Coordinators, Counselor, Recruiter Join WSU Multicultural Student Services

PULLMAN, Wash. — Two recruitment coordinators, a counselor and a student recruiter
have joined the Office of Multicultural Student Services at Washington State University.
The office includes programs and services to enhance the recruitment, retention and
graduation of African American, Asian American Pacific Islander, Native American and
Chicano/Latino students at the university.
According to Steve Nakata, Multicultural Student Services director, the new staff members
and their respective positions include Ch’n’na Allen, Native American student recruitment
coordinator; Francisco Tamayo, Chicano/Latino student counselor; Damon Arnold, African
American student counselor; and Kyle Funakoshi, Asian American Pacific Islander student
recruitment coordinator.
“The Office of Multicultural Student Services is very fortunate to hire individuals of such
quality. Their professional experiences and high energy levels nicely compliment the talents of
our current staff. They are eager to get started on recruitment and retention projects,” said
Nakata.
The background of Ch’n’na Allen, a member of both the Nez Perce and Coeur d’Alene tribes,
includes serving as manager of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe Early Childhood Programs and as the
tribe’s higher education adviser. He has also been cultural instructor of the Medical Wheel
Academy-Spokane School District; education consultant and student services coordinator for
Idaho’s Plummer-Worley School District, and University of Idaho Alliance of States Supporting
Indians in Sciences and Technology project director. He is a University of Idaho graduate and
has studied at North Idaho College.
Francisco Tamayo has been an English as a Second Language instructor, intervention
specialist and academic adviser at Skagit Valley College, Mount Vernon. His background
includes serving as station manager of KSRV-FM community radio at the college. He is a
graduate of Western Washington University and Skagit Valley College and holds a master of
education degree and an ESL teaching certificate from Western.
Damon Arnold’s background includes serving an Equal Opportunity counselor as well as a
volunteer football coach at California State University, Chico. He has been an adviser for both
the Equal Opportunity Program and the Athletics Department at Butte College in California. A
graduate of CSU, Chico, and California’s Citrus Community College, he earned a master’s degree
from CSU, Chico.
Kyle Funakoshi has been coordinator of Multicultural Training and Leadership
Development/Apartment Life at Colorado State University, Fort Collins. Also, he has been an
associate hall director, Asian/Pacific American Student Services student professional and
UpwardBound Program tutor counselor at CSU. He has also taught English in a Japanese high
school. A CSU graduate, he earned a CSU master’s degree. He also had studied at Colorado’s
Aims Community College.
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