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Short, surprising stories about what Seattle’s community colleges give the city — from neon signs and NASA launchpads to James Beard finalists.
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| LATEST ISSUE · NOVEMBER 2, 2026 | | |
The clocks have rolled back, and the Long Dark is again upon us. What better time to recall the woman whose distinctive creations brighten the city’s long winter nights? She later found a second calling at South Seattle College.
Dick’s Drive-In. The 1954 script is Bea’s own hand. Photo: Matt Hucke
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PAST ISSUES
Earlier issues, 2021 to 2026, newest first. Each opens in a new tab.
2026| Oct. 15 | The color purple / El color morado North Seattle College trains early-learning educators in their home languages, as preschool teacher Diana Ramirez’s new bachelor’s degree and Alexa López Ochoa’s “Purple School” show. | | Sept. 28 | Fall quarter is here Fall quarter welcomes more than 14,000 new students, including 682 scholarship recipients sharing nearly $2.8 million, and introduces Diana, an aspiring surgical technologist. | | Aug. 20 | Seattle Central’s celebrated fashion and tailoring programs Seattle Central’s 2026 apparel design grads take a bow, and the new tuition-free Nordstrom Future of Tailoring Program opens applications. | | July 27 | A fun summer evening at the ballpark with the Seattle Colleges Some 750 students, alumni, faculty and staff gather at T-Mobile Park for the third annual Seattle Colleges Night with the Mariners. | | July 16 | About that poster Seattle’s top-ranked FIFA World Cup 26 poster comes from Shogo Ota, a former Seattle Central Creative Academy instructor, alongside work from the program’s 2026 grads. | | July 3 | Can’t Keep a Green Car Down As electric vehicles rebound once again, South Seattle College trains the technicians to fix them, with help from a see-through Tesla teaching tool. | | June 25 | A joyful day in June By the numbers, the Seattle Colleges Class of 2026 includes 3,290 graduates, 412 of them Foundation scholarship recipients, with ten of them pictured. | | May 20 | Our 2025 Report to the Community The Foundation’s 2025 Report to the Community shares stories of the students, programs and supporters behind its work. | | Feb. 24 | Powering a future with “the other 4-year degree” Journeyworker electrician Sebastian Mercado’s path to Seattle City Light’s century-old Cedar Falls plant makes the case for apprenticeship as “the other 4-year degree.” | | Feb. 8 | Super Bowl LX is here, but there’s another competition we’re watching… Ahead of Super Bowl LX, North Seattle College’s president makes a friendly wager with the president of Quinsigamond Community College in Massachusetts. | | Feb. 5 | “This has changed our city, for the better” Chancellor Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap and Seattle Promise students explain how the city’s tuition-free college program, renewed by voters, is changing Seattle. | | Jan. 19 | The day MLK Jr. came to town Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s only Seattle visit, in 1961, came at the invitation of his Morehouse friend, the Rev. Samuel B. McKinney. |
2025| Nov. 25 | Cook-off turns frog legs into feast For Thanksgiving, South Seattle College student chefs turn frog legs and quince into a feast in a cook-off marking Medosweet Farms’ 50th anniversary. | | Nov. 12 | Seattle Colleges grads making their mark in tech Three alumni and students of North Seattle College’s tech bachelor’s programs — at Snowflake, Amazon and Expedia — describe navigating a fast-changing industry. | | Nov. 7 | “This is a victory for all Seattle families” Seattle voters renew the education levy that funds Seattle Promise, and the Garcia siblings explain what it means to be a “Seattle Promise family.” | | Oct. 30 | Extra! Extra! Seattle Promise on the front page! Seattle Promise lands on the front page of The Seattle Times, which tracks its growth from about 230 students to more than 1,400. | | Oct. 20 | A Promise to all Seattle Students Seattle Public Schools and Seattle Colleges alum Josh Valdez, a drummer and sound designer, now helps other students find their way through Seattle Promise. | | Oct. 3 | The Nurse with the Hawk-Moth Tattoo Heather Bardsley, a former hospital clerk, finds her calling as a nurse at age 43 through Seattle Central’s nursing program, with help from the people around her. | | Sept. 18 | Seattle, home of the nation’s most expensive Big Mac Seattle’s high cost of living, down to the nation’s priciest Big Mac, explains why scholarships matter so much to Seattle Colleges students. | | Aug. 14 | A hidden gem on South’s campus for your bucket list The Seattle Chinese Garden on South Seattle College’s campus is the oldest Sichuan-style garden in the country, and a must-see stop. | | July 7 | Honoring our former