Washington State University Tri-Cities Cougar Tracks and the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce have partnered to launch the Resilient Business Builders Network, a new initiative听that will provide training, networking opportunities and professional development for entrepreneurs, small business owners and nonprofit leaders across the Tri-Cities.听

听The initiative is designed to help organizations adapt to changing workforce and economic conditions while strengthening the region’s long-term economic vitality.听

鈥淐ougar Tracks exists to be the workforce training partner for this region 鈥� not just for one industry, one career stage or one kind of organization, but for all of us,鈥澨齭aid听Cougar Tracks Director Michelle听Hrycauk鈥�Nassif. 鈥淭his听joint听undertaking听with the Tri-Cities Regional Chamber听is how we bring that commitment to life in a way that is collaborative and directly connected to the Tri-Cities community.鈥�听

Under the partnership, Cougar Tracks will develop and deliver seasonal programming, while the Tri-City Regional Chamber will provide workforce and economic data and promote opportunities through its network of more than 900 member organizations.听

鈥淧artnerships like the Resilient Business Builders Network are essential to the long-term economic vitality of the Tri-Cities,鈥� said Austin Regimbal, vice president of the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce. 鈥淏y joining forces with 黑料社 Tri-Cities Cougar Tracks, the Chamber is advancing our mission to support small business growth and ensuring that high-quality workforce training is accessible to organizations of all sizes across our region.鈥�听

Workshops are expected to begin this fall and will center on planned topics such as practical AI adoption strategies for business and teams,听leadership听development听and听other workforce-related听skills. Cougar Tracks will also host networking events to听facilitate听connections between Tri-Cities professionals and the next generation of regional leaders.听

Community听feedback will shape programming听

To help听identify听emerging workforce needs, the network will gather input through a regional survey and a team of听volunteer听“Business Catalysts.”听听

• Workforce needs survey: Tri-Cities business leaders, professionals and community members are invited to share their training needs and priorities. Survey responses will directly shape upcoming workshops. Participants who complete the workforce needs survey will be entered to win a $200 Cougar gear gift bag.

• Business Catalyst application: Business Catalysts are local professionals committed to supporting small business success. They help identify timely workshop topics and may serve as instructors, facilitators or panelists.

鈥淏usiness Catalysts are the force behind the Resilient Business Builders Network experience,鈥� Hrycauk鈥�Nassif听said. 鈥淭hey spark ideas, accelerate connections and help ensure our programming reflects the real needs of the Tri-Cities business community.鈥�听

Community members interested in learning more about听Cougar Tracks and听the Resilient Business Builders Network can visit the Tri-City Regional Chamber’s Small Business Fair from 3 to 6 p.m.听on听June 9 at the Tri-Cities Business and Visitor Center, 7130 W.听Grandridge听Blvd., Kennewick.听

By Angela Sams

Beginning this fall, students can pursue an advanced degree in viticulture and enology at Washington State University.

Offered via the university鈥檚听Tri-Cities campus, the new master鈥檚 degree helps solidify 黑料社 as a global leader in graduate-level wine science research by preparing students for successful careers in an evolving industry.

鈥淭he wine industry increasingly recognizes the need for a workforce with deeper education, stronger scientific understanding, and the critical thinking skills required to address complex challenges, from climate change to shifting consumer preferences,鈥� said Jean Dodson Peterson, founding chair of 黑料社鈥檚听. 鈥淭his is the right time for us to lean into that need. An advanced degree in viticulture and enology fills an important gap and will help strengthen the future of the industry.鈥�

Previously, 黑料社 V&E students could pursue a master鈥檚 degree in either food science or horticulture. While aspects of both disciplines are woven into the new degree, the curriculum takes a more targeted approach by focusing on Washington鈥檚 unique wine grape growing region and climate.

鈥淥ur team is excited to continue engaging as affiliate faculty in horticulture,鈥� Dodson Peterson said. 鈥淭his is not about creating a new silo. It is about strengthening our college by building on existing partnerships and creating new opportunities for collaboration.鈥�

Dodson Peterson and a team of V&E faculty used survey results from current graduate students, recent alumni, and industry members to guide their curriculum development process. The result is a flexible degree that allows students to focus on enology, viticulture, or a mix of both.

黑料社 also partnered closely with the听, a government agency that supports and represents wineries and grape growers throughout the state.

鈥淏uilding on the legacy of pioneers like Walt Clore and Chas Nagel, the Washington wine industry continues to advance through a commitment to research and education. This program represents an important step forward in that tradition,鈥� said Kristina Kelley, the commission鈥檚 executive director. 鈥淭he industry will benefit from a growing pool of highly trained professionals with specialized technical expertise who understand how to collect and analyze vineyard and winery data to support informed, fact-based decision-making.鈥�

The new degree is designed to be completed in two years. Students will take a heavy courseload during their first year and work on their graduate research projects throughout both years.

鈥淭he viticulture and enology department鈥檚 dedication to the thoughtful development of this degree is commendable,鈥� said Raj Khosla, Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean of 黑料社鈥檚听. 鈥淭he degree鈥檚 combination of curriculum, research, and hands-on learning will ensure our students are competitive, knowledgeable, and career-ready in an industry that is undergoing significant change. I鈥檓 eager to witness the many new opportunities it will offer.鈥�

Among the required core courses are a science writing workshop, a seminar focused on career development and current V&E topics, and a statistics class covering principles of experimental design, data analysis, and interpretation. Students can choose from more than a dozen viticulture- or enology-focused electives, depending on their individual research focus and interest.

With cross-institutional collaboration now becoming the norm, graduate students will be encouraged to work with their counterparts at other universities around the world, Dodson Peterson said.

鈥淎 graduate degree teaches students how to think critically and solve problems while instilling in them a passion for lifelong learning,鈥� she added. 鈥淥ur department focuses on conducting research in industry settings and establishing collaborative industry relationships. This approach helps students better understand industry challenges while showing them how to put innovative, data-driven solutions into practice.鈥�

Watching the degree come to fruition has been both fulfilling and exciting for Dodson Peterson, who is especially grateful for the encouragement of 黑料社 leadership.

