Community College President's Award

Leadership and service

The Community College President's Award is designed for transfer students who have leadership potential, are community-service oriented and have an excellent GPA.

Students are nominated by their community college’s president and receive a renewable full resident tuition award. (This award cannot be combined with other WSU Vancouver tuition discount programs and cannot be used with intercampus enrollment.)

We accept nominations every year from:

  • Centralia College
  • Clark College
  • Lower Columbia College

Contact your community college President’s Office for nomination information.


2024/25 recipients

Alita Sundberg

Alita Sundberg

Clark College

Alita Sundberg had always wanted to work with children. After taking psychology and sociology classes, her interest grew, and her career advisor helped her realize that human development would be right for her. She is particularly interested in helping children who had a rough childhood. She understands from experience how adverse childhood experiences can have an impact on adult life. Sundberg’s father died when she was young, leaving her mother and herself. Her mother worked two jobs and took care of her parents. Sundberg’s goal is to make sure children receive love and motivation, know that there is hope and feel confident there is a future ahead of them. Sundberg completed her associate’s degree at Clark College and is excited to be at WSU Vancouver.


Brandon Zandecki

Brandon Zandecki

Centralia College

A first-generation college student, Brandon Zandecki was a Running Start student for two years while completing his high school education and trying to decide on a career. He had always wanted to give back to people, especially underserved and vulnerable groups. Soon after graduating from high school, he realized he could make the most significant impact as a nurse in the health care system. He graduated from Centralia College’s nursing program in 2024 and is excited to continue his undergraduate work in WSU Vancouver’s RN to BSN bridge program.


Isha Snow

Isha Snow

Lower Columbia College

Isha Snow is pursuing concurrent sociology and psychology bachelor’s degrees with a minor in at-risk youth. Snow has a broader vision of societal change that questions systems and traditions to reshape parenting, relationships and governance in ways that prioritize mutual respect, emotional safety and collaboration. As a WSU Vancouver student, they are balancing the demands of disabilities, single parenting, recovery and self-actualization, with a vision of contributing to global peace. Snow recently graduated from Lower Columbia College with highest honors and a 3.92 GPA and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa’s 2024 Washington All State Academic Team. In their spare time they serve as a member of their county’s action coalition, maintain an annual plot in their community garden and volunteer at the public library.


Prior award recipients

Prior Community College President's Award recipients
Recipient College Year
Eunji Lee Lower Columbia College 2023/24
Melissa Reyes Centralia College 2023/24
Sonia Talero Clark College 2023/24
Maddie Hennerty Clark College 2022/23
Trinity Butterfield Centralia College 2022/23
Eakthapor Shinvoranont Lower Columbia College 2022/23
Moses Korir Clark College 2021/22
Friedrich Ross Centralia College 2021/22
Kathleen Neuhalfen Lower Columbia College 2021/22
Evans Kaame Clark College 2020/21
Matt Rounsley Centralia College 2020/21
Tia Verhasselt Lower Columbia College 2020/21
Esmeralda “Vita” Blanco Clark College 2019/20
Josiah Cowin Centralia College 2019/20
Ashley Smith Lower Columbia College 2019/20
Heather Beaird Centralia College 2018/19
Clinton Howard Lower Columbia College 2018/19
Grace Moe Clark College 2018/19
Josiah J. Corwin Centralia College 2017/18
Nicholas Freese Clark College 2017/18
Andrew Jaspers Lower Columbia College 2017/18
Tanner Byman Lower Columbia College 2016/17
Elsa Gomez Portland Community College 2016/17
Bailey Peters Centralia College 2016/17
Nuvia Ramirez-Romero Mt. Hood Community College 2016/17
Holly Varner Clark College 2016/17
Cheyenne DeFrates Lower Columbia College 2015/16
Alseny Diallo Portland Community College 2015/16
Kathy Fockler Clark College 2015/16
Joscha Oswald Centralia College 2015/16
Skye Troy Mt. Hood Community College 2015/16
Yesenia Herrera Portland Community College 2014/15
Natasha Hambrook Clark College 2014/15
Beija Robbins Mt. Hood Community College 2014/15
Rashida Ullah Centralia College 2014/15
Anna Davis Lower Columbia College 2014/15
Momodou Musa Bah Portland Community College 2013/14
Ramona Vercher Clark College 2013/14
Brett Merritt Lower Columbia College 2013/14
Antonio Guerrero Mt. Hood Community College 2013/14
Travis Kinney Centralia College 2013/14
Hoa Le Lower Columbia College 2012/13
John Hoffman Centralia College 2012/13
Britany Martin Portland Community College 2012/13
Tami Eldridge Clark College 2012/13
Beatriz Madriz-Rodriguez Mt. Hood Community College 2012/13
Inva Begolli Clark College 2011/12
Nicole Buckner Portland Community College 2011/12
Margaret Debevec Centralia College 2011/12
Tia Glover Mt. Hood Community College 2011/12
Brian Jurvakainen Lower Columbia College 2011/12
Sheila Rae Henrickson Clark College 2010/11
Melissa Knudson Lower Columbia College 2010/11
George W. Lewis III Mt. Hood Community College 2010/11
Hanna Mekonen Portland Community College 2010/11
Daniel Morrison Centralia College 2010/11
Dora Hernandez Clark College 2009/10
Janine Johnston Mt. Hood Community College 2009/10
Golnaz Koloushani Centralia College 2009/10
Jeffrey Northington Lower Columbia College 2009/10
Henry Ortega Portland Community College 2009/10
Cynthia Bergman Centralia College 2008/09
Angela Dahlke Lower Columbia College 2008/09
Marneet Lewis Portland Community College 2008/09
Kenneth Nyholm Clark College 2008/09
Nicole Chittock Lower Columbia College 2007/08
Carol Lopez-Gustin Clark College 2007/08
Victor McBrooks Portland Community College 2007/08
Stanley Noga Centralia College 2007/08
Vanessa Brockman Centralia College 2006/07
Asalie Groff Lower Columbia College 2006/07
Pamela Sullivan Clark College 2006/07
Maria Cook Centralia College 2005/06
Sherry Murphy Clark College 2005/06
Steven Gresswell Clark College 2005/06
Jennifer McLean Lower Columbia College 2005/06
Veronica Ross Portland Community College 2005/06