Spotlight Student: Talia Avalos

Editor’s Note: Spotlight Students are nominated by staff and faculty at WSU Spokane and are recognized during commencement for their dedication, commitment, sacrifice and/or ability to overcome great odds to succeed as a student. They are selected by a committee ahead of commencement. WSU Spokane will feature each Spotlight Student each day through May 13.

Talia Avalos is a first-generation college student and didn’t let the opportunity go to waste.

Avalos is graduating from the Speech and Hearing Sciences program and was this school year’s director of the Student Entertainment Board (SEB). The SEB hosted a number of events this year for students, including movie nights, bingo night and trivia night with Bent Trivia, to name a few.

These events were the result of research Avalos conducted, where she gauged student interest regarding what kinds of involvement and activities students were interested in.

Avalos is also a leader in the Multicultural Club and worked with the Student Affairs office to create a new Student Diversity Center.

Avalos volunteers her time mentoring high school students with College Access Corp. She also volunteers with Arc of Spokane and Free Rein, a therapeutic horseback riding program for people with disabilities.

After graduation, Avalos plans to work as a Speech Language Pathologist Assistant with the Spanish population in Hermiston, Oregon. She would eventually like to get her master’s in communication disorders.