鈥淎s a team, we felt truly supported throughout this process,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 hope the changes we are making, from integrated learning opportunities and more industry-connected conversations to expanded research capacity, will have a lasting impact on the economic sustainability of the wine and grape industry in Washington and beyond.鈥�

By Flynn Espe

The Washington State University Tri-Cities campus was buzzing with youthful energy and excitement as more than 170 visiting students from Finley Elementary School took part in a special STEM Discovery Day event on May 14. Throughout the morning, groups of students in grades three through five cycled through various labs and classroom spaces, each set up with a hands-on activity led by university faculty and staff.

Groups of third-graders rotated through five activities involving rockets, perception, sensory play, decoder wheels, and the human heart. Students in grades four and five, meanwhile, explored 3D pens, robotics, electrical circuits, electronic music, and aerodynamics. Through it all, instructors prompted students to consider how science and technology play a key role in shaping the world around them.

Outside, in the campus amphitheater, Sara Egbert introduced a group of third-graders to rocket building by referencing NASA鈥檚 recent Artemis II mission, which sent four U.S. astronauts on a 10-day, 700,000-mile voyage around the far side of the moon and back.

鈥淭his rocket has to have super amazing fuel,鈥� Egbert, a 黑料社 Tri-Cities instruction and classroom support technician, said. 鈥淪o there are engineers who make fuel that鈥檚 super-efficient and lightweight and won鈥檛 run out, because if you鈥檙e in space and your gas runs out, you鈥檙e in big trouble!鈥�

Students then got to create their own miniature rockets with the help of a basic chemistry experiment: mixing water and Alka-Seltzer tablets to create carbon dioxide. By combining the ingredients in a sealed plastic film container, students stood back and watched as the pressure build-up caused their makeshift rockets to launch into the air with a satisfying pop. Egbert concluded by asking students what they might try in a future experiment to make their rockets fly even further.

鈥淲e need young scientists to come and help solve the problems in the world and to ask the good questions,鈥� Egbert said. 鈥淪o I hope you all go into science.鈥�

Over in the Floyd building, Tyler Hansen, assistant professor of teaching and learning, taught a classroom of fifth-graders how to build electrical circuits using paper, copper tape, LED lights, and batteries.

鈥淐ircuits are how we carry electricity from one place to the other,鈥� Hansen said. 鈥淭hey go only one direction, and specifically, it always goes from positive to negative.鈥�

Student Alex Vasquez later cited Hansen鈥檚 activity as his favorite activity of the day, saying he enjoyed getting to see his experiment succeed after applying multiple red lights to the paper circuit.

鈥淲e got to turn on the lights without using switches,鈥� Vasquez said.

Fifth-graders Tegan Bennett and Jace Gutzmer both enjoyed the music lab and 3D pen activity stations, where they combined STEM learning with creative expression to make beats and 3D-printed drawings.

鈥淚t was pretty fun,鈥� Bennett said.

As the day鈥檚 events wrapped up, students gathered around the outdoor basketball court for one last demonstration led by Professor Joseph Iannelli from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, who quizzed the group on the difference between science and engineering.

鈥淪cience is about learning how nature works. Engineering is to take that knowledge and build items,鈥� he said.

To illustrate his point, he produced a small remote-controlled drone as an engineered application of wind and force. Finley Students then got to watch as he and two university students flew drones around the space 鈥� cheering on as Iannelli carefully maneuvered his blue quadcopter through a basketball hoop.

The half-day event was made possible thanks to a generous grant from Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities (WHWF-TC), a nonprofit aimed at empowering women and children in the Tri-Cities region. The goal of the event was simple: Introduce young learners to the joys of STEM subjects in the hopes that some will go on to pursue science and technology professions later in life.

鈥淵ou want kids to understand what the possibilities are for their future,鈥� said Alysia Johnson, WHWF-TC executive director, who came to observe the opening and closing sessions. 鈥淭his could help solidify what they want to do when they grow up, so these experiences are important.鈥�

James Kindle, career connected learning coordinator for Educational Service District 123, agreed. As one of the outside organizers behind the event, he said the choice to target rural elementary school students was deliberate, noting that most STEM programs tend to focus on the high school age.

鈥淎nd sometimes that鈥檚 more reactive than proactive, so with something like this this we鈥檙e planting the seed,鈥� Kindle said. 鈥淲e know that STEM is very important, especially for future jobs coming down the pipeline, and the more we can expose students to these types of activities the better. Because now they鈥檒l go home and they鈥檒l talk to their parents about the cool things that they got to do today.鈥�

By Flynn Espe

Washington State University Tri-Cities graduate Rachel Holland spends a lot of her time听thinking about the听little听things听鈥斕齭pecifically,听insects.听She also听enjoys听sharing her fascination for these six-legged听invertebrates听and听their听remarkable听biodiversity听with听others.听

鈥淭here are parasitoids who lay their eggs in other insects, bees that sneak their eggs into other bees鈥� nests,鈥� Holland says. 鈥淭here are ants which wage wars with termites, sneaky beetles who find ways around their rivals for mates, and bees that turn rotting flesh into honey. I听don鈥檛听think听I鈥檒l听ever learn everything about them, which is exciting.鈥�听

That听chitinous听curiosity is听shaping her next big step.听Having just completed her听bachelor鈥檚听degree in听environmental and ecosystems sciences,听she鈥檒l听be听continuing听this fall听as a听黑料社听graduate student听in听the听Master of Science in Entomology program,听conducting听research on native bees听through听the听听in Prosser.听听听

鈥淢y specific research will be on alfalfa fields,鈥� she says.听鈥淚鈥檒l be going to Walla Walla half the time and then to Prosser听to see if the pesticide that they鈥檙e using is harmful at a greater rate than another pesticide they鈥檙e using on the leafcutter bees and the alkali bees.鈥�听

