Community Report
2025-2026 Report
Dear Community,
On behalf of our students, faculty, staff, and countless alumni, we invite you to
learn about the work we are doing to fulfill our mission in providing affordable access
to quality education right here in North Central Washington.
Since Fall 2025, we have made significant progress with our accreditation, finances, and in the construction of the Center for Technical Education and Innovation building. Our priorities for the coming year will focus on strengthening our regional partnerships, improving our culture and climate for our employees, and centering student success in everything we do.
Thank you for helping our college live up to its full potential.
With gratitude,
Dr. Faimous Harrison, WVC President
About WVC
WVC's service district covers more than 10,000 square miles of Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties. Our faculty and staff invest in our students' success to support thriving communities.
WVC employs ~400 faculty and staff, making the college one of the top 10 employers that contribute to the number of jobs available in our region.
Student Demographics | 2025-2026
First-Generation
- 41% First Generation students
Job Placement Rate
- WVC has a 79% job placement rate (for 2024 students who earned a workforce certificate or more than 45 credits in workforce education).
Total Annual Enrollment
WVC had a total annual enrollment of 5,394 students for 2025-2026.
- 50% Students of color
- 43% Students aged 25 and older
- 24% Online only
- 52% Female
- 31% Male
Residents of NCW
- 87% Residents of NCW (Chelan, Douglas, and Okanogan counties)
Economically Disadvantaged
- 47% of WVC students come from economically disadvantaged households/backgrounds.
Financial Health
Since our strategic plan was formally adopted by the WVC Board of Trustees in 2024, the college has developed a more transparent budget process that includes the development of a budget website, launched an initiative focused on WVC's strategic enrollment growth, and focused on building reserves to improve the financial health of the college. WVC adopted a budget development process that ensures that stakeholders can provide input and a timeline that allows for budget committee and shared governance feedback.
WVC BudgetCulture of Excellence
Leadership Development Academy
WVC celebrated the first 19 graduates from the inaugural Leadership Development Academy (LDA) in June 2026. Launched in fall 2025, the LDA equips faculty and staff to become empowered leaders through cross-department collaboration and shared learning experiences. The program strengthens participants’ leadership skills through relationship-building, service projects, self-reflection, and applied learning. The academy will continue in 2026-2027 with educational consultant Chris Bailey as the facilitator.
Early Childhood Education in Spanish
WVC’s Early Childhood Education program is built around the needs of our North Central Washington communities. Thanks to community input and Responsive Pathways funding, ECE staff began offering courses in Spanish for the initial and short certificates, which are required for childcare home providers. With additional grant funding, ECE staff collaborated with faculty to offer the state certificate program fully in Spanish and to start work on the AAS degree. ECE staff are hoping to offer Spanish instruction for the entire AAS degree in the 2026-27 academic year.
Washington State Indian Education Summer Teaching Institute
June 2025 marked the return of Washington State’s Indian Education Summer Teaching Institute. tmixw (Nsəlxcin), “In this place, we are all related,” was held in Omak, with preK-12 and higher education professionals attending a variety of workshops, presentations, and events to learn about culturally responsive practices and policies. The institute was hosted in partnership with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Omak School District, WVC Omak, Paschal Sherman Indian School, OSPI Office of Native Education, and the NCESD.
Student-Centered College
Student Spotlight: Jazmin Mendoza-Calvillo
WVC alum Jazmin Mendoza-Calvillo learned of a communications and outreach internship at SkillSource through a WVC class announcement and decided to apply. The internship became a pivotal moment in her educational journey, and she now works as SkillSource's communications coordinator and was recognized for her leadership potential by LeaderCorps.]
Mirror Northwest
WVC celebrated the launch of the second issue of Mirror Northwest in May. This issue features poetry, short fiction, essays, artwork, and photographs from student, alumni, employee and community contributors in our region.
Baseball Championship
The Knights baseball team played in the 2026 NWAC Baseball Championship Tournament and placed second in the East Region. Their appearance marked the first time WVC advanced to this stage since 2008.
NCW Tech Alliance Innovator Award: Juan Martinez and Dillon Cornelius
WVC engineering graduates Dillon Cornelius and Juan Martinez won the STEM College Innovator of the Year Award at the 2025 NCW Tech Alliance Innovator Awards for their Dryden Dam operating system project.
Academic Excellence
Bachelor of Applied Science in Behavioral Health
WVC launched a joint Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Behavioral Health degree program with Big Bend Community College in 2025 to address a shortage of qualified behavioral health professionals in North Central Washington. The inaugural cohort of 30 students is now beginning field practicum experiences at multiple organizations throughout the region. A second full cohort will begin the program in fall 2026.
Read More
Closing Equity Gaps
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Financial Aid and Scholarships 2025-2026 WVC Foundation scholarships provide financial support for tuition, books, and other necessary costs that factor into obtaining a higher education degree or certificate at Wenatchee Valley College. |
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Basic Needs Student Grants Center awarded over $800,000 in financial assistance to WVC students in 2025-26. |
Community-Focused Regional Anchor
WVC Speaks Lecture Series
WVC Speaks returned in 2025, giving the community an opportunity to visit the Wenatchee campus to learn more about our faculty and staff and topics relevant to life in North Central Washington. The lectures are available to watch on WVC’s YouTube channel. WVC Speaks is scheduled to return in September 2026.
Sustainability Initiatives
WVC's sustainability initiatives include working with community partners for waste diversion at college events; hosting campus clothing swaps, repair fairs, and Earth Day and Arbor Day events; promoting reusable over single-use plastics; supporting our Tree Campus and pollinator gardens; and working with Our Valley Our Future on environmental and industrial symbiosis projects.
BEACON Fellow: Ava Burk
WVC graduate Ava Burk was selected as a fellow for the Department of Commerce's Building Efficiency and Clean Operations Network (BEACON) project, with WVC serving as a host site. Ava drafted an energy management plan and educational operations and maintenance program, and she provided outreach services to building managers in Chelan County, helping WVC and Chelan County communities achieve energy savings and comply with the Clean Buildings and Performance Standard.
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