Career Options in the Arts
Students who are attracted to the arts may be concerned about their ability to earn a livelihood if they follow that path.  In this presentation, Rachel Dorn will introduce students to possible careers in art and encourage them that they CAN succeed in art and art CAN be a viable career option.
Rachel Dorn

Art of Yoga/Asian Art
Discuss the history of yoga through art and practice. You will discuss the origins of yoga in India and its representation in art in the art of India, China, and Japan. Will also present the eight branches, inviting audience participation in yoga, pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation (mindfulness).
David Lynx

Careers in Creativity
Success in many professions is based on creative solutions to problems. This is why we study art, to develop creative skills that we utilize in a myriad of professions including graphic design, marketing, app developers, and chefs.
David Lynx

Messages in Movies and More
In this presentation, students will be guided to examine how popular culture (movies, television, music) contains messages and reveals to us (and sometimes helps to shape and question) what we value. (High school audiences, slide deck, projection required)
Dr. Joy Clark

Exile in the Divine Comedy 
What tragedy happened in the life of Dante Alighieri to produce the Divine Comedy?  What did he read that shaped his ideas and caused him to create one of the most compelling characters in Western literature?  This presentation discusses Dante’s role in geopolitics, local politics, and the creation of the Divine Comedy from an intense life spent in exile.  (Ages: High school and adult audiences; In-person, Zoom live, or a recording available on request)
Dr. Joy Clark

Shakespeare and Renaissance Theatre
In this presentation on the life and times of Shakespeare and an overview of Renaissance theatre, Julie Swedin discusses what life was like for an actor living in Renaissance England and the colorful history of the Globe theatre. Other options for this presentation include a discussion of why we still read Shakespeare or Julie Swedin can provide a lesson introducing a specific sonnet or play.
Julie Swedin

Documentary Photography: Afghanistan
Ken Zontek, PhD., compares imagery of Afghanistan from his 2005-2006 sojourn there with the photos and text of National Geographic journalists dating back to the 1930s. The presentation offers a timeless sense in a forbidding region.
Ken Zontek

Beyond Burqas and Bombs – Insights into Afghanistan
Dr. Ken Zontek shares his insights on Afghanistan after spending a year there in 2005-2006 and four more months in 2009 as well as working the Afghan topic on active duty in 2012.  Subsequent to his return to the United States, Zontek continued with humanitarian support for a women’s shelter in Afghanistan and launched an Afghan Women’s Education project at YVC.
Ken Zontek

Washington Wine: A Growing Industry
One of the few sectors in the state that has continued to see rapid growth and development is the Washington wine industry. In this seminar, you will learn about what makes the wine industry-unique, the economic impact of the industry on our statewide economy, and the career and job opportunities that are available.
Trent Ball

Is Education Worth it?: The Economics and Costs of Education
This presentation will look at the potential earnings from participating in various levels of higher education, as well as some of the ways to look at college as an investment in your future.
Dr. Brock Eubanks

Community & College
In this presentation, I will discuss my own relationship to Yakima Valley College over three key experiences. My first experience with YVC was as a child attending evening classes with my mother. As a teenager, I attended YVC as a Running Start student. Now, I am part of the YVC English department faculty as an instructor. I would like to share my impressions of the importance of institutions like YVC for community members, especially for Latinas navigating the challenges and frustrations of higher education.
(Middle School, High School, General Audience)
Olivia Hernández

Is Education Worth it?: The Economics and Costs of Education
This presentation will look at the potential earnings from participating in various levels of higher education, as well as some of the ways to look at college as an investment in your future.
Dr. Brock Eubanks

Writing Better through Giving Feedback
The writing consultants at YVC give feedback to writers of all skill levels. We often do this by identifying and explaining how specific elements of a writer’s text affect us as readers, a process that offers the writer detailed feedback and causes us to reflect on the craft of effective writing. This presentation explores how, like a writing consultant, pinpointing and expressing the reasons for your reactions to a text can make you better at giving feedback and a better writer too.
Joshua Swayne

How to Attack a Paper! (Stages of the Writing Process) 
The YVC Writing Center is all about encouragement and empowerment. We strive to help students of all writing levels intellectually awaken to the exciting world of effective, robust writing. When scary writing assignments loom large, the Writing Center is a friendly place for students to level up their writing skills. This presentation explores the magic of the writing process by unpacking it in four distinct stages: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing/proofreading. Writing is not a single day task. Writers are not robots. It’s better to build a paper in stages (day by day) and give the brain and heart more time to create and revise a richer, more relevant paper. The writing process matters because writing projects forever change us. They become part of us. We learn about the world as we write—word by word, line by line. Ultimately, the writing process is a powerful tool that helps students become active thinkers and brighter individuals.
Johnny Roger Schofield

