Student Success

Our students are unique. The students at Seattle Community Colleges are the most diverse in the Northwest. Approximately half of our more than 50,000 students are people of color and reflect more than 80 different languages spoken in homes throughout the region, one-third are parents and two-thirds work at least part-time while attending college. Others are displaced workers who need new skills to adjust to a rapidly changing economy, and many are immigrants or refugees overcoming language and cultural barriers. With a median age of 29, many of our students are older and often come from challenging circumstances or are the first in their families to attend college.

College students face work and family challenges that complicate their education. Balancing work and school, finding day care for children, securing financial aid, arranging transportation, and coping with many other issues have profound effects on our students’ ability to start, stay and complete their certificates or degrees.

The Power & Promise campaign is funding the following areas of support for students:

• Retention Programs
• Scholarships
• Childcare
• Tutoring
• Emergency Grants

We will help hard-working students meet the challenges they face so they can stay in college, become academically successful, complete their degrees or certificates, and—for those students who have it as their goal—go on to complete a four-year degree.