Heritage University: A History of Empowerment and Access

Heritage University, situated on the ancestral lands of the Yakama People in Toppenish, Washington, stands as a beacon of accessible higher education. Grounded in the vision of its founders, the university empowers a multicultural and inclusive student body to overcome barriers that limit access to advanced learning.

Honoring the Land and its People

Heritage University acknowledges its location on the traditional lands of the Yakama, Palouse, Pisquouse, Wenatshapam, Klikatat, Klinquit, Kow- was-say-ee, Li-ay- was, Skin-pah, Wish-ham, Shyiks, Ochechotes, Kah-milt-pa, and Se-ap-cat, who today are represented by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The university respects Indigenous peoples as traditional guardians of these lands and recognizes the enduring relationship between them and their ancestral territories. This acknowledgment extends to gratitude for the land itself, those who have stewarded it for generations, and the opportunity to study, learn, work, and be in community on this land. The university recognizes that its history is tied to the colonial developments in the Yakima Valley.

The Founding Vision

Heritage University was born as Heritage College in 1982, the result of the vision of three women: Violet Lumley Rau and Martha B. Yallup, both Yakama Nation Tribal Members, and Sister Kathleen Ross, snjm, who became the founding President. These women recognized the need to provide higher education opportunities to individuals in the Yakima Valley who were geographically isolated from traditional institutions.

In 1980, Fort Wright College announced it would close in 18-24 months due to financial losses. Martha Yallup and Violet Lumley Rau convinced Sister Kathleen Ross to help them start an outreach program to train local teachers and award them bachelor’s degrees. The nearest four-year college was about 50 miles from the reservation, too far to commute. Every Friday, faculty from Fort Wright would fly or make the four-hour drive down to the reservation to lead classes, and a couple dozen preschool teachers from the reservation Head Start program started working part-time on their college degrees. This went on for a couple of years, until Fort Wright College started struggling financially. When Ross told Yallup and Rau that the program was going to phase out and everyone was supposed to transfer to another institution, they responded that they did not have a four-year college to transfer to. Heritage College officially opened the day after Fort Wright College officially closed, with 85 students and eight faculty/staff members and official candidacy status from the accrediting association.

Location and Setting

Heritage’s main campus of 48 acres is located in Toppenish, Washington, on Yakama Nation land. The location for the main campus was specifically chosen to provide access to higher education to the people in the Yakima Valley who were geographically isolated from traditional higher education opportunities. Heritage’s campus is a commuter campus, surrounded by agricultural fields. Yakima County leads the nation in several agricultural products, including hops, cherries, mint, and pears. The county provides over 75% of the hops in the United States. Yakima County boasts a population of nearly 250,000 (United States Census Bureau 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates) and is 49.3% Latinx and 6.4% Native American.

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Serving a Diverse Student Body

Heritage University's mission is to empower a multicultural and inclusive student body to overcome the social, cultural, economic, and geographic barriers that limit access to higher education. A university education would be unobtainable for most of our students without access to financial aid. Over 90% of our students receive financial aid. Heritage is a Native American-Serving, Nontribal Institution (NASNTI), Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), and a Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) member. In the spring of 2019, the total degree-seeking enrollment (headcount) at Heritage University was 910 (709 undergraduate students and 202 graduate students). 80% of Heritage students are the first in their family to attend college. 62% of Heritage students who receive a Federal Pell or Washington State Needs Grant do not receive enough aid to cover tuition. Heritage makes up the difference with its Eagle Scholarship.

Accreditation and Recognition

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) first accredited Heritage College in 1986. Heritage has since enjoyed reaffirmation of accreditation through NWCCU’s rigorous, peer review evaluation process. In June 1986, Heritage University received recognition as an accredited institution of higher education from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the regional accrediting body responsible for verifying compliance with nationally recognized norms. This accreditation was retroactive to Sept. 1, 1985. From July 1, 1982, until September 1985, Heritage had candidacy status with the accrediting association. Accreditation is reaffirmed annually.

