Garcia to serve on Eastern board of trustees as student represenative

Eastern Washington University will have a new student voice on its board of trustees.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed EWU senior Mariana Garcia as the student representative to the board, replacing the graduating Francisco “Frank” Navarro.

Garcia officially joined the board July 1, took part in the recent vote to approve the 2016 fiscal year operating budget and will continue serving through June 30, 2016.

A 2011 graduate of Granger High School in the Yakima Valley, Garcia has been very active in promoting diversity at Eastern, serving as the Diversity Outreach Representative of the Associated Students of EWU (ASEWU) as well as president of M.E.Ch.A. She is also part of the TRiO Ronald McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program, which prepares underrepresented minority undergraduates for graduate school.

“EWU has been a beacon of hope for me,” Garcia, who is the first in her family to attend college, said in a news release. “EWU has given me the tools to accomplish my goals. I am excited to work with the board of trustees to help all students succeed.”

Garcia presented research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) at Eastern in April. She has also helped organize several campus events to advocate for higher education for all students and hosted a radio show on KYRS Community Radio in Spokane.

She will graduate next June with a bachelors of arts in international affairs.

“I’m delighted that Mariana Garcia is joining the board,” EWU president Mary Cullinan said. “She will provide insights and perspectives that will help the university continue to support our students’ success.”