conceptual and theory-based skills, that apply to two-dimensional art forms, such as drawing, collage, photography, digital art, along with other mixed media processes. Students are introduced to a wide variety of principles and elements, techniques, and processes related to two-dimensional design. To engage the contemporary art world, students explored practical theory, key terminology, art history, and innovative hands-on projects.

Course: Fine Arts 320 – Beginning Painting
Instructor: Dustin Regul
Description of the project assignments: This painting course focuses on the foundation of observational painting skills using oil paint. We explore color interaction, composition, value, light, temperature, and paint application, as well as subject matter and the influence of conceptual meaning within art. The course teaches the fundamentals of painting from direct observation enabling students to translate the three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional surface utilizing a variety of different methods.

All
FA 110 Introduction to Drawing
FA 320 Beginning Painting
FA103 2D Art + Design
Graphite
Mixed Media
Oil Painting