Heritage holds several accreditations and designations that highlight its commitment to quality education and service to underrepresented communities. These include:

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI): Designated by the U.S. Department of Education.
Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution (NASNTI): Also designated by the U.S. Department of Education. Heritage is one of only two universities in the country to be designated as both a HSI and a NASNTI.
Accreditation Approval: Granted by the Washington State Professional Education Standards Board (PESB) to offer education programs such as Residency Teacher and Residency Principal/Program Administrator.
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE): Accreditation for the Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degree, effective with the class of 1997.
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Lab Sciences (NAACLS): Accreditation for the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE): Accreditation for the baccalaureate degree program in nursing (BSN). The program was accredited in January 2018 for 5 years.

Academic Programs and Reach

In 2004, Heritage College became Heritage University. The University designation better matched our degree offerings that included graduate programs as well as undergraduate programs. Courses are offered on the main campus in Toppenish, WA, at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, WA, and online in hybrid, synchronous, and asynchronous formats. Students enjoy a world-class, multi-cultural education and personalized attention. Classes are small, averaging only 11 students in each class. Heritage University offers upper-division classes at three Washington community college campuses to allow students to work toward a four-year degree from Heritage. This cooperative program began in 1993 to allow holders of associate degrees from Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake to apply their credits toward a Heritage bachelor's degree.

A Commitment to Student Success

Heritage provides an unusually high standard of student support upon entry. Once enrolled, students have access to a powerful education valued and appreciated by both the graduate and future employers. Active and purposeful engagement permeates both staff and faculty commitments to Heritage students. Indicators of student achievement are measurable and meaningful in that they reflect the results of improved and continuously improving educational experiences for students.

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The Academic Skills Center (ASC) at Heritage University is a learning community committed to academic excellence and provides services that are accessible to all students. The ASC provides safe and welcoming spaces, both physical and virtual, where students can access study resources and tools to support their learning. The ASC is located in the Kathleen Ross Building. There, students can find a study space to work, study in small groups with tutor support, receive one-on-one tutoring, and use computers.

Fostering Community Relationships

Heritage continues to foster a close relationship with the Yakama Nation through the Tribal Relations Board Committee, the President’s Liaison for Native American Affairs, Yakama members serving on the Board of Directors, and an annual Pow Wow held on campus. Every year, in November, Heritage hosts several celebrations in observation of Native American Heritage month. The Yakama Warriors Association Color Guard presents the flags of the United States, Washington State, and Yakama Nation at the main entrance to campus during the opening ceremony. The annual Honoring Our Elders event celebrates several Yakama Nation Elders. The University is located within the Yakama Indian Reservation, less than three miles from the tribal headquarters. The University of Washington’s strong partnership with Heritage is enhanced by having UW offices on the Toppenish campus.

Campus Facilities and Resources

Heritage University boasts a variety of facilities designed to support student learning and community engagement. Key buildings include:

