Last week was the annual Faculty Field Tour where new UW faculty members travelled to various destinations across the state to learn more about the different communities that UW students come from and the various attractions that Washington state has to offer. The tour started on Monday when the group traveled to Tacoma and Olympia and ended the first day by visiting Mt. Saint Helens. The group then made their way East and visited Yakima, Richland/Tri-Cities, and Spokane. On the way back to Seattle, the group also made stops in Grand Coulee and Leavenworth before ending the action-packed week.
During the tour, faculty members were able to meet with severalelected officials to discuss their work. Highlights include meeting Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck at the State Capitol in Olympia to learn about the legislative process and functions of the state government. The faculty also met with State Representative Gloria Mendoza (R – 14th LD) at the Yakima Valley Farmworker’s Clinic to discuss rural health and State Senator Mark Schoesler (R – 9th LD) at his family wheat farm to discuss the agricultural industry of Washington state.
Faculty members also visited the UW Spokane Center, which is housed in the brand-new UW-Gonzaga University Health Partnership Building. The UW Spokane Center acts as the University’s main engagement hub in Eastern Washington and supports the UW-GU Health Partnership Program to enhance physician training and bolster the health care workforce.
Questions?
For questions about policy or UW state advocacy, please contact Morgan Hickel at mhickel@uw.edu and Kevin Chang at kchang28@uw.edu.