WSU Tri-Cities Graduates Set To Cross The Stage On May 10 (Photo) - 04/28/26

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University Tri-Cities will honor more than 330 graduating students this year, including graduates from the fall 2024 and spring 2025 terms.

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

The two-hour WSU 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 2025–26 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’s 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’s 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—the first woman to hold the role—and 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.

WSU Tri-Cities Welcomes Radiation Safety Expert For April 15 Public Lecture - 04/07/26

RICHLAND — Washington State University Tri-Cities is pleased to present the Herbert M. Parker Foundation spring lecture featuring guest speaker François Paquet, beginning at 6 p.m. on April 15 in the East Building auditorium (room No. 266) at the WSU Tri-Cities campus.
 

Paquet is the deputy director for research and expertise in the environment at the French Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Agency. He also serves as the vice chair of the International Commission on Radiological Protection’s Committee 2 and chair of the ICRP Task Force on Internal Dosimetry. The ICRP is a non-governmental organization that provides research-guided recommendations on safety standards and practices relating to radiological exposure and protection. Paquet has authored more than 180 peer-reviewed publications.

Through his lecture, Paquet poses the question: How do scientific models translate into real-world decisions? Using internal dosimetry as a case study, he’ll discuss how radiation risk is quantified and where calculation meets judgment.

This event is free and open to the public. Viewers can also watch the lecture online by going to: youtube.com/wsutricities

The Herbert M. Parker Foundation lecture series seeks to enhance public understanding of radiological issues. 

WSU Tri-Cities Exhibit Highlights STEAM Learning Through Art (Photo) - 04/03/26

RICHLAND — An upcoming exhibit at Washington State University Tri-Cities is inviting viewers to reimagine the relationship between artistic expression and scientific learning. Opening April 15 at the Art Center in the Consolidated Information Center on the WSU Tri-Cities campus, “Art(Math + Science) = Creative Intersections” brings together a collection of works created by college and middle school students alike. The opening reception will  include a public panel, “STEAMworks: Pedagogy of Practice,” as university students and faculty discuss their experiences of incorporating art into their teaching practices.

From visual representations of fractional division using organic materials to sculptural reflections on food and nutrition, the works on display put a creative, hand-crafted spin on mathematical concepts and scientific topics. In showcasing these works, exhibit organizers hope to challenge assumptions of how STEM subjects should be taught and presented in educational spaces.

“One of the central ideas behind this exhibit is to explore multiple pathways for meaning-making. By making these connections visible, it encourages divergent thinking, inviting students to interpret, question and make dialogue beyond a single correct answer,” said Yichien Cooper, assistant professor of teaching and learning with the WSU Tri-Cities College of Education, Sport and Human Sciences, who curated the exhibit. “We want to demonstrate the power and potential of teaching through art, which can inspire, build confidence and help young learners connect with new ideas in a meaningful way.”

The multi-disciplinary exhibit includes works created by WSU Tri-Cities education majors from Cooper’s “Integrating Fine Arts into K-8 Curriculum” course, as well as from courses on integrated science and elementary mathematics taught by assistant professors Tyler Hanson and Ethan Smith, respectively. The show will also feature works created by students from Richland’s Carmichael Middle School, originating from a special project conducted by WSU Tri-Cities teaching candidate Destiny Kuespert during her practicum training. 

Viewers of the exhibit are also welcome to participate through an interactive component that will encourage making shapes and patterns based on self-guided prompts.

The April 15 opening reception is from 5:30-6:30 p.m., followed by the panel discussion from 6:30-7:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend the exhibit, which will be on display until August 13.