November 3, 2023 

Media Contacts:  
Jennifer Korfiatis, WVC interim public information officer, jkorfiatis@wvc.edu 

Vanessa Saldivar has been named the new Wenatchee Valley College Title V Hispanic Serving Institution Director. Her first day was Nov. 1.   

As the Title V director, Saldivar is responsible for implementing WVC’s Title V Hispanic Serving Institution Grant that started in the fall of 2023 and will continue through 2028. The U.S Department of Education awarded WVC $490,245 in funds for the first year of the grant; the total funding over the course of five years is $2,750,338. The grant will be used for The Puente: Bridges to HSI Excellence project, which is designed to improve outcomes and institutional culture for Latinx, low-income, and first-generation students at WVC. The project will expand culturally responsive teaching practices in gateway classes and improve the onboarding and navigation processes for incoming students to improve retention.  

“I am thrilled to join the WVC community and implement this inspiring grant,” Saldivar said. “As a first-generation and former DACAmented student, I carry a deep understanding of the barriers that underrepresented students face along their educational journeys. I am unwavering in my commitment to support students, faculty, and staff as we move toward our shared vision of HSI excellence.”  

Saldivar has dedicated her career to working with and on behalf of underrepresented and marginalized groups in a variety of settings. Prior to joining WVC, Saldivar held leadership roles in programs that advanced social justice, most recently at Get Outdoors Leadville!, a Colorado organization that worked to increase equitable access to the outdoors, where she served as executive director. In that role, she oversaw a diverse grant portfolio of over $5 million. She also served the City and County of Denver’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, where she led a national coalition of over 200 local governments working to advance inclusive policies and programs for immigrant and refugee residents.  

Saldivar has a master’s degree in migration studies from the University of San Francisco, a bachelor’s degree in social work from Concordia University, an associate degree in 

mental health and human services from Mt. Hood Community College, and an executive certificate for women in leadership from the University of Colorado. 

“I have enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Ms. Saldivar and her family during her short tenure here in Wenatchee,” said WVC President Dr. Faimous Harrison. “Our project director for our Title V Hispanic Serving Institution grant should be an inclusive leader and someone that our students, faculty, staff, and members of our committee respect and, when the opportunity presents itself, see themselves in. As someone who is driven by purpose and not a proponent of box-checking, I am excited to share that Ms. Saldivar goes above and beyond in checking all of these boxes in bringing the attributes we need in fostering collaborative shared vision and leadership to our college and district.” 

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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 is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion for all students and employees and 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.