Meet The Student Trying To Save Wenatchee Valley College's Graphic Design Program
Alex Amezcua graduates this month but he's fighting for the program that he says changed his life
Last month, Wenatchee Valley College announced it would be suspending eight academic programs and reducing course section offerings.
According to a press release WVC administrators, working alongside the Faculty Budget and Program Review Taskforce, recommended suspending the following programs and courses:
Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Technology
Bachelor of Applied Science in Teaching
Machining
Graphic Design
Transitional Studies: English Language Learning Level A and B courses
The Music Direct Transfer Major Related Program
Drama/Theater
Natural Resources, specifically the Associate of Applied Science transfer degree
“These changes come as Washington state is facing a budget shortfall of over $12 billion,” the release read.
This change will impact 42 students are currently enrolled in the eight programs that will be suspended, Marcine Miller, WVC’s Director of Communications, Marketing, and Media Relations, wrote in an email. Those students will be able to complete their studies over the course of the next year, she said.
Alex Amezcua is a graduating senior who is receiving his Bachelor of Applied Science in Graphic Design this month. He said he has never protested anything before and does not consider himself an “activist,” but when he heard the graphic design major is going to be cut he decided to protest the college’s decision.
“I think a lot of these programs that are being cut are being cut unnecessarily,” he said. “And I highly doubt that this is the only path that the college can take. And even if so, what could they have done to prevent it?”
Amezcua has put graphic design skills he learned at WVC to work creating posters to protest the college’s decision. During his last few weeks on campus he said he has put up hundreds of posters around the buildings.
Some are designed to look like “Missing” posters. In another design he used one of his baby photos and included a caption that reads: “Without graphic design kids like Alex will no longer be able to dream in color.”
The goal is to let students know what they’re losing, and to drive traffic to an online petition he started to try to save the major. Graphic design gives young people a way to be creative and earn a living, he said.
In a region where the tree fruit industry has been the backbone of the economy for so long, Amezcua said people should understand why graphic design is important. They should also want to keep training the next generation of graphic designers here, not import them from someplace else, he said.
“I’m defending the graphic design program because I care about it,” he said.
According to Miller, Amezcua is the only student who has protested and the graphic design program is the only program that will be suspended that students have publicly rallied behind at this time. She also said that graphic design classes will still be offered as electives.
She said that the criteria for what to cut came down to program enrollment, student demand, transfer and employment outcomes, and cost-effectiveness.
With one foot out the door Amezcua admits there’s little he can do to change the minds of the powers that be at the college. But it’s still something he’s passionate about.
“It’s not going to affect me in a few weeks because I graduate,” he said. “But all these other kids who don’t know what’s going on or who wouldn’t make it in these STEM fields – it’s like I’m kind of fighting for them.”
You can view his petition and sign it here, if you’d like. He said hundred of people have filled it out so far and he plans to share the results of his petition with the powers that be at WVC.
The power of the people! I hope it pays off.