Chancellor, Dr. Charles H. Mitchell A tribute to Dr. Charles H. Mitchell — Husky Rose Bowl star, Seattle Central president and Seattle Colleges chancellor — who championed opportunity for his hometown. | | June 25 | An Extraordinary Collection of Grads Commencement student speakers from North, Central and South share three stories of grit, loss and perseverance. | | June 18 | “This represents my last two years here. This represents me.” Graduating student MacKenzie Nelson takes readers inside Seattle Central’s Apparel Design and Development program, where students learn every step from design to production. | | June 16 | “I did it. I followed my dreams.” Colombian engineer turned artist Sergio Papagayo follows his creative dream to the graphic design program at Seattle Central’s Creative Academy. | | June 5 | “It’s really obvious that this is the thing you love” Pastry student Megan prepares her Chef of the Day showcase in Seattle Central’s Culinary Academy, the capstone of the Specialty Desserts and Breads program. | | June 1 | Remembering a legendary public servant A special edition honors the late Rep. Frank Chopp, longtime House Speaker and author of some of the nation’s most progressive education legislation. | | May 15 | Caribbean flavors meet Seattle techniques Bahamian chef Shawon Curry, a graduate of South’s culinary program, brings new skills home with an eye to food security and climate resilience. | | April 24 | Our community, our colleges | 2024 Report to the Community The Foundation’s 2024 Report to the Community celebrates the close of the $50 million Equity Can’t Wait Campaign. | | March 21 | Spring beckons at South’s Arboretum Spring is in bloom at the South Seattle College Arboretum, a 5.5-acre living classroom on a former gravel site that’s one of West Seattle’s best-kept secrets. | | March 5 | From Seattle to Ecuador and back… with a purpose After a turbulent adolescence in Ecuador, North Seattle College student Matias Saenz, 21, returns home and founds a finance society to empower underserved communities. | | Feb. 10 | Our Alumni are Building the Future Two women who trained in pre-apprenticeship programs like Seattle Central’s PACT describe their path into the trades and onto the Lynnwood Link light rail project. | | Jan. 23 | MLK Day 2025: Celebrating tomorrow’s “warm demanders”… For MLK Day, the Academy for Rising Educators helps paraprofessionals like Andrew Rainwater become teachers who reflect Seattle’s students. |
2024| Dec. 19 | Mighty Hercules excels at North Seattle College Callan Hercules, an elite Wikipedia editor and scholarship winner, excels in North Seattle College’s new Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program. | | Dec. 5 | A South student finds a launchpad…to NASA Scholarship winner Nydjah Istatia trains in South’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program, where demanding instructors inspire her toward NASA. | | Nov. 26 | A young carpenter builds a life Scholarship winner Austie Colombe, who grew up on the Rosebud Reservation, builds a new life in carpentry at Seattle Central’s Wood Technology Center. | | Nov. 11 | Order’s Up! South Seattle College culinary students learn to run a food truck, where the first Monday of service is always a trial by fire. | | Oct. 15 | Since there is no planet B Climate-focused programs at South’s Georgetown campus and Seattle Central’s Wood Technology Center draw community support, including a big check. | | Sept. 27 | Back to School Fall quarter opens with the first Seattle Colleges Night with the Mariners and a $50,000 Microsoft gift to the Stay in the Game fund. | | Sept. 25 | Honoring Daniel J. Evans, A Champion for Higher Education in Washington A tribute to Gov. Daniel J. Evans, who signed the 1967 Community College Act that made the Seattle Colleges possible. | | Sept. 12 | “The Unbeatable Diana Ma” In the first of a series on faculty, journalist Florangela Davila profiles North Seattle College professor and young-adult novelist Diana Ma. | | July 25 | Oui, oui — a Seattle Colleges alum at the Olympics! Aaron Small, who completed North Seattle College’s EMT/paramedic program, paddles for the U.S. in the two-man canoe sprint at the Paris Olympics. | | June 26 | A joyful Friday The Seattle Colleges celebrate 3,372 graduates of 2024, among them 366 Foundation scholarship recipients, at T-Mobile Park. | | June 18 | Introducing our college presidents Permanent presidents are named for North, Central and South, along with an interview with Chancellor Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap. | | April 4 | BREAKING: South culinary grad is a 2024 Beard Foundation finalist South Seattle College culinary grad Janet Becerra of Pancita is named a 2024 James Beard finalist for Best Emerging Chef. | | March 8 | Open houses next week at Seattle Colleges Six open houses across the Seattle Colleges invite visitors to explore programs, meet