Her path to this moment has been a rewarding, if听not quite typical, one. As a nontraditional, first-generation college student, Holland鈥檚 first attempt at college ended on a sour note. After graduating from high school in 2007, she went straight into taking classes at Columbia Basin College, but with little motivation or direction, her grades suffered and she dropped out shortly thereafter.听

Life moved on.听Holland got married and听soon听focused on raising a family. While her husband went to trade school and into the听workforce, Holland听worked as a stay-at-home mom and听embroidery artist,听selling intricate听craft听pieces听both locally and online.听Eventually,听Holland听decided she was ready to听pursue听a college听education听鈥斕齛nd hopefully find her听career听passion听鈥斕齩nce again.听听

Although the plan was always to start at CBC and finish her bachelor’s degree at 黑料社 Tri-Cities, she didn鈥檛 begin with environmental studies in mind.听

鈥淚 originally was going to do elementary education with a history minor,鈥� Holland says.听

Her听academic focus听began to听shift听when she found herself听unexpectedly enjoying听two lab classes听during her final CBC quarter.听One was听an environmental science lab that involved growing wheat under various conditions. The other was an entomology lab, which听included a final assignment that听had students catching insects in the wild听and pinning them for identification.听

鈥淎s soon as I had that net in my hand, I was ready to go,鈥� Holland says. 鈥淭he hands-on听part of it really transformed how I saw the world, and I thought, 鈥業 can听actually听do science.鈥欌�澨�听

Not content simply to听pass her听classes,听Holland听succeeded in听graduating听from CBC听with honors听鈥� no easy task, considering she听was still carrying her 2.0 GPA from years earlier.听

鈥淚 had to drag that 2.0 out of the mud,鈥澨鼿olland says.听

Arriving听at 黑料社 Tri-Cities,听her听momentum听continued.听Having听switched听majors,听Holland听found听that environmental and ecosystem sciences offered听a satisfying blend of听physical science听with coursework听exploring听the听delicate interplay听between听manmade听and natural systems.听

鈥淚t covers so many bases but includes the human aspect of it, which is what I really like,鈥� Holland says.听

Outside of class,听she听began听building friendships and community听wherever she went.听She听got involved in campus clubs,听serving in leadership roles such as听Environmental Club event coordinator and co-president for the听Women in STEM Club.听听

As a senior, she听also听served as the Associated Students of 黑料社 Tri-Cities senator听for the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences,听advocating for students on a听range of听issues like campus recycling听and听a native plant garden for hands-on learning.听

One of听Holland鈥檚听proudest accomplishments听involved joining up with听friend and classmate Evalena Dalsbo听to launch and听nurture听a brand-new campus Craft Club, where听they and others could share听and spread听their love for the crafting arts. The club grew in popularity as听students of all听backgrounds听met up听for听sewing,听sculpting, embroidery, and听other seasonal craft projects.听Their team听went听on听to win the听鈥淪tudent Organization听of the Year鈥澨齛ward at the 2025 Student Excellence Awards.听

鈥淭hat club is really fun because everybody can come in there听鈥� engineers, psychology majors, English majors, people I would not meet in classes,鈥澨鼿olland says.听

Alongside her club involvement,听Holland gained听additional听experience听as听a听lab teaching听assistant听and听student intern听for the Institute for Northwest Energy Futures鈥櫶鼸nergy Ambassadors Network.听It all added up听to听Holland听being honored last month as one of three recipients of the 2026 黑料社 Tri-Cities听Award for Distinguished Career in Leadership.听听

If it all sounds like a lot to juggle,听it was. Fortunately, Holland says, she had听a strong support听network听鈥� including her husband and听two听kids,听now in the fourth and sixth grades.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely been a group effort,鈥� she says.听

She听also credits听the听helpful guidance she received from the听黑料社 Tri-Cities TRIO听Student Support Services team.听听

Case in point,听Holland听says she still recalls the stress听and uncertainty听she felt at the beginning of her junior year,听when an overpacked course load had her questioning her degree path.听鈥淚 was taking an ecology听lab, statistics听lab, and organic chemistry lab 鈥� and then another class that did not have a lab attached to it,鈥� Holland says. 鈥淭hat was, on paper, only 15 credits.鈥�听

Not knowing if听she鈥檇听made a听poor scheduling听decision or听simply needed to听push听through, Holland听says听a听drop-in听meeting听to the听TRIO听office听brought her clarity听and relief.听TRIO听staff听confirmed听she鈥檇听taken on an unusually听heavy course听load听and听walked听her through the steps of how to听revise听her schedule.听

鈥淚听couldn鈥檛听have made that decision without TRIO being like, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e听not insane.听This is听actually really听hard what you decided to do,鈥欌�� Holland says.听

TRIO staff came through again this past year听when听she听was听still considering听grad听school.听By talking through the process听and working with staff on a step-by-step听plan, Holland felt听better听prepared to听ask her professors the right questions听and听ultimately apply.听

Now,听as a graduate student,听Holland says听she鈥檚听looking forward to听doing more of what she loves 鈥� exploring the vast world of insects and听engaging with other scientists in a laboratory setting.听She鈥檚听also excited to be working at the intersection of ecology and agriculture.听

鈥淎 major component of agriculture is insects, whether that is beneficial or pest,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 can see myself continuing to do research and make changes at the government level like in听the听Washington State Department of Agriculture听or through education.鈥�听

When asked about advice she has for听others听starting their own college听journey, Holland听encourages students to听seek out听professors听for academic and career听advice听and听to take advantage of new opportunities.听

鈥淕o to meetings that you听probably don鈥檛听think you belong in. Go to an engineering meeting even if听you鈥檙e听not an engineer,鈥� she says.听鈥淚f you see an opportunity and you think,听鈥業 might want to do that,鈥� just do it.听What鈥檚听the worst听that can happen?鈥�

Washington State University Tri-Cities has received a $20,000 gift from the Kennewick Public Hospital District to establish scholarships for students pursuing careers in social work.

The funding supports 黑料社 Tri-Cities鈥� development of a new Bachelor of Social Work program, which aims to address the region鈥檚 growing need for qualified social work professionals. Social workers play a vital role in advocating for individuals and families across healthcare, education, and other public institutions, often serving people from historically underserved communities.

