Area Report for Board of Trustees

Dear Board of Trustees,

We have had a phenomenal academic year! Student Services staff have gone above and beyond, in so many ways, to support the wonderfully diverse student population at Highline College. This month, I am pleased to share a few brief updates aligned with Highline College’s core themes.

The College is seeing strong enrollment growth across Spring, Summer, and early Fall terms compared to the same time last year. This positive trend reflects our continued efforts to reduce barriers and expand access.

Our community and global partnerships are also growing. The new promise partnership with Tukwila School District has already led to 42 student applications for Fall. Internationally, we have established a partnership with Broward in China and have secured visas for the first cohort of students who will arrive this summer.

On campus, our culture of inclusion and student engagement remains vibrant. Events such as Global Fest, Queer Visions, and the Student Legacy Awards brought together students, faculty, and staff to celebrate our diverse community. We also continue to see strong participation and achievement in athletics, with recent NWAC recognition and an upcoming fundraiser supporting our programs.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our students and our mission. I look forward to celebrating our graduating students’ achievements with you at Commencement on June 12^th Emeral Downs.

Kind regards,

Dr. Jamilyn Penn

Vice President of Student Services

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

• TRIO hosted their annual celebration event on June 5, 2025 to honor the accomplishments of our TRIO graduates, TRIO participants and families who are part of the collective effort for higher education advancement. Many are the first in their family to earn a college degree. Congratulations TRIO scholars! We are proud of you.
• A new partner from China, Broward, will be sending the first cohort group to HC for this summer quarter. Despite the recent developments with a delay in visa appointments, they have managed to secure 7 students’ visas. We plan to partner with this company for several other cohorts in the future.
• ICEF conference. Met with several prospective agents we are interested in partnering with to send students to us. Tiffany and Jesse attended the conference.
• Enrollment reports
  • Spring enrollment as of day 73rd of registration
    • FTEs: 6187 compared to 5388 on the same date in Spring 2024.
    • Headcount: 9134 compared to 8240 on the same date in Spring 2024.
  • Summer enrollment as of day 13th of registration
    • FTEs: 1261 compared to 980 on the same date in Summer 2024.
    • Headcount: 2210 compared to 1740 on the same date in Summer 2024.
  • Fall enrollment  as of day 13th of registration
    • FTEs: 1278 compared to 887 on the same date in Fall 2024.
    • Headcount: 1711 compared to 1187 on the same date in Fall 2024.
  • A New Online Admission Application was implemented on April 26.
  • In terms of residency, out of the 882 applications processed (excluding Running Start) after the 4/26 implementation, 773 are in state, 21 out of state with waiver, and only 18 are undetermined.
  • Penn attended the AI in Student Affairs and Enrollment Management information session sponsored by SBCTC in collaboration with the Washington State Student Services Council (WSSSC)

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

• Penn and Shakira Ericson were present at the State Capital to witness Governor Ferguson sign HB 1587-2025-26, which was primarily sponsored by Representative Bergquist. The legislation encourages local government partner promise scholarship programs within the Washington state Opportunity scholarship program to further reduce barriers within their jurisdictions. Highline College and Renton Technical College have developed regional promise programs with Tukwila School District and Renton School District, respectively. To date, forty-two Foster High School students have completed applications to participate in the promise program and plan to attend Highline College in the 2025-2026 academic year.
• Tukwila School District held a press conference at Foster High School to formally announce and celebrate the kickoff of Tukwila Promise. Vice Presidents Gertman and Penn were present.
• With Dr. Mosby, Dr. Penn and Dr. Jimenez attended the Horizon Grant Leadership meeting to discuss and reflect on the grant, holistically. This grant helps to support pathways to higher education for students graduating from regional high schools. Many of these students transition from Highline Public Schools to Highline College and engage in learning communities like Umoja and Juntos, among others. Puget Sound ESD superintendent John Welch hosted the meeting. Others in attended included regional superintendents Pfeiffer, Duran, and Pedroza.

Core Theme 4: CULTURE & CAPACITY: Promote a campus culture which fosters equity and inclusivity supporting employee growth and development, and institutional capacity for transformation

• Global fest was a success on Thursday May 29th
  • Over 150 students attended with over 15 cultural booths, over 10 performances, and a successful fashion show
• Backyard Bash to take place on Thursday June 5th. We anticipate over 250 students in attendance. This event is a collaboration between ISP, CLS, Women’s Programs, and our Academic Success Center
• The Student Legacy awards ceremony was well attended, and students were overjoyed by being recognized for their achievements.
• On June 4^th, Dr. Penn attended the Queer Visions. Hosted at Highline College, Queer Visions is a celebration of LGBTQIA+ stories, and voices.

Division Honors and Achievements

• The NWAC year-end meetings are scheduled for this week. Highline College’s Sophia Crosby will be recognized as the Women’s Tennis Player of the Year.
• Coaches have been working tirelessly recruiting and signing new student athletes for the 2025-26 sports season
• Golf will have a fundraiser June 13, 2025, at Twin Lakes Country Club. Coaches Turcotte and Willis have done a fantastic job of securing a full field of participants.

Report submitted by Vice President of Student Services, Dr. Jamilyn Penn