WSU Tri-Cities

It's not too late to get the most out of your summer! Late Summer Session courses begin June 22 and June 29, so there's still time to register.

Taking classes during the summer is a great way to get on the fast track to finishing your degree or to get back on track if you dropped a class earlier in the year. Late summer courses are only 6 or 7 weeks long, so you can plan your class schedule around your other summer commitments.

Learn more and register at summer.wsu.edu

WSU Tri-Cities mechanical engineering student Eric Mayo-Gutierrez is making the most of every opportunity, from being a peer mentor and research assistant to earning a scholarship that’s taking him to Japan for an internship.

As the first person in his family to attend college, he’s thankful for the opportunities and support that have helped him along the way.

“I want to help show that even though we don’t come from a lot, we can still do so much,” he says.

Read his story: https://tricities.wsu.edu/forging-a-future-a-welder-turned-mechanical-engineering-student-finds-his-stride-at-wsu-tri-cities/

Thirty students from WSU Tri-Cities and nine from WSU Pullman had an amazing opportunity to meet with leaders from Aecon U.S. about their role in constructing nuclear facilities like the upcoming Cascade Advanced Energy Facility project, as well as discuss the many career paths—from business to engineering—that are in demand at their company.

We want to send a huge 'Thank you!' to the Kennewick Public Hospital District for their generous donation to WSU Tri-Cities. In addition to supporting our nursing program, they provided $20,000 in scholarship funds for future students in our Bachelor of Social Work program, currently in development.

Read the full article: https://tricities.wsu.edu/kennewick-public-hospital-district-dedicates-20000-to-social-work-scholarships-for-wsu-tri-cities-students/

First-generation college student Rachel Holland turned her passion for pollinators into something bigger: community, connection, and a path forward.

Having just completed her bachelor’s degree in environmental and ecosystem sciences, Holland is continuing her WSU journey in the Master of Science in Entomology program.

Her advice for others starting their own college journey — “If you see an opportunity and you think, ‘I might want to do that,’ just do it. What’s the worst that can happen?”

Read more about Rachel’s journey at https://tricities.wsu.edu/chasing-bees-and-crafting-community-environmental-science-grad-finds-her-colony-at-wsu-tri-cities/

"I feel like it has changed me a lot in terms of how I see my future and what I want to do. When I was younger, I just wanted to be a nine-to-five worker. Now I feel like I could own a company or move somewhere new and have a career there — my expectations of myself have really leveled up."

Sofia Ramirez, a WSU Tri-Cities student, says study abroad experiences in Panama and Italy transformed how she views business, leadership, and her own career possibilities.

Read more: https://news.wsu.edu/news/2026/05/20/study-abroad-expands-sofia-ramirezs-path/

Our Cougs always show up to Commencement in style! Which grad cap is your favorite?

Happy !

We're still feeling the excitement from an incredible commencement celebration. A huge thanks to everyone who helped make it such a special day for our students!

Check out the photos from the day on our Flickr: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCTvzZ

Watch the full ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/live/WlSsNE4HMMo

Audio Description version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Le1i1URJM

A big thank you to Rachel Ruggeri for making this year's commencement one to remember.

A proud WSU Tri-Cities alumna and former Starbucks CFO, Rachel took the stage to share her story with our graduates—and spent time before the ceremony connecting with business students, offering advice, perspective, and encouragement.

Her impact didn’t stop there. Rachel also made a $25,000 gift to the Dynamic Student Engagement Fund, supporting hands-on experiences that shape how our students learn, lead, and launch what’s next.

Thank you, Rachel, for showing what it means to give back in every sense. "Let's do this!"—Once a Coug, always a Coug.