Helping Students Thrive

David Hartness, Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) student, is a program manager with statewide educational nonprofit InvestED in Renton, Washington, which helps nearly 25,000 students annually by providing funds to cover fees for academic testing, sports equipment, musical instrument rentals, and more. This spring, Hartness assisted in the creation of an emergency fund to help students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic that raised $1 million in its first month. He is also working on a second novel. His first novel, Amani’s River, tells the story of a child forced into the Mozambique Civil War. The story was inspired by Hartness’ experience living in the country while working with the Peace Corps. The novel received a 2015 National Indie Excellence Award and an indieBRAG medallion.