The Kathleen A. Ross, SNJM Center: Constructed in 1993, this building houses the HU Library, President’s Office, Academic Skills Center, testing center, and classrooms. In 2010 the building was renamed in honor of Heritage’s founding president, Sister Kathleen A. Ross. The Donald K. C. North Library is an open and welcoming place for all members of Heritage University and the greater community. The 8,736 square foot facility is modeled after the traditional long house. The fourteen timber columns supporting the roof represent each of the bands and tribes of the Yakama Confederated Tribes.
Petrie Hall: Rebuilt in 2014 after a fire in 2012, Petrie Hall houses the Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs Office, technical classrooms, and an Art Studio and Gallery. The main building was entitled Petrie Hall in honor of Lorene M. Petrie, a local resident whose charitable trust made the 11.5-acre Heritage College land and buildings property acquisition possible in 1983 - existing previously as the site of the McKinley School.
Sister Elizabeth Simkins Building: Formerly Alder Hall, this building houses faculty offices for the College of Education.
Rick and Myra Gagnier Hall: Erected after the 2012 fire, this building provides space for the Information Technology department.
Gaye & Jim Piggott Commons: This building houses the Eagle’s Café, Heritage University’s cafeteria.
Arts and Sciences Center: Built-in 2008, this center contains science labs, project rooms, the Advanced Nursing Skills Lab, classrooms, a reception area, study nooks, and faculty offices. It also includes Smith Family Hall, the largest conference room available on campus, accommodating up to 450 people.
Student Service Center: This building provides facilities for Admissions and the Registrar. The Student Service Center, an innovative building designed to function as a one-stop shop for all student services, opened in May 2001.
Harry Kent Center: This center houses classrooms, offices, and meeting spaces, emphasizing Native American Heritage and programs.
Early Learning Facility: A new $3.2 million state-of-the-art facility opened in the winter of 2022 to serve the needs of the community. The new five-classroom facility serves children between the ages of 12 months and kindergarten, providing pre-kindergarten instruction.
Violet Lumley Rau Center: Dedicated in 2017 to honor one of the University’s three founding mothers, Violet Lumley Rau.

A History of Growth and Transformation

From an initial enrollment of 85 students on the Toppenish Campus in 1981, the main campus grew to more than 900 students by 2010. As of May 2020, a total of more than 10,000 certificates, baccalaureate diplomas, and master’s diplomas have been awarded by the University. Moreover, the student body grew and changed. By 2010, the average age of a Heritage student dropped from 35 to 28.

Key milestones in Heritage University's history include:

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1982: Heritage College officially opens.
1983: Heritage purchased from the Toppenish School District the land and buildings comprising the McKinley School.
1986: Degree-completion programs were also developed internationally beginning in 1986.
1989: Heritage University is one of two colleges nationally to receive the American Association of University Women’s “Progress in Equity” award.
1990: The Annex, an early 20th century Grange Hall, as well as its land, was acquired in 1990 through a generous donation by Doctor and Mrs.
1999: Heritage remodels the old McKinley Elementary School to include classrooms, a bookstore, and a student lounge, christened the Jewett Student Center.
2001: The Student Service Center opened.
2005: Additional hardware and software, as well as videoconferencing, are available to students in the campus Community Business and Training Center, which was completed with HUD funds as a joint project with the University of Washington in 2005.
2006: Ten additional acres were purchased, bringing the total campus site to approximately 28 acres.
2008: The Arts and Sciences Center was built. In 2008, Omak courses were consolidated with courses offered in collaboration with Wenatchee Valley College. In 2008, an additional site was opened in Chandler, Arizona. Ottawa University launched OU-Online in 2008, offering degree programs completely online.
2010: On its former site, a new building to expand the Heritage University Early Learning Center was completed in 2010. In 2010, the university opened the Alder Building.
2012: A fire destroyed Petrie Hall.
2014: Petrie Hall was rebuilt.
2016: Heritage opens two new buildings named in honor of the university’s founding mothers, the Violet Lumley Rau Center, which houses the university administrative offices as well as its largest classroom; and the Martha B.
2017: The Violet Lumley Rau Center was dedicated. Andrew Sund joins Heritage as its third president.

Faculty and Staff

Approximately 70 of these scholars are employed full-time by the University, and the remainder is adjunct faculty. All of Heritage’s faculty members are carefully chosen to blend excellent academic competency and commitment to the University’s mission. The average class size is approximately 12 to 15 students. Following lengthy research and study, the faculty adopted a statement of “Key Characteristics of Highly Effective Faculty at Heritage University” in 1997 and updated it in 2005. It serves as the basis for faculty performance assessment processes.

A Vision for the Future

Heritage University remains grounded in its commitment to ensuring that college education remains accessible to all, regardless of social, cultural, economic or geographic barriers. The university continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of its students and the surrounding community, while staying true to its founding mission of empowerment and inclusion.

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