FOUNDATION NEWS FALL 2026
TRANSITIONAL STUDIES Columbia Basin College designs programs to meet students exactly where they are. With flexible pathways and hands-on coaching, CBC helps learners build a strong foundation for lasting success.
CBC FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kyle Simmons, Chair, CG Public House
CBCFAST NEWS FACTS
Jaime Shimek, Vice Chair & Finance Chair, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Leanna Nighswonger, Secretary, Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure Melda Velasquez, Immediate Past Chair, Kadlec Regional Medical Center Douglas Christensen, Board Development Chair, HMIS Rebekah Dobbs, Gift, Estate & Planned Giving Chair, Numerica Michelle Loera, Fund Development Chair, WSU Lynn Tegeler, Scholarship Chair, Central Plateau Cleanup Company
CBC NEWS T R ANS I T I O NA L ST UD IES 8 PROGRAMS
❱ College Skill Building (CSB) ❱ English Language Acquisition ❱ General Education Development ❱ High School Academy ❱ High School + ❱ Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training ❱ Soar to Success ❱ Limited English Proficiency Program
Established in 1971
1859 Students
Served Annually
15 staff 8 full time faculty
21 adjunct faculty
Rebekah Woods, CBC President Matt Backlund, HAPO David Billetdeaux, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory John Bookwalter, Chapter Two Hospitality Maggie Esquivel, Gravis Law Marsha Halverson, Educator, Retired Ann Harper, Artist Jack Janezic, Trios & Lourdes Health Stephen McFadden, Port of Pasco Mitch Peterson, CompuNet Shawn Nyman, CBC Faculty Representative Edgardo Quiroz-Moreno, Coldwell Banker Tomlinson Adan Tijerina, CBC Educator, Retired Edison Valerio, CBC Trustee Tayler Welch, Monte Nail, CPA Bill Williams, Gesa Credit Union Paige Wyatt, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Craig Yeagley, Fowler Construction
STAFF Erin Fishburn Executive Director Devon Holze Sarah Murphy
WHERE THE
NEXT CHAPTER BEGINS Every student arrives at college carrying a story. For some, the path to higher education is straight. For others, it winds through detours, challenges, second chances, and unexpected turns. At Columbia Basin College, Transitional Studies meets students wherever they are and helps them take the next step. Whether students are working toward a high school diploma or GED, building English-language skills, strengthening their math and writing, or preparing for college-level coursework, Transitional Studies is about more than academics. It is about building confidence, creating connections and helping students see what is possible. The journey is personal. Students work with instructors and staff to identify their goals and create a plan to reach them. For some, that next step may be college. For others, it may be career training, a better job or a new direction entirely. And sometimes, the first step is the hardest. That is why Transitional Studies provides a place where students can ask questions, strengthen skills, build relationships and keep moving forward. The department's programs are designed around the belief that students don't have to have everything figured out when they walk through the door. They simply need a place to begin. A student may arrive looking for a class, a diploma or a second chance. What they can find is something much bigger: a place to begin again, and a community at CBC ready to help them move forward. TO LEARN MORE, VISIT US AT COLUMBIABASIN.EDU/TRANSITIONALSTUDIES
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FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING:
MICHELLE’S STORY
Michelle Manning knows what it means to start over. Before Transitional Studies, she was a confident union leader. Michelle served as executive vice president, negotiated contracts, advocated for workers’ rights, and traveled across the country for union and civil rights work. But after a traumatic experience changed everything, she went from being deeply involved in her community to rarely leaving her home. Years of therapy helped her find her way forward, but Michelle knew her story was far from finished. Her turning point came during the pandemic. Watching quarantined Italians sing Canto Della Verbena, Michelle was inspired by their joy and resilience. She started taking steps to improve herself and in 2022, she took the courageous step to enroll in college. Transitional Studies at Columbia Basin College became more than an academic starting point. It became a place where Michelle discovered that she was capable, worthy of friendship, and far from finished. With encouragement from faculty, advisors, staff, and fellow students, Michelle found her voice again. She became a leader, served as president of SQUAD, participated in Phi Theta Kappa, and served on the Strategic Planning Committee. While helping another student with math, Michelle experienced a “lightbulb moment”: she discovered her passion for teaching. Today, Michelle is studying anthropology at Central Washington University with a minor in Human Geography. She hopes to earn a master’s degree, pursue her doctorate, and teach. Her message to students is simple: you don't have to accomplish everything at once. Take baby steps. Ask for help. Find someone who will believe in you. And to donors, Michelle has an equally simple message: “Just donate, and donate BIG. You never know the impact on a life.” Because sometimes a scholarship doesn't just help a student pay for college. Sometimes, it helps someone discover who they can become.
Why I Give!
“Columbia Basin College’s High School Equivalency program gives people facing barriers a second chance at education, meaningful careers, and brighter futures. We support this work because everyone deserves the chance to realize their God‑given potential. When one person succeeds, families and communities thrive.”
OMAR ESCALERA Executive Director of the Broetje Family Trust
2600 N. 20th Ave. Pasco, WA 99301
F O U N DAT I O N
WAYS TO GIVE ❱ Donate Monthly ❱ Donate a Scholarship to a Specific Degree Area or Program
❱ Create a Scholarship or Program Endowment as a Lasting Legacy
❱ Donate a Tribute Gift in Honor or Memory of a Loved One
❱ Become an Event Sponsor or Attend an Event ❱ Donate Stock, Real Estate or an IRA Rollover ❱ Give Through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) ❱ Ask Your Employer to Match Your Gift ❱ Make a Planned Gift or Bequest
A C H A N C E T O T H R I V E : ROB DUREN “Always remember that you are more than the worst thing that ever happened to you... Know that you’ll probably struggle and that’s okay. Don’t stop.” – DR. ROB DUREN, CBC Assistant Professor of Adult Basic Education Rob Duren’s story is a powerful testament to the transformative power of education. After dropping out of high school and earning his GED, he went on to achieve a doctorate in Education and build a career spanning K-12 schools, adult education, and higher education. Today, as a professor, mentor, and author, he uses his own journey from rebellion to academic success to advocate for students who have been overlooked. His own resilience has helped CBC create an educational system where everyone has a chance to thrive.
TO HEAR MORE FROM DR. DUREN AND OTHER TRANSITIONAL STUDIES STUDENTS, SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT YOUTUBE.COM/@COLUMBIABASINCOLLEGE
foundation@columbiabasin.edu
PHONE
509.542.4436
WEBSITE
columbiabasin.edu/foundation
PLEASE CONSIDER A DONATION BY CREDIT CARD, GIFTS OF STOCK OR THROUGH YOUR DONOR ADVISED FUND.