WSU Vancouver Chancellor Hal Dengerink to be Honored at 2006 Regional WASA Awards

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Dr. Hal Dengerink, chancellor, Washington State University Vancouver, will be honored with a Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) Community Leadership Award in a ceremony at 11:50 a.m. Friday, May 19 at Educational Service District 112 in Vancouver.

This award is presented to community members in recognition of their contributions to education. Nomination criteria for recipients include contribution to education in areas such as leadership, motivation and history of service.

As Chancellor of WSU Vancouver, Dengerink’s primary focus continues to be the provision of quality higher education programs. Concurrently, he has established the “gold standard” for successfully launching meaningful community partnerships, having initiated many efforts to bring together the K-12 school system, local businesses, health and human services, public agencies, community groups and citizens to address issues of common concern.

Significant education partnerships have been established as a result of Dengerink’s efforts, most notably the Science and Math Education Resource Center, which was developed as a partnership between WSU Vancouver, Educational Service District 112, Hewlett Packard and 29 school districts. These partnerships provide valuable educational opportunities for students throughout the region, as well as opportunities for hundreds of teachers to receive advanced professional development in math/science instructional methodologies. Through his leadership, this partnership continues to grow, bringing financial resources and national recognition to the partnership and ensuring sustainability of this important work to further education.

Dengerink’s guidance has helped achieve similar results in other services as well. His work with Vancouver National Historic Trust, Southwest Washington Medical Center, Clark United Providers, Columbia River Economic Development Council and the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, as well as many others has truly fostered a stronger community and made the region a better place to live.

WSU Vancouver offers 14 bachelors and nine master’s degrees in more than 35 fields of study, and also serves the needs of transfer students. The institution will be accepting freshman and sophomore students in fall of 2006. The campus is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave., east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205.