Writing Better through Giving Feedback
The writing consultants at YVC give feedback to writers of all skill levels. We often do this by identifying and explaining how specific elements of a writer’s text affect us as readers, a process that offers the writer detailed feedback and causes us to reflect on the craft of effective writing. This presentation explores how, like a writing consultant, pinpointing and expressing the reasons for your reactions to a text can make you better at giving feedback and a better writer too.
Joshua Swayne

Education: Is Education Worth it?: The Economics and Costs of Education
This presentation will look at the potential earnings from participating in various levels of higher education, as well as some of the ways to look at college as an investment in your future.
Dr. Brock Eubanks

Community & College
In this presentation, I will discuss my own relationship to Yakima Valley College over three key experiences. My first experience with YVC was as a child attending evening classes with my mother. As a teenager, I attended YVC as a Running Start student. Now, I am part of the YVC English department faculty as an instructor. I would like to share my impressions of the importance of institutions like YVC for community members, especially for Latinas navigating the challenges and frustrations of higher education.
(Middle School, High School, General Audience)
Olivia Hernández

Careers in Classrooms: From Early Childhood to Higher Education. 
Public education serves a vital role in the United States, and the need for enthusiastic young teachers is greater than ever. This presentation explores the opportunities and challenges educators face in a range of institutions and grade levels, and attendees are introduced to programs at YVC and other regional institutions. Travis draws on both research and experience, having taught in K-12 settings, flagship state universities, adult basic education, and ESL/ELL classrooms. (Adaptable for different age groups. Projector with web access ideal, but can be presented without tech upon request.)
Travis Margoni

Careers in Veterinary Technology: Becoming a Nurse for Animals
The Veterinary Technology program at YVC trains students for a rewarding career that is currently the number one job in demand in the state. This program is one of only three such programs in the state, in which students earn an A.A.S. and prepare to pass licensing requirements as a Veterinary Technician. Dr. Wedam will discuss prerequisites for this program, application procedures, coursework, and training, as well as the wide variety of career opportunities that are available to students completing the program. This presentation is especially valuable for high school students who are considering careers and how best to prepare for college.
Susan Wedam

Careers in Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Wedam discusses the range of careers available in Veterinary Medicine, and how students can get started on the path right here at YVC. Topics include: earning an A.A. at YVC and transferring to a four-year college, the process of applying to veterinary school, and career paths.
Susan Wedam

Careers working with Animals
Dr. Wedam discusses the range of careers available in Veterinary Medicine, and how students can get started on the path right here at YVC. Topics include: earning an A.A. at YVC and transferring to a four-year college, the process of applying to veterinary school, and career paths
Susan Wedam

Principles of Pet Care
This talk can be tailored to the needs of the audience. Susan Wedam, DVM, will talk with your group about animal husbandry and preventative care. Dr. Wedam has spoken to many 4-H groups and is herself a 4-H leader.
Susan Wedam

The Covid-19 Pandemic 
An explanation of the biology of viruses and vaccines, with a focus on what we know about the virus that causes covid-19.
Claire Carpenter

Microbes in Health and Disease 
How we acquire the microbes that live in and on us, and how they affect our health in surprising ways.
Claire Carpenter

Aging and the Immune System 
How our immune systems protect us from microbes, and the changes that occur with aging.
Claire Carpenter

Antarctica: Science and History
This presentation can be geared to adults or children (fourth grade and up), and presents information about both the history of Antarctic exploration, the current scientific research being conducted in Antarctica, and the details of what it is like to live and work on the frozen continent. The presentation showcases photographs of Antarctic scenery and animals.
Claire Carpenter

Bees: Biology and Natural History
How do bees make honey? How do beekeepers get the honey from bees? What determines whether an egg develops into a queen, a drone, or a worker bee? How do bees communicate in the hive? This presentation (appropriate for any age group) will address these and other questions about the lives of honey bees.
Claire Carpenter

Biology of Cancer
What makes some cells become cancerous? How do cancer cells differ from normal body cells? This presentation is appropriate for an audience (high school age or older) with some knowledge of the fundamentals of biology. We will review normal cell function as we learn what goes wrong when cells become cancerous. This presentation incorporates hands-on activities and requires at least two hours.
Claire Carpenter

