College: Sciences
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Physics and Bachelor of Science Biochemistry, magna cum laude
High School: Walla Walla High School, 2003
Career Goal: To become a doctor
Parents: Teresa Dennis of Hesperia and Jerry Bates of Walla Walla
Department: Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Food Science/Human Nutrition
High School: Central High School, Fresno, Calif., 1996
Other Colleges: South Puget Sound Community College, Associate of Arts
Career Goal: Get a master’s or doctorate degree in pharmacy
Parents: Marie Anderson of Olympia and Larry Anderson of King City, Calif.
Colleges: Education and Science
Department: Mathematics
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a minor in engineering and a teaching certificate
High School: Rogers High School, Spokane, 2004
Career Goal: To teach at a low-income high school and enable more students to pursue meaningful experiences related to math and engineering.
Parents: Elizabeth Heath and David Hearrean, Spokane
rrie Schramm, Selah
College: Engineering and Architecture
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in environmental engineering and a minor in Mathematics
High school: Selah High School, 2004
Parents: Connie and Donald Schramm, Selah
Schramm comes by her inclination for civil engineering naturally. Her father graduated from WSU with a degree in civil engineering and currently works for the Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District. Her older sister, LisaRene, is also a WSU graduate with a civil engineering degree and her younger brother, Steve, is a freshman at WSU currently working towards his certification into the civil engineering program. Schramm credits her success to the love and support of her family.
Schramm plans on working over the summer at the East Wenatchee office of RH2 Engineering, Inc., but will return to Pullman in the fall to attend graduate school at WSU to study civil engineering.
Timothy J. Williams,
Clarkston
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, Pre-Physical Therapy, with a minor in Psychology
High School: Charles Francis Adams High School, Clarkston, 1997
Other Colleges: Walla Walla Community College and a 2004 bachelor’s degree in Biology from WSU
Career Goal: Williams will continue school to achieve his doctorate in physical therapy
Parents: Anna Marie and Pastor Doran Williams,Clarkston
College: College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Environmental Horticulture
High School: Hillside Student Community, Bellevue, 2004
Career Goal: Enter graduate school at WSU to eventually pursue a career in horticultural research and development.
Parents: Marilyn and Larry Zommick, Issaquah
Zommick was introduced to horticulture as a high school student in Bellevue by a WSU master gardener. Upon entering WSU, he decided to take full advantage of the curricular opportunities in horticulture through the Honors College. He has been named to the President’s Honor Roll every semester at WSU.
College: Liberal Arts
Department: Edward R. Murrow School of Communication
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Communication/Media Land the Law
High School: Chamblee Charter High School, Atlanta, Ga., 2004
Career Goal: To work someday for the NCAA to help write rules and regulations and to remain involved in the world of sports.
Parents: Sally Tubridy and Cory Berish, Atlanta, Ga.
Berish was recruited to Washington State University by the Women’s Swim Team and she competes in the sprint to mid-distance in freestyle events. She has loved being a part of a building team, one that is sending more and more athletes to the NCAA championships and was especially proud when the Cougs beat the University of Washington in last year’s meet.
As a student athlete, Berish has served on the Student Advisory Board to the President; is currently president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee; has been very involved in university and community service activities, includin Relay for Life, Women in Sports Day, Palouse River Cleanup, Operation Santa, and serving as a Peer academic counselor. Every summer she returns to Atlanta to coach a summer league swim team of over 150 children ranging in age from under 5 to 18 years old.
Berish is an excellent student and has been on the President’s Honor Roll every semester. She was named to the PAC-10 All-Academic First Team in 2007, the PAC-10 All-Academic Second Team in 2006, the Freshman All-Academic Team in 2005, and the WSU Athletics All-Academic Team every year (2004-2007). Roberta Kelly, from the School of Communication, said of Danielle, “This student is exceptionally well-rounded, organized, bright, hard-working and motivated. She’s an excellent role model.”
Victor E. Vlist Jr., Port Orchard
College: Liberal Arts
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Digital Technology and Culture with a minor in Fine Arts
High School: South Kitsap High School, Port Orchard, 2003
Career Goal: Vlist will return to western Washington and would love to begin Web designing. His passions are technology and the arts and he would like to find something that will combine them.
Parents: Kim and Victor Vlist Sr., Port Orchard.
Vlist is the first in his family to obtain a university degree. He is an artist and loves the mixture of art and technology that his degree has allowed him to develop. Vlist has been chosen as this year’s Outstanding Graduating Senior in Digital Technology and Culture due to his exceptional abilities and hard work.
Until he was eight years old, Vlist was a typical, active and vocal boy. He played baseball, basketball and soccer but shortly before his ninth birthday he suffered a brain aneurism that required extensive brain surgery and left him in a coma for a month and in rehab for another three months. He emerged from his hospital stay as a hemiplegic, paralyzed on his left side, never expecting to walk again.
With the support of family and friends and through all the physical challenges, Vlist has excelled in school and worked hard to achieve his degree. He now walks with the aid of a cane and continues to excel, both as a person and as a student. He is excited to learn new things and his teachers are impressed with his abilities, thirst for knowledge, confidence and sense of humor.
He feels blessed to have such a wonderful family and describes his dad as fun, supportive and hard working and his mom as creative, understanding and the perfect mother. He has a large network of friends and is excited for the opportunities that lie ahead.
College: Liberal Arts
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Professional Studies and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
High School: Grandview High School, 2004
Career Goal: Work in the nonprofit sector with an emphasis in women and children, and possibly nutritional development, disaster relief, domestic abuse or anything down the humanitarian route.
Parents: Vickie Newell and Richard Waddle, Pasco
College: College of Business
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, emphasis in management information systems
High School: Evergreen High School, Vancouver, 2004
Career Goal: Higashi will begin his career with a top technology consulting firm in Seattle.
Parents: Eva and Shoji Higashi,Vancouver
He has also supplemented his college experience by attending numerous leadership conferences around the country, competing in five business case competitions in the last two years, including a SIFE competition at California State University where his team achieved a second place award.
Higashi also has taken on several mentorship roles helping younger students take advantage of opportunities available in college. He guides these students to understand the importance of getting a head start on planning for their careers and future. His professors commend his display of passion in everything he pursues and his gratitude to all who have contributed to his learning and success.
Bradley M. Mohr, Libby, Mont.
College: Education
Degree: Sport Management with a minor in Communication.
High School: Libby Senior High School, Libby, Mont., 2003
Other Colleges: Carroll College, Helena, Mont.
Career Goal: To have a career in Major League Baseball
Parents: Lisa and Bruce Mohr, Libby, Mont.
Bio: Mohr has cerebral palsy and cannot walk without the assistance of crutches, but his disability has not discouraged him from pursuing a career in sport management. He came to WSU after starting his college career as a political science major in Montana. His desire to stay in the Pacific Northwest close to his family made him choose WSU to pursue sports management.
He knew from an early age he wanted to work within baseball. “I think as soon as I realized people got paid to sit at baseball games and that was their job,” he said.
Mohr is portrayed by his professors as a determined and capable young man whose life-long dream is on its way to coming true. He will graduate from the sport management program this spring after excelling during the spring semester in his internship in the Communication Center of the Seattle Mariners.
College: Nursing
Degree: Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing
High School: Tinganga Secondary School, Kenya
Other Colleges: Mesa State College, Colo., Front Range Community Collage, Colo.
Career Goal: Serve humanity in a way that is meaningful
Parents: Teresia Mbaire and Muturi Karanja, Kenya