Highline College
| Type | 2-year |
|---|---|
| Established | 1961 |
| President | Dr. Jack Bermingham |
| Students | 2009-2011 Credit and Non-Credit: 18,993; Credit: 10,731[1] |
| Location | , , |
| Campus | 80 acres (320,000 m2) |
| Mascot | Thunderbirds |
| Website | Highline C.C. |
| File:Hccnewlogo.png | |
Highline Community College is a community college located in Des Moines, Washington, south of Seattle, Washington. Highline was founded in 1961 as the first community college in King County. The main campus is located on 80 acres (320,000 m2) of hilltop land that overlook Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains to the west.[2] Currently there are approximately 10,000 students and 350,000 alumni of the college.[3] NBA player, Brian Scalabrine, who has often been described as a fan favorite, went to college here before transferring to the University of Southern California.
History
Highline was founded in 1961 and the first junior college in King County. The current campus in Des Moines was built in 1964 with additional buildings added in following years to meet student and technology needs. Classes are also offered at the Marine Science and Technology (MaST) Center at Redondo Beach and additional service-area locations such as Burien and White Center. [4]
President
After being named interim president on November 16, 2006 following the termination of former President Dr. Priscilla Bell's contract by the college board of trustees, Dr. Jack Bermingham was named permanent president of the college by the board in May 2008. At the Board of Trustees' meeting on June 9th 2011, Dr. Jack Bermingham's contract was extended through June 30th, 2014 by a unanimous vote.[5][6][7]
Demographics
The demographics of Highline are diverse due to both the local population and the acceptance of international students. As of 2007, 52% of all students are categorized as White, 18% are Asian/Pacific Islander, 16% African American, 13% Hispanic/Latino, and 1% Native American. The total number credit and non-credit students is 15,049, while 60% of those are credit students. The student body is 62% female and 38% male.[8]
Accreditation
Highline has several nationally accredited programs of study. The college itself is accredited by the Commission on Colleges and Universities of the Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities. The Nursing program is accredited by National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission. The Respiratory Care program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. The Medical Assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and the Curriculum Review Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment. The Paralegal program is also approved by the American Bar Association.[9]
Foundation
The Highline Community College Foundation was established in 1972 as a non-profit organization to help raise funds to improve the quality of education at HCC.[2][10] The Foundation often holds events and allows donations to be made in an effort to raise funds. With a donation of $500 the Foundation allows individuals or groups to create their own fund that others may donate to. Both students and faculty members can take advantage of the Foundation, through scholarships and grants respectively.
MaST
The Marine Science and Technology Center (MaST) is located approximately ten minutes south of HCC at Redondo Beach Park. " The goal of the MaST is to promote understanding, appreciation, and preservation of the marine environment through hands-on research, education, and community activities that highlight the beauty, complexity, and importance of the South Puget Sound ecosystem."[11] The MaST is a relatively unique research facility in the region and has the potential to help both the community and students through a unique learning process. About 400 students per-year participate in monitoring the water quality of the Puget Sound. There is also a station available to track weather data in real-time.
The MaST Center, which closed down in Fall 2006 for reconstruction, reopened Summer quarter 2008. The Grand Opening celebration on Monday, June 16, 2008 had over 300 attendees and included remarks by US Representative Adam Smith, Des Moines City Mayor Bob Sheckler, and Capital Campaign Co-Manager Dan Altmayer. The new facility is 2,500 square feet (230 m2) and situated on a 260-foot (79 m) pier.[12]
Community education
Water Weekends allow the local community to interact with the underwater communities of the Puget Sound. Visitors can "see" and "touch" animals from Puget Sound in 11 large flow-through tanks. The MaST Center is open every Saturday from 10:00AM to 2:00PM free to the general public.
Summer on the Sound, a week-long day camp, is offered for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders interested in science, Puget Sound and the environment.
Library
CWU-Des Moines
Central Washington University has a campus facility located on Highline Community College's campus. There is a partnership between the schools that allows students to take classes from both HCC and CWU concurrently. Both Bachelor's and Master's degrees programs are available along with certification programs.
References
- ^ "HCC Facts" (PDF). Highline Community College. Retrieved 2012-08-08..
- ^ a b "Foundation- About Us -Highline Community College". 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ "About HCC". Highline Community College. Retrieved 2006-11-26..
- ^ http://communications.highline.edu/facts.php
- ^ Nichols, Ralph. "President removed at Highline College". Highline Times. Retrieved 2006-11-26. [dead link]
- ^ "Interim President Appointed". 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-29. [dead link]
- ^ "President's Office Home Page Highline Community College". 2006-12-1. Retrieved 2006-12-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ "HCC Facts". 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
- ^ "Accredited". Highline Community College. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
- ^ "Foundation Highline Community College". 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ "About the MaST Center - Highline Community College". 2007-11-21. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
- ^ "Highline Community College's Marine Science and Technology Center". 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
External links