Hot and Cold: Why Temperature Matters
This presentation covers the basics of the effects of temperature on living things, and how some organisms can survive or thrive in extreme temperatures. This discussion is adaptable for high school or adult audiences
Claire Carpenter

Why be a Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technician jobs are on the rise, and it’s no wonder with the marvel of modern medicine and an increased need for prescriptions.  Pharmacy workplaces can be in retail stores, hospitals, long-term care facilities, mail-order pharmacies, and medical clinics. Technician duties not only include preparing medication for dispensing under the guidance of a pharmacist, but continue to expand into specialty roles like billing for services, medication therapy management, nuclear medicine, and sterile compounding.  It’s an exciting time to be in this advancing career.
Stephanie O’Brine

What is Allied Health?
Allied health professionals may work in a variety of healthcare settings to contribute and optimize quality patient care. Professions that are often categorized as “allied health” include many of the well-known non-nurse, non-physician health care providers such as medical assistants, pharmacy assistants and technicians, surgical technologists, phlebotomists, and medical coders. Training for some of these careers may take as little as 2 quarters, but most of the time it takes 1-2 academic years. Allied Health Programs may help students prepare for national exams so recognized industry credentials can be earned. Applicable licenses through the Washington Department of Health may also be required to practice certain professions in our State.
Stephanie O’Brine

The Secret Life of Stars: We Really are Made of Star Dust
Take a stellar journey through the universe and discover the origin of the elements of which we, and everything around us, are made. This program will discuss the nature of stars, including our own Sun.  Every atom and molecule in the universe, on Earth and in us, is built by nuclear fusion during cosmic explosions.  The nuclear reactions in our Sun provides the energy that drives the surface processes on Earth and allows life as we know it, to flourish.  How do we know?  Come and find out! (Suitable for all ages)
Suki Smaglik

Fire and Ice: The Geology of Yellowstone
Unlike our Cascade volcanoes, the Yellowstone volcano is formed above a mantle hotspot, and still quite active today. It is a supervolcano, far larger and more explosive than the average volcano.  So explosive, it is capable of spewing 2500 times more material than the explosion of Mt. St. Helen’s did in 1980.  The landscape of Yellowstone is an inter-weave of volcanic and glacial features (fire and ice).  Today, hydrothermal features provide us with clues to the volcanic processes below the surface.  Many of these thermal features support the growth of microbial life, thought to be homologous for the original of life on Earth.  In addition to the volcano, in the not too distant past, Yellowstone country was covered by thick ice sheets which carved out the magnificent rivers and canyons that we enjoy today.  This interplay between fire and ice supports an astonishing and unique ecosystem, from microbes to megafauna.
Suki Smaglik

Geology Rocks!
Do you love rocks?  Me, too!  Let’s find out more about how they form and why we find different rock types in different landscapes.  This interactive program will help kids do more than just collect the pretties.  It will help them understand the formation and history of our planet. 
(This is an in-person presentation geared toward elementary-middle school, scouts, 4-H, etc.)
Suki Smaglik

Water, Water, Everywhere
Water is essential to life, but where does it come from, and where does it go?  Are we running out of water on our planet?  What can we do to protect what we have?  For this interactive program, we will travel around and through the water cycle, to better understand the critical need for water in supporting life on Earth. (This is an in-person presentation geared toward elementary-middle school, scouts, 4-H, etc.)
Suki Smaglik

Careers in Classrooms: From Early Childhood to Higher Education
Public education serves a vital role in the United States, and the need for enthusiastic young teachers is greater than ever. This presentation explores the opportunities and challenges educators face in a range of institutions and grade levels, and attendees are introduced to programs at YVC and other regional institutions. Travis draws on both research and experience, having taught in K-12 settings, flagship state universities, adult basic education, and ESL/ELL classrooms. (Adaptable for different age groups. Projector with web access ideal, but can be presented without tech upon request.)
Travis Margoni

New Media, Old Tricks: Rhetorical Analysis in a Digital World
With online discourse having increasingly important sociopolitical implications, many researchers feel a set of ethics for thoughtful, compassionate conversation are necessary. Travis lays forth some basic principles all social media users can follow to help create a more inclusive, less polarized world.  (Adaptable for different age groups. Projector with web access required.)
Travis Margon

Trash Talk and Toughening Up: Balancing Compassion and Criticism in Sports
The sports world can be cold, heartening, brutal, and compassionate—all within the same moment. In this presentation, Travis and audience members explore the rhetoric of sports. What’s over the line? Why? How can “trash talk” be fun without becoming offensive? What are the roles and responsibilities of parents at sporting events? How can coaches create an environment that both empowers and motivates players? (Adaptable for different age groups and contexts. Projector with web access can be used, but can be presented without tech as well.)
Travis Margoni

