After 29 years of service to Yakima Valley College, President Linda Kaminski has announced her retirement effective August 1, 2024, concluding a tenure that has witnessed significant improvements to the college’s facilities and the addition of academic programs.
President Kaminski assumed her office at Yakima Valley College in 1995 and is the institution’s longest-serving president. During her tenure, the college has been recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and received numerous U.S. Department of Education Title V grants, National Science Foundation grants, and other grants to improve educational opportunities for students and make higher education more accessible.
She has shepherded the creation of new academic programs, including five Bachelor of Applied Science programs, to meet essential workforce needs in the Yakima Valley. In addition, President Kaminski has guided numerous improvements to YVC’s campuses, including the $22.7 million West Campus expansion in 2021.
“My overarching goal has always been to make a difference so that YVC would be strengthened from what it was when I arrived,” said President Kaminski. “As I look back over the past three decades, I believe that with collaboration, dedication and hard work of YVC’s faculty and staff, we have succeeded.”
At the June meeting of the YVC Board of Trustees, the board approved the renaming of multiple facilities at the college’s West Campus in honor of President Kaminski. West Campus was renamed the Dr. Linda Kaminski West Campus along with its Kaminski Conference Center and Kaminski Allied Health Building.
“Under President Kaminski’s leadership, Yakima Valley College has undergone a transformation,” said Bertha Ortega, chair of the YVC Board of Trustees. “From the launch of new academic programs to significant improvements to the college’s facilities to establishing services to support student success, YVC has excelled and established itself as a leader among Washington’s community and technical colleges. Thanks to President Kaminski’s dedication to making higher education accessible to all, the entire Yakima Valley community is stronger.”
President Kaminski has served on numerous professional and community boards, and her leadership has been recognized with the Pacific Region Chief Executive Officer Award presented by The Association of Community College Trustees and the Ted Robertson Community Service Award presented by the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce.
“I am grateful to each and every one of our faculty and staff members for their dedication and commitment to our students and our community,” President Kaminski. “Thanks to our collective efforts, Yakima Valley College is creating more opportunities for our students to create better lives for themselves and their families.”
The YVC Board of Trustees will determine a timeline for identifying the college’s next president.