Last Friday, April 10, Whitman Events Board (WEB) partnered with the Walla Walla Community College Student Government Association (SGA) and Associated Students of Walla Walla University (ASWWU) for their first Tri-Chella. The event, which offered food, crafts and live music on Ankeny Field, was organized as a way to connect communities from each of Walla Walla’s local colleges for an evening of fun and student engagement.
The three student governments first met last spring to discuss how they could work together and introduce students from each community. The groups then met once a month from September to February to organize and plan the event. It was during these meetings that Tri-Chella began to take shape.
According to WEB Chair Shahin Hamzeh, the colleges originally planned an event for the fall, but later realized that a spring festival would better fit the culture of each institution, and the spring event offered a variety of activities for each of their students. Ultimately, they decided to organize a Walla Walla-centered take on the music festival Coachella by bringing in musicians and activities for students to enjoy outdoors.
For Hamzeh, this organizational process helped student governments and organizations from the three colleges to collaborate with one another and bring their own insights from each institution.
“I’m seeing it as a learning experience for the three colleges from the different expertise we have,” Hamzeh said. “Walla Walla is a small town, so it’s nice for all of the colleges to interact with each other and have fun.”
Tri-Chella was also an opportunity for Whitman’s student organizations to collaborate with WEB. Groups like Unidos and Whitman Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) passed out posters and zines while the Associated Students for Whitman College (ASWC) provided cotton candy and popcorn.
Walla Walla University also brought in live performances from local bands Radiowaves and Bleach Boys, along with two arts and crafts booths. Enjoying activities like these, attendees were able to introduce themselves to other students as they selected from individual events at Tri-Chella.
The event also invited local students from the university and community college to visit Whitman’s campus. ASWWU Marketing Officer Ella Alito pointed out that students from the three schools may not visit other local campuses during their academic terms.
“I think it’s fun seeing a new place, being in a new area,” Alito said. “I hope people are meeting new people, making new friends. I think it’s just fun.”
Hamzeh added that many students at Walla Walla Community College commute to their campus. In his view, Tri-Chella offered commuters a chance to meet other students and peers off-campus. SGA President Josie Jamieson agreed, noting the wide variety of attendees at last Friday’s event as she pointed out more than 15 students from WWCC attended the festival.
“[Tri-Chella] was a more diverse crowd from all the different colleges,” Jamieson said. “It was fun for all three college students to mingle together.”
The next event between the colleges will take place on Sunday, April 19, from noon to 4 p.m. at Fort Walla Walla Park Rotary Shelter for the annual Tri-College Community Day. The three colleges and their respective community engagement teams will be working together with the Blue Mountain Volunteer Corps to gather the colleges, community partners and community members for volunteer work. The organizations will be providing volunteers with lunch before starting the service projects.
For student attendees, last week’s event, Tri-Chella, provided a way to bridge the gap between all three colleges and open the door for more future social engagement. Students from all Walla Walla Valley institutions were able to meet and connect with one another while building stuffed animals, decorating tote bags, listening to live music and enjoying free food.