“Shut Up and Play”: The Role of Activism in Sports, Past, Present, and Future
Colin Kaepernick. Billie Jean King. John Carlos and Tommie Smith. Mohammad Ali. Over the years, scores of athletes have used their platforms to promote civil rights and equality in the United States (and elsewhere). At every turn, they were met with resistance and criticism. Why, then, do athletes continue to protest on and off the playing field, knowing they will draw backlash and potentially damage their careers and earning potential? What has been the result of their protests? Are they, as critics suggest, anti-patriotic? Should high school and young athletes follow suit? In this presentation, Travis explores the sociopolitical and rhetorical effects of becoming an “activist athlete.” (Adaptable for different age groups. Projector with web access required.)
Travis Margoni

Chicana Identity 101
How do we define “Latina”? How do we define “Chicana”? This presentation draws from Chicana feminist scholarship, art, activism, and local history to provide an introduction to Chicana studies.
(Middle School, High School, General Audience; Requires projector)
Olivia Hernández

Chicana Punk Pedagogy
This presentation explores how writing classrooms can center punk music, and especially punk music by artists of color, in order to help students to engage with the voices and expressive possibilities of punk music as a resource and a site for analysis and understanding of identity, history, and activism in communities of color. In addition to the music as analytical text, punk music also introduces students to DIY practices such as blogging and zine making that prompts students to create community-facing composition projects about their own experiences and interests.
(Can be tailored either for other educators or for high school students; Requires projector and speakers)
Olivia Hernández

Latinx Superheroes
This presentation provides a historical introduction to the Latinx superhero before exploring different textual examples of Latinx heroes in comics, films, television, and literature. Next, audiences will be asked to reflect on the importance of representation in heroic narratives. In groups, audiences will be asked to brainstorm heroes that represent their own communities.
(Middle School, High School, General Audience; Requires projector and speakers)
Olivia Hernández

Community & College
In this presentation, I will discuss my own relationship to Yakima Valley College over three key experiences. My first experience with YVC was as a child attending evening classes with my mother. As a teenager, I attended YVC as a Running Start student. Now, I am part of the YVC English department faculty as an instructor. I would like to share my impressions of the importance of institutions like YVC for community members, especially for Latinas navigating the challenges and frustrations of higher education.
(Middle School, High School, General Audience)
Olivia Hernández

US Economic Policy in the times of Covid -19
Why did the government spend so much money stimulating the economy during Covid-19? Will the U.S. government debt drive the country to bankruptcy? Will you have to pay for this debt? Why do we have inflation? This presentation focuses on what everybody should understand about the U.S economy in the era of Covid – 19, with emphasis on some common misconceptions about the wisdom of this economic policy, the risks associated with it, and the future of the country.
Héctor Sáez-Núñez

My Dungeon Shook: How Does Your Culture See You and What Can You Do About It? 
On January 1st, 1963, the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves, James Baldwin published an “open letter” to his nephew, explaining the racism he will experience as a Black man in America. In 2015, Ta-Nahisi Coates published an updated version, advising his young son. These two letters are part of a tradition in the Black community called “The Talk.” For people like me, white, middle class, The Talk was an awkward and very short discussion with our parents about puberty. For people of color, The Talk is about life and death. For Black parents, The Talk describes what to do when you come in contact with the police, store owners, or other authority figures. In this workshop, we will look closely at this advice, reflect on how we become aware of our racial differences, and develop ideas for what we can do about it.
Dan Peters

What Would Black Lives Matter Activists Say to Martin Luther King? 
A new era of Black civil rights protest began in the summer of 2015 and exploded in 2020, following the murder of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. The Black Lives Matter movement is not only a turning point in public opinion, it represents a split with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s as well. In this workshop, students will learn about how BLM and CRM differ in their approaches to activism. We will investigate the changing perception of riots, feminism, LGBTQ rights, and the historical role of the Black church in the struggle for civil rights.
Dan Peters

A Tale of Two Dons: How Donald Trump Split My Little Town in Two 
Selah, Washington, has always been a sleepy, rural community where families move to raise their children. I grew up here in a perfect bubble in the 1970s and ’80s. 2020 changed all of that. Our town, known as the “Apple Juice Capital of the World,” erupted in open conflict over a Black Lives Matter march, Covid restrictions, and even chalk art. At the center of it all were two Dons: Donald Trump and our city administrator, Donald Wayman, a former Marine with a history of sexual misconduct and love of conflict rivaled only by the president. The battle for our town has gone to court, landed in the New York Times, twice, and resulted in resignations, firings, and a sense that the perfect bubble we lived in is lost for good. Together, we will examine the way the national debate trickles down to the local level. Did either side take it too far, and what can be done to bring us together?
Dan Peters

