Area Report for Board of Trustees

It feels like we were just on the stage at Emerald Downs congratulating Highline’s Class of 2025. While Comm/Marketing, including Design and Printshop designed and produced the Commencement Program, our social media and PIO were capturing moments through photos, videos and interviews to be shared through social media. Meanwhile more than 100 current students have been notified about their fy26 HC Foundation Scholarship Awards. IA has continued to be active in our community and support campus efforts, including supporting HC Athletics at the T-bird Golf Classic, hosting the Southside Leadership Conference and helping establish Des Moines as the 6 Gill Shark capital of the world.

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

• Highline College Foundation Scholarship award notifications have been sent to 104 students for a total of $227,400 for Academic Year 2025-2026.
• In addition to quarterly $15,000 in emergency tuition awarded to students facing financial hurdles, the Foundation worked with WES to provide approximately $6,000 to a group of students whose grant funding was not available for summer quarter tuition.
• Grants and Government Relations team continues work with TRiO office in Student Services in developing TRiO proposals while monitoring the federal situation around Dept of Ed and TRiO funding.

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

• During days leading up to Commencement, IA participated and provided support for a variety of annual end of school celebrations such as ISP graduation and Nursing Pinning Ceremony,TRiO year-end, ACHIEVE capstone presentations, Arcturus Book Launch and more.

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

IA team participated and supported these events:

• Thunderbird Classic Golf Tournament, June 13
• Southsound Leadership Conference, June 20
• Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce, July 2
• 6 Gill Shark Day on Sunday, July 6, 2025 – MaST
• GESA Affinity Card Partners Check Presentation July 14, 2025

Division Honors and Achievements

• Prior to commencement, the IA Team and Campus View residents were treated to a visit by the goats of the South Sound. Highline College facilities bring a herd of goats to campus to assist in cleaning up the wooded trail area on the Westside of campus. The owners of the Campus View Building coordinated to bring the goats to their pre-development site between Campus View and East Lot and for two days we watched 120 goats work through blackberry vines and overgrown brush.
• Congratulations to Tanisha Williams, Program Specialist 4- Scholarships and Alumni, who had the opportunity to celebrate the graduation of her son from both Highline (Running Start) and Kent Meridian High School and to Tony Johnson, Director of Communications and Marketing, on the graduation of his daughter from Issaquah High School.

Report submitted by Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Joshua Gerstman