Samantha Vedders graduated from Wenatchee Valley College’s Omak campus in 2020 through the running start program, with an Associate of Arts and Sciences Direct Transfer (AAS-DTA) degree.

She chose to attend WVC because she required more of an academic challenge while in high school. “I had also found out that through the running start program, I could knock out two years of college courses before attending a four-year university,” she said.

After graduating from WVC, Samantha transferred her credits to Washington State University where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in integrated strategic communications with an emphasis in public relations.

“My fondest memory during my time at WVC was an end of the school year dance that I attended with my peers, because it was the first time I felt as though I was being treated as a ‘real adult’ at an event,” Samantha said.

One of Samantha’s favorites classes was English 101, thanks to her instructor, Dr. Peter Donahue. “He helped me expand my knowledge and challenged me rather than accepting the bare minimum from me.”

Samantha is now the communications specialist at the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation. Before beginning this role, she worked to expand her career in communications through two different newsrooms as a news reporter and social media manager.

“WVC helped me prepare for my career and future goals because the program pushed me to learn how to do things on my own and manage my own time for the first time,” she said. “My parents didn’t have access to my grades and scores, and I had to plan out my weeks according to my schedule from whichever quarter I was in.”

A piece of advice Samantha would give to incoming or current WVC students is not to quit when things feel tough. “I know plenty of people who decided to quit their educational journey when they felt intimated or weren’t receiving the grades they wanted, and they regret it now,” she said. “Push through and stay organized.”