November 7, 2022 

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

After conducting a national search, Wenatchee Valley College Board of Trustees voted unanimously during a special board meeting this morning to approve hiring Dr. Faimous Harrison as the next president. Harrison is expected to begin in January, replacing Dr. Jim Richardson who has served as president for 17 years.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Harrison to Wenatchee Valley College and the beautiful North Central Washington region,” said Tamra Jackson, board chair. “He brings a wealth of experience working with diverse, under-served students, improving student engagement, and building vibrant, inclusive campuses.”

Harrison brings 32 years of experience in higher education to WVC. He comes to WVC from California State University Stanislaus-Stockton Campus where he is currently the dean. Both his current campus and WVC are federally designated Hispanic-serving institutions (HSI’s). Harrison has more than 20 years of experience working in the Washington state community and technical college system.

“I am humbly honored to serve as the 13th president of Wenatchee Valley College,” said Harrison. “Wenatchee Valley College’s dedicated faculty, talented professional staff, administrators, and board of trustees are committed to supporting student achievement and success, and meeting members of the diverse communities that the college serves where they are, which was one of the many reasons why I was attracted to this opportunity.”

As a next step, the board of trustees and Harrison have entered into contract negotiations. Details will be made available at a later date.

WVC began the presidential search process in January after Richardson announced his intention to retire. Harrison was chosen from among 46 applicants and four finalists. He will be WVC’s 13th president since it opened in 1939. For more information on the process, visit the presidential search page.

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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.