鈥淲e are very thankful to the Kennewick Public Hospital District for entrusting us with this generous gift,鈥� said RoseAnne Droesch, director of the Bachelor of Social Work program. 鈥淭hese scholarship funds will help remove financial barriers for future 黑料社 Tri-Cities students who are committed to helping people across the region. This support reflects our mission to expand access to social work education, strengthen the workforce in Washington state, and prepare graduates who will address critical unmet needs. It sends a powerful message that their work matters and that our community stands behind them as they step forward on this educational path.鈥�

The donation is made possible thanks to the Paul G. and Mabel Richmond Endowment Fund, which the hospital district oversees. The Richmond family was deeply committed to strengthening healthcare services in the Tri-Cities and supporting students entering health-related professions. Income generated by the fund allows the KPHD to continue investing in critical fields such as social work and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at 黑料社 Tri-Cities.

“We hope our $20,000 contribution eases the educational path for students in 黑料社鈥檚 first-ever social service program 鈥� allowing them to focus on their mission of providing care for those in need without worrying about how their bills will be paid,鈥� said Wanda Briggs, longtime KPHD board member. 鈥淲e strongly support higher education because it鈥檚 an ideal collaboration with partners throughout the Tri-Cities who strive daily to improve healthcare and access for everyone.鈥�

By Flynn Espe

Washington State University Tri-Cities student Eric Mayo-Gutierrez had a busy semester last fall. In addition to his regular coursework as a third-year mechanical engineering major, he was also juggling multiple campus jobs as a peer mentor, laboratory assistant, and undergraduate research assistant. That was on top of an engineering internship with the Grant County Public Utility District that lasted from June to February.

When he鈥檚 not occupied with work or study, you might find him enjoying a friendly game of pool in the Student Union Building, one of his go-to hangout spots on campus. He鈥檚 also currently gearing up for his next big adventure as an engineering intern in Tokyo, Japan, later this summer 鈥� an opportunity made possible after receiving the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship.

鈥淲ould I have it any other way? Probably not,鈥� Mayo-Gutierrez said. 鈥淚 kind of enjoyed putting myself through it.鈥�

While he鈥檚 certainly making the most of his time as a Coug, Mayo-Gutierrez says it took him a few starts and attempts, including prior semesters spent at two other 黑料社 campuses, to find his stride. As the first person in his family to attend college, he鈥檚 thankful for the opportunities and support that have helped him along the way.

From aptitude test to college application

Looking back, Mayo-Gutierrez says he was in middle school when he began to think seriously about his future. That was when a career pathways test revealed he might be well-suited for an engineering profession. As to what kind of engineering profession he should pursue 鈥� the test didn鈥檛 say.

After briefly looking into electrical engineering during high school, he quickly ruled out that branch of the field. 听鈥淚 kind of made the same mistake everyone else does early on and confused electrical engineering with being an electrician,鈥� he says with a laugh.

Eventually, a different pathway emerged when he inherited a hand-me-down vehicle from a late relative. 鈥淚t had a bad end motor 鈥� things that weren鈥檛 in tip-top shape and some rust,鈥� Mayo-Gutierrez says. Wanting to restore some of the car鈥檚 deteriorated components, he started learning how to weld using some tools from his uncle, who he was living with at the time. That interest led him to an associate鈥檚 degree and welding certificate from Big Bend Community College, as well as his first full-time job as a weld specialist at Genie.

Although he enjoyed the work, Mayo-Gutierrez quickly started to have doubts about the longevity of his newfound profession.

鈥淲elding came with health risks that I started picking up on,鈥� Mayo-Gutierrez says. 鈥淚 had eye-health concerns with the smoke and the different chemicals.鈥�

With the support of his family, Mayo-Gutierrez decided to further his education at 黑料社 Vancouver, choosing mechanical engineering as the best major for pursuing his interest in robotics, while still building upon his welding foundation. Upon completing his first semester there, Mayo-Gutierrez decided he was ready to experience the full breadth of what university life had to offer, and he transferred to 黑料社 Pullman the following spring.

鈥淚 dived into some clubs,鈥� Mayo-Gutierrez says, 鈥淚 met some great people and learned a lot about how to work in a group engineering setting.鈥�

The perfect break

Despite the many positives, however, life in Pullman didn鈥檛 fully click.

鈥淚鈥檇 been living in small towns before, and I kind of wanted to branch out,鈥� Mayo-Gutierrez says. 鈥淚 love Pullman, but for me, it just didn鈥檛 work out.鈥�

He decided to change campuses once more, this time settling closer to home at 黑料社 Tri-Cities for the fall 2024 semester. It was here that he finally found the winning combination of expanded extracurricular opportunities and a bigger-city environment that felt right for him.

Still, he says, his overall student experience didn鈥檛 magically transform overnight, and he soon realized it would take more than a change of zip code to get the most out of his education.

鈥淔irst semester, I was not as active in the campus as I am now,鈥� Mayo-Gutierrez said. 鈥淚 was one of the students that just came to campus, went to classes, went back home. That was the daily cycle.鈥�

All of that began to change one day during the spring 2025 semester, when Mayo-Gutierrez asked a classmate if he wanted to check out the pool table in the Student Union Building after class. Neither of them knew how to play well, he says, but they were willing to give it a shot. It soon became his favorite campus activity, but that鈥檚 not all.

鈥淛ust asking a simple question started rolling the ball for me. I started meeting new people, and from meeting new people I started making new connections,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 met so many great people that motivated me to keep going forward 鈥� convinced me I could do more.鈥�

Mayo-Gutierrez used that momentum to continue pursuing even more extracurricular activities and experiences. For his spring break, instead of sleeping in or going on a trip, he took part in 黑料社鈥檚 Power Practicum, which involved a weeklong series of on-site visits to nearby power and engineering companies.

