Student spotlight
Jose Perez-Olmos
Jose Perez-Olmos hopes to help usher in the next generation of agriculturists in Washington. He is majoring in landscape, nursery, and greenhouse management, with a minor in horticulture. During the 2024-2025 academic year, Perez-Olmos held a variety of student leadership roles. He served on the CAHNRS Ambassador Program leadership team, as chair of the CAHNRS Student Senate, and as president of the WSU chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS). Perez-Olmos has attended the national MANRRS conference several times and recently ran for the role of undergraduate vice president for MANRRS Region VI. Inspired by the experience of starting three junior MANRRS chapters across the state, Perez-Olmos plans to pursue a master’s degree in teaching at WSU after he earns his bachelor’s degree in 2026.
Kassandra Vogel
Kassandra Vogel is working on a master’s degree in applied economics from WSU. During the 2024-2025 academic year, Vogel served on the WSU Board of Regents as a student regent. She first attended WSU Vancouver as a Running Start student, later transferring to WSU Pullman and earning her bachelor’s degrees in English and economics. As an undergraduate, Vogel held down a variety of jobs and internships. She became involved with the Associated Students of WSU during her senior year, serving as deputy director of campus sustainability. Vogel recently accepted a position as an advancement coordinator at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Seattle.
Maddy Wambolt
Maddy Wambolt is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in merchandising from WSU’s Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design, and Textiles (AMDT) and a minor in French, with plans to graduate in fall 2025. She is a voting chair on the Board of Directors for the Students Book Corporation. Earlier this year, Wambolt and other AMDT students participated in an UGG challenge in which they developed a line of limited-edition loafers made from car tires for an envisioned promotional collaboration with Formula One. This summer, Wambolt interned at Via Comunicacion, a Madrid-based public relations and communication agency that represents international fashion brands. She worked in the company’s showroom, learned about fashion and event PR, and helped with visual merchandising displays for a variety of brands. Last December, she traveled to China to participate in an AMDT textile industry tour.
Lesly Valdovinos-Arevalo
Lesly Valdovinos-Arevalo plans to graduate in May 2027 with a bachelor’s degree in human nutrition and food systems and a minor in comparative ethnic studies. She was a 2024-2025 McNair Scholar and works as a program assistant for WSU’s High School Equivalency Program, which helps migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families earn GEDs. Valdovinos-Arevalo is a member of WSU’s Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) chapter and has served as a CAHNRS Student Ambassador. She participated in the 2025 Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (SURCA), where she received an award for research on how students from migrant families perceive agriculture and the influence it has on their career paths. Valdovinos-Arevalo also received the Mathison Family Scholarship and the Roger Calhoun Memorial Scholarship from the Washington Apple Education Foundation for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Tahssya Avant
Tahssya Avant graduated cum laude in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in merchandising from WSU’s Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design, and Textiles (AMDT) and a minor in digital technology and culture. During her time as a WSU student, she made the President’s Honor Roll several times. Avant’s team came in second place in an UGG student challenge earlier this year. She worked with teammates to propose a travel-themed menswear line linking UGG, the Fear of God Essentials fashion brand, and Formula One racing driver Lando Norris. Avant is starting law school at Gonzaga University this fall, with plans to incorporate the business knowledge she gained as an AMDT student into a legal career focused on protecting intellectual property rights in the design and innovation sectors.
Daniel Pastor
Daniel Pastor is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in fruit and vegetable management, with plans to graduate in spring 2026. He currently works as a technical assistant at WSU’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee, Washington. Pastor has been involved as a CAHNRS Student Ambassador and will serve as president of WSU’s MANRRS chapter during the 2025-2026 school year. He is also a past mentee and current mentor for WSU’s Team Mentoring Program, which focuses on leadership and network-building for students.