Area Report for Board of Trustees

As Highline College concludes Winter Quarter, IA team members have been busy helping the college be ready for spring and beyond. The HC Foundation shared information with campus about the establishment of the Dr. Ed Command Fund, Communications and Marketing continue to feature students in a series of short videos that both encourage enrollment in Spring and some of their favorite aspects of campus. Government Relations worked with local elected officials host a community town hall as well as frequent check-ins for the state and federal legislative processes. Grants has been working with colleagues in academic affairs on SBCTC HEET Grant for Healthcare and with TRIO in support of a Talent Search submission.

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

• The Foundation recently shared news about the establishment of the Ed Command Fund with the campus community and the impact that Dr. Command’s generous legacy gift will have on opening access and reducing barriers to education.

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

• Communications and Marketing continues to shine the spotlight on students through short video segments such as this one: T-Birds, What’s Your Dream Job?

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 the elected officials and legislative staff to host a 33rd District Town Hall on Campus in B8 on 3/14/25. Approximately 200 community members, including Highline staff, faculty and students as well as local city leaders attended. Special thanks to Conference Services for accommodating this event, hosted by HC IA.
• HC Foundation provided sponsorship funds for Federal Way Public Schools STEAM Night on 3/13 and several HC departments, led by Outreach and Recruitment and including Academic areas participated. Speaking of FWPS, IA participated in multiple Portrait of a Graduate sessions held by the district to envision the skills, characteristics and attributes of future graduates.

Division Honors and Achievements

• Sharon Vail, Director of Philanthropy, is amongst a handful of Highline Staff and Faculty currently visiting Vietnam, engaged in learning, development and promoting Highline College with key partners.
• Congratulations to Ashley Kerr, Executive Assistant to VP. Gerstman, for successfully presenting and passing her final project for Masters in Higher Education from Central Washington University.

Report submitted by Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Joshua Gerstman