鈥淵ou learn what the company stands for, what they plan on doing, and how they鈥檙e going to help shape the power industry in the United States,鈥� Mayo-Gutierrez said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a good overview of what the company does and what to expect if you were to work there.鈥�

The professional connections he made during the Power Practicum helped him land an engineering internship with Grant County P.U.D. But he didn鈥檛 stop there. By the time his fall 2025 semester began, Mayo-Gutierrez had also lined up each of his other aforementioned campus jobs.

As a research assistant, he gained experience testing various materials for 3D printing and manufacturing. In his role as the biology and chemistry laboratory prep assistant, he connected with students and faculty from the other scientific disciplines on campus.

鈥淚t went from no jobs, no research, straight to a full workload,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 feel like that gave me a small glimpse of what I can do later on.鈥�

Paying it forward

Perhaps his most meaningful campus job experience was becoming a mentor in the brand-new Student Success Peer Mentors program. Through that role, Mayo-Gutierrez helped close to 30 new incoming 黑料社 Tri-Cities students navigate their own first semester on campus by encouraging them to get involved.

鈥淭hat was my main inspiration to become a peer mentor, just to be able to show students what they can become,鈥� Mayo-Gutierrez said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 know until you try.鈥�

For now, he鈥檚 still taking advantage of new opportunities as they arise. In March, for example, Mayo-Gutierrez presented a research paper titled 鈥淧erformance Evaluation of a Quadruped Robotic Platform鈥� at the 2026 Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities at 黑料社 Pullman, taking home a Novice award in the Engineering & Physical Sciences category.

Mayo-Gutierrez says his new career objective is to work internationally on biomedical devices, creating more affordable healthcare options through technological and mechanical engineering innovation. He also hopes his story and example will encourage other first-generation college students to think beyond their current circumstances and dream big.

鈥淚 want to help show that even though we don鈥檛 come from a lot, we can still do so much,鈥� he says.

By Flynn Espe

More than 120 Washington State University Tri-Cities students presented their academic projects Wednesday at the annual Showcase for Research and Creative Activities. This year鈥檚 event brought together more than 65 solo and group projects spanning multiple majors and disciplines.

Across three campus buildings, students set up scientific posters and, in some cases, hands-on demonstrations of their work as they chatted and mingled with other students, faculty, and community guests.

Read or click here to jump to the end to view the winners and honorable mentions.

Solving energy problems near and far

Presenting from the first floor in Collaboration Hall, Hasan Cruz, student intern for 黑料社 Tri-Cities鈥� , presented his research involving pumped storage hydropower as a partial solution to the problem of peak power grid demand.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge water battery that stores long-duration potential energy and then releases it when it is needed the most during peak hours of the grid,鈥� Cruz said. 鈥淪o the grid gets stressed and we need to meet demand, because people seem to forget that electricity is something that we need absolutely every second.鈥�

He conducted his research under the mentorship of 黑料社 Tri-Cities alumnae Danielle Young (鈥�19 BS Civ Eng, 鈥�21 MS Civ Eng), a project manager at Battelle. As a civil engineering major, Cruz says he was thrilled to discover the strong connection between his field of study and the energy industry.

鈥淲hen I started my civil engineering major, I thought it was only construction,鈥� Cruz said. 鈥淚t turns out there鈥檚 so much more, and energy is one of those fields that I never thought would be possible.鈥�

A few spots over, fellow INEF intern and biology major Zoe Pfeifer summarized her research into fusion technology. She noted that Washington state is a major hub for companies at the forefront of fusion machine design and development, and breakthrough discoveries may be closer than we think.

鈥淲e already have a lot of policy in place to help entice companies to come here,鈥� Pfeifer said. 鈥淓ven globally, there are 160 fusion facilities being worked on right now worldwide.鈥�

In a separate showcase room, a group of students had a plastic model showing their proposed designs for a much different kind of energy problem: how to deal with heat waste from a small modular reactor on the surface of the moon. Those students 鈥� Kaamel Ahmed Sidiqi, Minh Vu, Sam Arthur, Jon-Luc Ritchie, Peyton Viera, and Stephanie Volatile 鈥� presented their mechanical engineering senior capstone project, in which they worked under the guidance of an industry sponsor at Framatome.

鈥淎s we’re getting closer to interplanetary travel, we鈥檙e looking into building habitats elsewhere in the solar system, specifically the moon or Mars, currently. They鈥檙e planning on using small modular reactors 鈥� around 100 kilowatts thermal, or so 鈥� to power these habitats,鈥� Viera said. 鈥淭he issue with that is you can only utilize so much energy from these reactors before it just becomes a byproduct.鈥�

With a specific target in mind 鈥� safely dispersing 74 kilowatts of wasted heat into the moon鈥檚 vacuum-like environment 鈥� the group did a deep dive into whatever research they could find that would help get them started.

鈥淥ur sponsor had us look into NASA research papers, private industry papers, and university papers,鈥� Volatile said. 鈥淚 personally used a lot of the library sources that 黑料社 gave us to point us into the private industries and try to get as much as we could.鈥�

Eventually, the team settled on a folding-aluminum-panel radiator design that fit within the specifications for being deployed and assembled on the lunar surface.

鈥淪ame type of thing for a car 鈥� it has a radiator,鈥� Ritchie said. 鈥淭his is just a radiator for a nuclear reactor.鈥�

Protecting online systems and spaces

Meanwhile, multiple students and teams were showcasing their research into methods and ideas for improving or addressing threats to online and computer systems.

Computer science majors Jaydon Larios and Tyler Jase Schab walked visitors through their development of a web platform that evaluates the vulnerability of a user鈥檚 password by simulating multiple cracking methods.

鈥淭he system processes each password through different hashing algorithms,鈥� Larios said. 鈥淚t estimates the actual time it would take to crack these passwords.鈥�

It turns out, short and common passwords really do take mere seconds for would-be attackers to crack.

Nearby, Yozelyn Chavez and Luckie Devers talked about their approach to preventing leakage of personally identifiable information in large language models, or LLMs for short. They represented half of their capstone project team, which also included Gabriela Nicacio and Alan Valencia who were studying abroad in Sweden.

