Media Contact:  
Libby Siebens, WVC community relations executive director, 509-682-6436  

Wenatchee Valley College will celebrate the construction and naming of the new Wells Hall replacement on Tuesday, Sept. 14.

There will be a ceremony and building blessing at 4 p.m. featuring remarks by WVC President Jim Richardson, family of Gloria Atkins, Representative Mike Steele, Associated Students of Wenatchee Valley College (ASWVC) president, tribal representatives and others. 

The new building will be named “Mish ee twie” in honor of higher education advocate, respected tribal elder and Wenatchi Advisory Board founding member Mish ee twie (Gloria L. Atkins). The WVC Board of Trustees chose the name at their June board meeting. 

Mish ee twie is Gloria L. Atkins’ Native American name. Gloria served as Colville Tribes Higher Education Director and was instrumental in hundreds of students’ lives throughout the region during her more than 45 years of service in the tribes’ education department. She was a founding and active member of the Colville Tribes Wenatchi Advisory Board and was instrumental in restoring the fishing rights to the Wenatchi Tribe in 2010. She was a respected tribal elder and continued to be instrumental in traditional tribal activities and tribal events until her passing in 2019. 

Construction on the new building began in fall 2019. Mish ee twie now houses 25 classrooms and multiple program and instructor offices. In addition, the building houses the Jack & Edna Maguire conference center and the Chelan County Emergency Operations Center. The building is set to open fall quarter. Classes begin Sept. 27. Learn more about the project at wvc.edu/ConstructionUpdates. 

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Wenatchee Valley College enriches North Central Washington by serving educational and cultural needs of communities and residents throughout the service area. The college provides high-quality transfer, liberal arts, professional/technical, basic skills and continuing education for students of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds. Visit our website, wvc.edu. 

Wenatchee Valley College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in employment and student enrollment. All programs are free from discrimination and harassment against any person because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a service animal by a person with a disability, age, parental status or families with children, marital status, religion, genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status or any other prohibited basis per RCW 49.60.030, 040 and other federal and state laws and regulations, or participation in the complaint process. 

The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and Title IX compliance for both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses: 

• To report discrimination or harassment: Title IX Coordinator, Wenatchi Hall 2322M, (509) 682-6445, title9@wvc.edu. 
• To request disability accommodations: Director of Student Access, Wenatchi Hall 2133, (509) 682-6854, TTY/TTD: dial 711, sas@wvc.edu.