Area Report for Board of Trustees

Members of Institutional Advancement (IA) kicked off 2025 with activity, projects and engagements on campus, in the community, in Olympia and Washington D.C. and through our virtual environments. IA also worked with Public Safety on producing timely messaging during early February snowstorm and inclement weather impacts. The Foundation team provided support to several of the Highline Experiences offered at Thunderbirds Soar, set the date for the 2025 signature event, and committed to a new donor platform that will go live by mid-2025.

Core Theme 1: ACCESS, Reduce Barriers and close equity gaps to access for all community members

• Foundation funds directly assisted 75 students since the beginning of Winter Quarter, 47 students received emergency tuition support, 15 received emergency assistance from United Way funds and 13 students received grants through Highline Promise Partnership.
• Foundation worked with Student Support/WISH program to host the Jeannette Rankin Foundation and King County Housing Authority for a visit to discuss a current grant that provides additional financial assistance to eligible WISH program participants.

Core Theme 2: STUDENT LEARNING, Increase educational success, collaborate to improve

• Communications and Marketing continues to shine the spotlight on students, their achievements and reminders of registration for spring quarter.
• Spring Quarter Registration: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jyp9PaZJ8WE

Core Theme 3: COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, Create a more inclusive working environment and a more valued, visible relationship with communities we serve

• Government Relations (GR) team worked with Renton Tech and Green River Colleges on a successful tri-college legislative reception in Olympia on January 30 in conjunction with Higher Education Day on the Hill.
• GR provided crucial support to Trustees attending the ACCT National Legislative Summit in Washington D.C. February 10-12, including key meetings with Congressman Adam Smith, Senator Maria Cantwell and attendance at the national congressional forum.
• IA reps hosted the mayors of Burien and Normandy Park for campus visits as well as meetings with the city manager of Des Moines to discuss collaborative opportunities.
• IA reps attended community events including Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, What’s Up Des Moines, Port of Seattle and Seattle King County Workforce Development Council.

Division Honors and Achievements

• Big shout out to the Communications and Marketing team, including Web Team, Social Media and PIO for working with Public Safety during our inclement weather days to make sure messaging was updated and shared to the college community in a timely manner and contributed to keeping everyone safe and informed.
• Foundation is excited to announce that Christy Bowman White, alumna, has joined the board of directors. Christy was featured in a alumni profile as reported and shared by Communications and Marketing on the college website.

Report submitted by Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Joshua Gerstman