鈥淏asically, if you鈥檝e ever entered in your information, even just your first and last name, to an LLM, it can remember that,鈥� Devers said, adding that anyone who has sent their resume to an AI chat bot will have likely used their email and phone number as well. 鈥淲e want to remove that in the end, so nobody else can attack the LLM and get your information.鈥�

Their solution was to train an LLC on a five-step prompt sanitization procedure meant to spot each instance of identifiable information included in a prompt and replace it with a fake substitute, while still preserving the quality of the LLM鈥檚 response. The LLM would then go through a background process of gradually unlearning the personally identifiable information completely, to protect against any future attacks.

鈥淟LMs are getting super advanced, and AI is getting super advanced,鈥� Devers said. 鈥淲e need to eventually come up with these ideas that defend against it and help protect the consumers.鈥�

Advancing the humanities, social sciences, and environment

Over in the Learning Commons area of the Consolidated Information Center, even more students presented on their research posters, including several projects in the humanities and social sciences. One recurring theme involved psychological studies on evolving attitudes toward artificial intelligence. Other groups presented on historical examinations of ethnic migration, the Hanford Site cleanup and its legacy, environmental science experiments, and much more.

Students Clarissa Garcia Arroyo, Grady Grasseth, Carola Garcia Mendez, Zachary Shortt, Jairo Villasenor, and Lori Wollerman Nelson reported on the results of their study on what birds are eating in local vineyards 鈥� and whether these winged neighbors are friends or foes to wine growers?

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little of both,鈥� Villasenor, an environmental and ecosystem sciences major, concluded.

For his team鈥檚 five-week experiment, the group created fake grapes and worms from plasticine clay, which they distributed throughout the 黑料社 Tri-Cities research vineyard. At the end of each week, from October to November, the group collected the scattered items and assessed each item for damage to determine if a bird had tried to eat it before repeating the process.

鈥淲e had clusters of grapes alone. We had clusters of grapes and worms together. And we also had worms just by themselves,鈥� Villasenor said. 鈥淏irds ultimately preferred grapes by themselves, and they also preferred worms by themselves. They did not prefer when they were together.鈥�

While the birds showed a stronger preference for grapes than worms in general, Villasenor said it might be because the quantity of plasticine grapes was also significantly higher.

Hydrogen Hogwash takes over East Building stairwell

Tucked away in a different corner of campus, an artist collective comprising 12 digital technology and culture (DTC) majors transformed a ground-level East Building stairwell area into a warm and vibing 24-hour pop-up exhibition dubbed 鈥淐trl + Alt + Create.鈥� Each of the 12 artists, who went by the name Hydrogen Hogwash, contributed to the space with an interactive multimedia experience.

Sophia Valdez enticed visitors to sit and relax with a turntable, headphones, and selection of vinyl records. Claire Giles projected an animated vignette she鈥檇 pieced together from marked-up video taken during a spring break road trip.

Jo Pickard mounted his artwork to three panels of a makeshift wall set up at the base of the stairwell. His pieces included a framed collage of famous pop-culture heroes and a full-length mirror partially adorned with two emblematic superhero symbols 鈥� giving viewers a chance to see and reflect on their own inner hero. He also incorporated a scannable Spotify playlist of heroic tunes to set the mood.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really easy to be heroic when you鈥檙e a superhero,鈥� Pickard said. 鈥淏ut being heroic is whatever you think. It鈥檚 like waving at somebody when they鈥檙e having a bad day, being nice to someone, helping where you don鈥檛 have to.鈥�

The exhibit served as the DTC majors鈥� capstone project, which also involved the creation of a Hydrogen Hogwash zine featuring humorous and imaginative depictions of animals being transformed by radiation exposure. Copies of the zine were available to view at the exhibit as well.

鈥淚 have always been an artist to some degree my entire life, and just getting the chance to work with a team and put this together has been really gratifying,鈥� Pickard said. 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e really come into my own since being here these last couple years.鈥�

Awards and honors

The showcase concluded with a brief presentation of awards, voted on by a handful of faculty and industry guest judges.

Associate professor of mathematics and event organizer Ryan Learn stressed the importance of honoring the impressive scope and caliber of students鈥� scientific and artistic achievements.

鈥淭his is an opportunity to recognize all of the really great work that students are doing beyond the curriculum,鈥� Learn said. “Some of these people are answering questions that have never been answered before, solving problems that have never been solved before.鈥�

Prior to the main showcase poster presentations, event organizers welcomed a group of juniors from Delta High School who participated in some interactive activities. Many of the same student groups from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences also presented their senior caps during a separate SEAS Design EXPO event on Friday.

The showcase received funding from Battelle Foundation and Washington Research Foundation.

Here are the award winners by category.

Best Capstone in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science

Digital Control Educational Projects (DCEP)

Landon Johnson, Isaac Rheinschmidt, Jose Cisneros, David Hysjulien

Honorable Mentions:

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Analyzer, Daniel Chavez Edwin Quinonez Hunter Ufford Armando Becerra

A Holistic Approach to Protecting Personally Identifiable Information from Leakage in LLMs, Gabriela Nicacio, Luckie Devers, Alan Valencia, Yozelyn Chavez

Best Capstone in Mechanical or Civil Engineering

Design Improvements to Nuclear Pellet Sheet

Serena Posada, Kolby Tucker, Dean Macduff, Marvin Mendoza, Elysia Howlett, Melissa Vaca Ixta

Honorable Mention:

Preliminary Evaluation of Artificial Ground Freezing: Excavation & Shoring Multi-Criteria Alternative Analysis for Bechtel’s Waste Treatment Plant Site, Aliyana Avalos, Angel Cerna, Cynthia Carmona, Daniela Gonzalez-Sepulveda, Corben Kane, Kayla Konahap, Roy Leal, Abi Macduff, Juan Mendoza, Razan Osman, Luiz Saldana, Joseph Salim, Brianne Zehnder, Marina Zolotnyuk

Best Graduate Student Research Project

Drought Evolution in the Nile Basin: Characterizing Development and Recovery Phases and their Meteorological Drivers