faculty and maybe meet a mascot. | | Feb. 29 | The Wonder Watch For Leap Day, North Seattle College’s Watch Technology Institute explains the perpetual calendar, a mechanical marvel that remembers February 29. | | Feb. 12 | Ribbiting news from North Seattle College North Seattle College’s wetland Pacific tree frogs start their breeding chorus early, and the best place to hear them is near the John Lewis Memorial Bridge. | | Jan. 23 | A feast for the eyes Student artwork from exhibitions at Seattle Central’s M. Rosetta Hunter Gallery and North Seattle College’s art gallery showcases the Colleges’ fine arts programs. | | Jan. 15 | More rocket scientists, more astronauts, more sommeliers The Colleges’ 51st annual MLK celebration honors pathbreakers, including Claude Harris, Seattle’s first Black fire chief. |
2023| Dec. 13 | Promised you The Seattle Times reports that Seattle Promise is exceeding expectations, with 2,500 applicants and 1,400 enrolled this year. | | Dec. 3 | “Food is culture…an identity, a footprint of who you are.” Leading Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander chefs and growers, including Canlis’ Aisha Ibrahim, discuss food, culture and identity at Seattle Culinary Academy. | | Nov. 17 | From North, to NASA, to Cornell Leah Lackey goes from North Seattle College’s rocketry club to two NASA internships and a robotics Ph.D. at Cornell. | | Nov. 8 | A Day for Firsts For National First-Generation College Celebration day, siblings Fathima and Anthony Garcia share how Seattle Promise helped them become college graduates. | | Sept. 19 | BREAKING | Major Grant to Wood Technology Center at Central The Lowe’s Foundation awards a $750,000 grant to Seattle Central’s Wood Technology Center to train more skilled tradespeople. | | July 14 | Bright Lights, Big Syzygy ✨ Seattle Central’s apparel design grads shine in their year-end show, Syzygy, as a $300,000 challenge grant supports the program. | | July 7 | BREAKING! | ⚾ MLB All-Star Game legacy includes scholarships for Seattle Colleges students As part of the MLB All-Star Game legacy, the Seattle Mariners commit $500,000 in scholarships for Seattle Colleges students. | | June 29 | Your minute of joy A one-minute video celebrates the Seattle Colleges’ 2,931 graduates of 2023 at T-Mobile Park. | | June 22 | Four scholarships, two bright futures On Commencement Day, two double scholarship winners, Khalid Mohamed and Jamie Mai, head to UW Nursing and Drexel University. | | June 9 | BREAKING | US Education Secretary Visits Seattle Maritime Academy U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Rep. Pramila Jayapal visit Seattle Maritime Academy to learn how it trains mariners for an industry short on workers. | | June 5 | Yes, Big Blue will keep on truckin’! Marination gives its beloved food truck, Big Blue, to South Seattle College, whose automotive and culinary students will bring it back to life. | | May 1 | A needle pulling thread 🪡 Seattle Central apparel alum Sara Johnson’s workroom has made textiles for a pope, private jets and U.S. Navy ships. | | April 18 | “There’s a world of opportunities out there” Ren Natividad, who is deaf, graduates from Seattle Culinary Academy and lands a coveted job at Capitol Hill’s Osteria La Spiga. | | April 7 | Solving worker shortages A Seattle Times op-ed links the state’s worker shortages to the need for adequate funding for community college workforce education. | | March 21 | Investing in dreams that shape the future Spring’s season of fresh starts is a reminder that scholarships make education affordable, and readers are invited to help spread the word and review applications. | | March 15 | Because Equity Can’t Wait The Foundation’s 2023 Report to the Community details progress on the Equity Can’t Wait campaign. | | Feb. 28 | A towering figure behind a famous tower For Black History Month, a tribute to Thurston Delane Muskelly Sr., who helped save the Beacon Hill hospital that became Pacific Tower. | | Feb. 22 | Behind the curtain of our magic Employers, volunteers and donors help students thrive, as more than 1,000 conversations during the Colleges’ Career Connections virtual networking week show. | | Feb. 7 | Eat, drink and be merry — but first make a reservation Four restaurants with chefs trained at Seattle Culinary Academy are named James Beard Award semifinalists. | | Jan. 27 | “I feel seen and I am grateful for that” Scholarship recipients share their journeys, as donors fund 430 scholarships from nearly 1,000 applications. | | Jan. 18 | “A mountain of a man” For MLK Day, a tribute to the Rev. Dr. Samuel McKinney, “a mountain of a man,” who brought Dr. King to Seattle in 1961. | | Jan. 10 | Celebrating MLK’s Legacy through the Joy of Community The Seattle Colleges’ 50th annual MLK celebration returns in person, built around the theme “the Joy of Community.” |
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