Community College President's Award

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 combine with other waiver programs over the cost of tuition and fees.)

We accept nominations every year from:

• Centralia College
• Clark College
• Lower Columbia College

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

2021/22 recipients

Moses Korir

Clark College

Moses Kimeli Korir was born in Mount Elgon at the border of Kenya and Uganda. At age 10, he saw a piano for the first time and was inspired to teach himself how to play—an experience that led him to the teaching profession. He earned a diploma in early childhood education in Kenya before moving to the United States in December 2018. He received an associate’s degree in early childhood education at Clark College and is pursuing a bachelor’s in human development at WSU Vancouver. He hopes to go on for a master’s degree in education and work as a college or university instructor.

Kathleen Neuhalfen

Lower Columbia College

Kathleen Neuhalfen, known as Katie, grew up on an island in Southeast Alaska. She has wanted to work in medicine for as long as she can remember, but her plans for nursing school were derailed when she became a single mom. Years later, when two of her three children experienced complex health issues, she became immersed in the medical world and felt the calling to healthcare again. She enrolled in Lower Columbia College when her youngest son was 6 months old and graduated from the nursing program with highest honors in June 2021. Neuhalfen plans to go on for a Doctorate of Nursing Practice and become an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner with a focus on integrative and lifestyle medicine.

Friedrich Ross

Centralia College

When he found himself homeless in California, Friedrich Ross’s future looked bleak. He enrolled at Centralia College to take a beginning algebra class and get his GED so that he could join an apprenticeship program. Centralia was welcoming and helped him dream bigger. At Centralia, he dedicated himself to helping fellow students succeed academically. For example, he worked as a statistics tutor, started and served as president of the Data Science and Mathematics Club, founded a literary journal and joined the honor society. He earned several scholarships and the Outstanding Student Award for the 2020/21 academic year. Ross transferred to WSU Vancouver this year, where he is majoring in applied mathematics. He hopes to go on for a master’s degree in mathematics and work as a researcher on climate change and other environmental issues.

Prior award recipients