Foundation of Yakima Valley College

Yakima Valley College colleagues of Brian Patterson, who passed away before the end of the Spring term, are hoping to preserve something of his love for students, by creating an endowed scholarship in his name. 

Brian died June 2, 2019, of liver cancer. In mid March, even though he knew the diagnosis, he was still working, still wanting to teach. He had traveled to Pittsburgh and had presented at the “4Cs” (the Conference on College Communication and Composition) with three YVC colleagues. 

Over Spring break, in late March, he received a week's worth of radiation treatments, aimed at alleviating some of the pain he had been experiencing (due to what we now know was liver cancer that had metastasized to his ribs). 

By early April, when the Spring term began, he hoped he could go on teaching. He wanted to go on teaching. 

And the first few days of the term, he did get all three of his classes going on their first writing projects. He even provided his developmental writing students with handwritten comments on their first drafts (probably fairly extensive comments – would be my guess).

But, by the end of the first week of the Spring term, the pain in his ribs had become too great, and he accepted the reality that he had to stop teaching.  He asked for and was granted an extended leave of absence, beginning April 5th, for at least the Spring and coming Fall terms.  At this point, I'm told, he still had hope that he could be "beat" or at least put off the cancer for, perhaps, up to a year.

But, even once he was officially on "leave," Brian could not resist helping students. I know this because on the morning of April 9th, days after his leave had begun, I found him in his office talking with a student. I was surprised to see him. (I found out later that he had come in to process some paper work related to his leave.) Right away, I recognized by the sound encouraging tone in his voice, that he was advising this student. I had no idea, at that moment, that that would be the last time Brian would be able to help a student in this way.  

Then, with the help of one of his brothers and sisters-in-law, Brian packed up his campus office on April 19th, and moved home to Carnation, WA, to spend what would turn out to be his last six weeks with his mother and siblings. He died peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, in the early hours of June 2, 2019. 

***

Hello. My name is Laura May, and I was lucky enough to co-teach and to co-lead with Brian the English department on YVC's Grandview campus, for six years. As I said above, we -- Brian's colleagues at YVC -- are hoping to create something by which will continue to build on the foundation that Brian himself laid down, in his dedication to and love of students.

An endowed scholarship would provide financial help every year, in perpetuity, to a deserving YVC student. Once the scholarship is funded, we would set up some criteria to guide the YVC Foundation in choosing each year’s recipient. Knowing Brian and his love of guiding and encouraging students toward whatever direction they themselves felt called to go, we're sure he wouldn’t wish the criteria to be very limiting – except to put some emphasis on financial need. But those details can be worked out later.

The minimum required to set up an endowed scholarship is $5,000. But the more we contribute, the greater the gift to help students fund their education. The foundation have been able to pay out about 3.5% per year of the funds' values.

So… if we reach $10,000, a deserving student each year will receive approximately $350. If we reach $15,000, it would be approximately $525. And if $20,000, it would be approximately $700. Etc.

YVC Foundation page -- click on "Scholarship Criteria" to see similar scholarships 

THANK YOU. 

If you're reading this, you probably already know that Brian was an "influencer" extraordinaire -- helping, inspiring, guiding, teaching, uplifting, and challenging students (as well as friends, family, and colleagues!).

With this scholarship, we can "pay it forward" for him. His love for students can continue. 

P.S.  I hope many of us will be able to meet in person at Brian's Memorial! It'll be on August 10th, 2019, at the Tolt Congregational Church, in Carnation, WA, at 11:00a (reception to follow at 1:00p). 



Brian teaching, at YVC Grandview, in 2013...

Brian volunteering at the 2016 Grape-to-Glass Gala student scholarship event, at YVC Grandview...

Brian and I working on a presentation proposal, December 18, 2019, which we would have presented at a conference on April 26-27, 2019 (had he been able to)... 

Brian presenting at the "4Cs", March 15, 2019...

Brian cleaning out his office, April 19, 2019, after obtaining a leave of absence a week or so earlier...

Brian giving me a dirty look :), when he caught me videoing him, May 12, 2019 -- at his brother's house in Carnation, WA...

One of the many notes posted on Brian's YVC office door, after his death...


Brian's obituary, published in The Seattle Times, June 17, 2019 (a very simple obituary which Brian himself wrote)