Meklit Berihun Melesse

Best Undergraduate Research Project

Swelling behvior of NBR O-rings in neat hydrocarbons relevant to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

Kaamel Ahmed Sidiqi

Best Course-Based Project in the Sciences

Ashen soils affect growth but not germination in Bluebunch Wheatgrass

Skylar Brustad, Caleb Deines, Carlos Renteria, Mark Tabangcura, Zachary Shortt, Lori Wollerman Nelson

Honorable Mentions:

Birds in Vineyards: Friends or Foes? Jairo Villasenor, Grady Grasseth, Carola Garcia Mendez, Clarissa Garcia Arroyo, Zachary Shortt, Lori Wollerman Nelson

Spider Size and Web Size in Orb Weaver Spiders, Justine Gutierrez, Camden Seavoy, Zachary Shortt, Lori Wollerman Nelson

Targeted Keylogging Through HID-Based Bas USB Attacks, Sebastian Gonzalez

Best Course-Based Project in Liberal Arts or Psychology

Behind the Silence: Oral Histories of Migration, Labor, Injustice, and Family Sacrifice

Belinda Contreras-Barajas, Litzy Renteria, Andre Mayoral

Best Institute for Northwest Energy Futures Project

Evaluating the Future of Nuclear Energy Through Small Modular Reactors in the Pacific Northwest

Parjot Pawar

Honorable Mention:

Benton County and the Tri-Cities Power Production and Industrial Expansions, Timothy Poole

Washington State University Tri-Cities will honor more than 330 graduating students this year, including graduates from the fall 2025 and spring 2026 terms.

Executive Vice President for 黑料社 Statewide Campuses Sandra Haynes will deliver opening remarks, followed by 黑料社 President Elizabeth Cantwell, special guest Rep. Dan Newhouse, and a keynote address from 黑料社 alumna Rachel Ruggeri, former executive vice president and chief financial officer for Starbucks.

The two-hour 黑料社 Tri-Cities commencement ceremony begins at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 10, at the Toyota Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., in Kennewick. No tickets are required. Parking is free. Doors open at noon. The Toyota Center enforces entry requirements, including a clear bag policy.

Background on the graduates

The 2025鈥�26 graduating class includes 15 doctoral candidates in biological and agricultural engineering, chemical engineering, food science, math and science education, nursing practice, and special education.

Twenty-six master鈥檚 candidates will receive degrees in computer science, educational leadership, electrical engineering, elementary or secondary education, engineering and technology management, horticulture, language, literacy and technology education, and mechanical engineering.

More than 280 bachelor鈥檚 candidates will receive degrees in biology, business administration, civil engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, digital technology and culture, earth and environmental science, education, electrical engineering, English, history, humanities, mechanical engineering, nursing, psychology, science, social sciences, and viticulture and enology.

Keynote speaker

Rachel Ruggeri is a seasoned finance executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience across public, nonprofit and global organizations. She spent more than two decades at Starbucks Coffee Company, where she held senior finance and enterprise leadership roles during a period of significant global expansion.

From 2021 to 2025, she served as executive vice president and chief financial officer鈥攖he first woman to hold the role鈥攁nd later as interim chief executive officer, helping guide the company through a major leadership transition.

Known for her people-centered leadership style, Ruggeri is passionate about mentoring, talent development and building strong organizations. Her professional journey reflects adaptability, purpose and a deep commitment to developing future leaders.

By Flynn Espe

What do electronic quilts, fake sculpted dishes, and dried citrus fruits representing fractional math problems have in common? They鈥檙e all among the classroom-created works featured in a new Washington State University Tri-Cities art exhibit, one that explores an innovative teaching approach blending creative expression with traditional science and math curriculum 鈥� often referred to as STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) education.

The exhibit, 鈥淎rt(Math + Science) = Creative Intersections,鈥� opened April 15 at the Art Center gallery in the Consolidated Information Center. It showcases works by 黑料社 Tri-Cities education majors and local middle school students.

Yichien Cooper, assistant professor of teaching and learning for the 黑料社 Tri-Cities College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences and the exhibit鈥檚 lead curator, has incorporated STEAM practices into her teaching and research for more than a decade. She also .

With the exhibit, supported by the 黑料社 Fall 2025 Arts & Humanities Process Grant, Cooper hopes to demonstrate how creativity and critical inquiry can help students connect more deeply with science-based subjects 鈥� and sometimes reconsider topics they may have written off.

鈥淲e all bump into students who are hesitant to embrace art because they don鈥檛 think they are good at art, or students who are hesitant about math because math just doesn鈥檛 speak to them,鈥� Cooper said.

Many of the pieces originated from Cooper鈥檚 鈥淚ntegrating Fine Arts into K-8 Curriculum鈥� course, where students complete a series of reflective art projects grounded in research and data. In one displayed assignment on food and consumption, students researched a dish, recreated it in sculptured form using homemade dough, and designed a nutrition label based on their findings, with a breakdown of ingredients and a short description.

The description for a piece titled 鈥淎sian Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Lettuce Turn Over a New Leaf,鈥� by students Allie Ledezma and Taylor West, touts the benefits of using locally grown ingredients, which reduces carbon emissions resulting from long-distance transport. Another piece, titled 鈥淜iller Dog: The Dawg That Bites Back鈥� by students Scotty Hunt and Ryan Jundt, recasts the traditional hot dog in vivid and unsettling form. Their description highlights several unsavory nutrition details, including a well-known study linking hot dog consumption to shortened lifespan.

鈥淓ach dish tells some sort of environmental awareness story that the student maybe never thought about before,鈥� Cooper said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what art is about. Art is making you think.鈥�

Cooper is joined in the exhibit by colleagues Tyler Hansen, assistant professor of teaching and learning, and Ethan Smith, assistant professor of mathematics 鈥� both of whom incorporate elements of STEAM education into their teaching.

For his portion of the exhibit, Hansen included an electronic textile quilt created in his 鈥淪cience Teaching Methods鈥� course. For that project, each student contributed a square representing a significant moment or life experience. In addition to felt designs, students incorporated colored blinking lights, hand coded to a microcontroller device.