How to Robot-Proof Your Education 
There is a wave coming, and we have our back turned to it. In 2013, Oxford University published a report that concluded nearly half of all jobs were automatable “over the next decade or two.” My students have been researching this question for the past five years. We have yet to find a career that is completely safe. In this workshop, students will learn what skills we can automate and where humans still hold the advantage. We will ask, what should we be learning to protect our future? How should we be learning it? And who should be teaching it to us?
Dan Peters

The Use of Sign Language by Cross-Fostered Chimpanzees
In 1966 Allen and Beatrix Gardner introduced the infant chimpanzee Washoe into their human cross-fostering laboratory. They used American Sign Language as a means of two-way communication. Over several years the Gardners replicated their study with additional chimpanzees. This presentation will provide basic information about chimpanzees, cross-fostering, and how these cross-fostered chimpanzees acquired and used the signs of American Sign Language. This presentation can be adapted for elementary school students.
Dr. Heidi Shaw

Pointing Gestures in Humans and Chimpanzees
Simple, common behaviors are often the most interesting. Developmental and cognitive psychologists consider it an important developmental milestone when human infants begin to point. This presentation will describe the developmental pattern of pointing in human infants and the importance that psychologists attribute to this milestone. It will also describe evidence of pointing in cross-fostered chimpanzees.
Dr. Heidi Shaw

The Salem Witch Trials
In 1692 over 160 people in Massachusetts Bay Colony were accused of witchcraft. At least twenty-five people died. Nineteen were executed by hanging, one tortured to death, and at least five died in jail due to harsh conditions. During the Salem trials, more people were accused and executed than in all the previous witchcraft trials in New England. This presentation will provide basic information about the events of 1692 but will focus on the nature of evidence used by the courts and the debates at the time about what constitutes good evidence. Dr. Shaw is a descendant of Sarah Averill Wilde, a woman hanged in 1692 under charges of witchcraft.
Dr. Heidi Shaw

Why People Believe Weird Things
We all like to believe that we are critical thinkers, and indeed evidence supports our belief. However, the strategies that are normally so effective can also lead us to make some major thinking errors under other circumstances. Psychologists study these thinking tendencies and provide insight into how to recognize faulty thinking. This presentation will introduce the audience to some common thinking errors and will provide strategies for recognizing and perhaps even overcoming some of these errors.
Dr. Heidi Shaw

How to Think Like a Psychologist
When many people hear “psychology”, they think of TV psychiatrist Frasier Crane or the mental health equivalent of Florence Nightingale. Shelves full of self-help books under “Psychology” at local bookstores promote this notion. The field of psychology is actually much more diverse and interesting than that. This presentation will introduce the audience to how psychologists form questions and develop methods for investigating them. In the process, it will highlight some interesting subfields of psychology.
Dr. Heidi Shaw

Antarctica: Science and History

This presentation can be geared to adults or children (fourth grade and up), and presents information about both the history of Antarctic exploration, the current scientific research being conducted in Antarctica, and the details of what it is like to live and work on the frozen continent. The presentation showcases photographs of Antarctic scenery and animals
Claire Carpenter

Beyond Burqas and Bombs – Insights into Afghanistan
Dr. Ken Zontek shares his insights on Afghanistan after spending a year there in 2005-2006.  Subsequent to his return to the United States, Zontek has continued with humanitarian support for a women’s shelter in Afghanistan and launched an Afghan Women’s Education project at YVC.
Ken Zontek

Documentary Photography: Afghanistan
Ken Zontek, PhD., compares imagery of Afghanistan from his 2005-2006 sojourn there with the photos and text of National Geographic journalists dating back to the 1930s. The presentation offers a timeless sense in a forbidding region.
Ken Zontek

Trails and Tales in Northern Mexico
Ken Zontek, an environmental historian, provides insights into the landscape of western Sonora captured during his trip there in the winter of 2008-2009. Zontek followed in the footsteps of an American hunter-naturalist, Charles Sheldon, who pursued desert bighorn sheep in the rugged mountains during the late 1910s and early 1920s.
Ken Zontek

We can make arrangements for you to contact the speaker either via phone or email before the scheduled event.

Each speaker will make every effort to present an interesting, appropriate presentation for your specific group.