鈥淚n order to make any of this work, you have to know how circuits work and how to make a complete circuit,鈥� Hansen said. 鈥淲e used conductive thread, so it actually carries a current to all of these lights.鈥�

Smith, meanwhile, showcased a classroom project in which he prompted students to rethink basic math concepts using pattern block cutouts, giving them creative license to create new shapes and visual imagery from a 鈥渂udget鈥� of 12 triangle pieces.

鈥淚f a triangle is worth one and you have 12 dollars, or units, to spend, can you make a shape that鈥檚 worth $12 overall?鈥� Smith said. 鈥淵ou see lots of different ideas and explanations of their strategies. Some students like to start with just the big hexagon and get six out of the way. Others want to have lots of little shapes.鈥�

Like his faculty colleagues, Smith said he hopes to inspire future teachers to find similar ways of injecting creativity into their K-12 classrooms.

鈥淚 think there are a lot of great teachers out there who are doing this,鈥� Smith said.

Destiny Kuespert, a former student of both Cooper and Smith who graduated from 黑料社 Tri-Cities with her elementary education degree last December, is one teacher who鈥檚 taking those lessons and ideas to heart. She contributed to the exhibit with a display of pieces made by sixth grade students at Richland鈥檚 Carmichael Middle School, where she taught during her practicum experience last fall. Those pieces were previously featured in two separate STEAM exhibitions at the and Richland Public Library.

For her classroom project, Kuespert鈥檚 students applied beads, dried fruits, and other crafting items to canvas as visual representations of fractional division. Kuespert said the students were free to decide the complexity of the math problem they wanted to solve, as long as they used one of two mathematical models to do it. Students who picked the number line method used sticks, strings, and beads, whereas students who chose the area or shape model used dried fruits to represent whole and fractional numbers. They also had to show their work in written form and reflect on their three-day project experience.

鈥淵ou can read from some of their reflections how they felt. Some of them were saying, 鈥楾his made me happy. I love doing art and math. Writing it out helped me understand it more,鈥欌�� Kuespert said. 鈥淭here were some that expressed, 鈥業 don’t like doing art,鈥� which is fine too. I was excited just to read all of their opinions.鈥�

While traditional math and science curriculum exists for a reason, Cooper and her colleagues see art as an equally valid teaching method that can help preserve a student鈥檚 sense of wonder and curiosity.

鈥淲hen I think back to early elementary school and math, I remember that being fun, joyful 鈥� creative activities. When I think towards middle and high school, math becomes more abstract. It becomes more pencil and paper,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 appreciated a lot of aspects of that, which makes sense where I ended up. But there鈥檚 no reason why that joy can鈥檛 sustain itself all the way through school.鈥�

Kuespert echoed similar thoughts in describing the motivations behind her art-infused teaching projects.

鈥淚 wanted them to feel interested, because you see the worksheet so many times, it鈥檚 not interesting at all. You鈥檙e just thinking, 鈥楬ow fast can I get through it?鈥欌�� Kuespert said. 鈥淚 wanted them to see everything and feel intrigued. I think that鈥檚 the base of learning is you first have to be curious.鈥�

Visitors to the exhibit can contribute to the gallery space as well through a series of self-guided creative math activities, also designed by the four collaborators and set up at multiple stations. The exhibit will be on display through the rest of 2026.

By Flynn Espe

Washington State University Tri-Cities students and staff听recently听celebrated the grand opening of听the Crimson Career Closet听鈥斕齛 new campus resource听aimed at helping students look their best for their next professional opportunity.听Jimena Delgado,听Associated Students of听黑料社 Tri-Cities听senator for the Carson College of Business,听along with a small delegation of campus representatives,听commemorated the occasion听during an official ribbon-cutting event on April 15.

The听Crimson Career Closet, which is currently housed within the 黑料社 Tri-Cities Career Center in the Consolidated Information Center,听contains听multiple racks of听donated听business attire听鈥斕齣ncluding听dress听shirts, blouses,听pants,听shoes,听and more.听The clothing items听are听free to take for听any current 黑料社 Tri-Cities student who听might听need听them听for an upcoming job interview, presentation,听networking event, or other professional occasion.

Delgado, who spearheaded the听months-long听effort to听create听the听Crimson Career Closet,听says the听idea for the new resource听stemmed from the听fact that听many 黑料社 Tri-Cities students are first-generation students with limited听means听and wardrobe options.

鈥淪ome people have clothing that their moms or their sisters let them borrow, but when you鈥檙e the first person to go to college, that鈥檚 something you听might not听have access to,鈥� Delgado said.听鈥淧art of student government is expanding that equal access to students.鈥�

Finding a听suitable听permanent听location for听the closet听presented听one听early听challenge, Delgado听says, but when the听Career Center听hallway听was presented as听an option, it seemed like a clear match.

鈥淧eople听come in听here for resume and interview advice, and we thought it would be fitting to have this resource as another part of their听professional development,鈥� Delgado said.

Having听enough听clothing items听to launch听the space听was another challenge. Fortunately,听a听large听drop-off donation听from听members of the听H2Crew听volunteer group,听which is听associated with Hanford Tank Operations & Closure (H2C),听provided a huge boost.

鈥淲e actually had to order more racks for it, because it didn鈥檛听all fit, which is amazing,鈥� Delgado said.

Any student who wishes to听check out听what鈥檚听available in听the Crimson Career Closet is free to stop by听the Career Center听anytime during normal business hours 鈥� no appointment necessary. If听students听see anything they like,听it鈥檚听theirs to听take and听keep.

鈥淭hey get to keep it,鈥� Delgado says. 鈥淥f course, they can donate it again if they don鈥檛 want it in the future.鈥�

Though the closet had only just opened, Delgado could already count herself among its first beneficiaries听鈥斕齭porting a听donated item听for the ribbon-cutting听ceremony.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 find anything to wear today, so听this听shirt that I鈥檓 wearing right now is from the closet,鈥� she said.