Current EvCC College News

Support the Everett Community College Foundation and enjoy delicious Italian food at “Dine Out for Education” at Lombardi’s Italian Restaurants Feb. 27-28. Lombardi’s will donate 5 percent of the proceeds from every lunch and dinner to the EvCC Foundation. “This is the perfect opportunity to have a wonderful dining experience, support our local business community and help students reach their educational goals,” said EvCC Foundation Annual Giving Coordinator Sharon Johnson.

Starbucks Director of Environmental Affairs Jim Hanna will join Snohomish County businesses and Everett Community College students March 3 to discuss sustainability and celebrate the start of the NW Sustainability Challenge. Free to enter, the NW Washington Sustainability Challenge is a regional competition for businesses and students designed to inspire innovative sustainability products and provide support for entrepreneurs in Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island and San Juan counties. “So many entrepreneurs have an idea, but are not sure how to begin acting on it. The challenge is an opportunity to try out an idea for a business and get assistance from experts,” said Diane Kamionka, executive director of NW Innovation Resource Center, which sponsors the challenge. “Entrepreneurs at every level are encouraged to participate.”

Top Medical Assistant Schools ranked Everett Community College’s medical assisting program as the 31st best in the United States in its 2014 list of the country’s top 50 programs. The TopMedicalAssistantSchools.com website evaluated programs considering graduation rates, retention rates, tuition and other factors to determine rankings. “We’re pleased that our program was recognized as one of the best in the country. We work closely with employers to ensure EvCC provides high quality training for medical assistants,” said EvCC Medical Assisting instructor Beth Adolphsen.

Join Everett Community College’s award-winning student news-gathering organization, The Clipper, for a monthly speaker series exploring the history and current development of several types of popular mass media. The free series, featuring academics from the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, kicks off Feb. 11 with a return visit from digital-technology expert Alex Alben.

Writer Gregory Wolfe will speak about the role of faith in science fiction author Ray Bradbury’s stories at 10 a.m. Feb. 17 at Everett Community College’s Jackson Center, Room 101. The event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required. Wolfe, a writer in residence at Seattle Pacific University where he teaches English literature and creative writing, enjoys exploring the relationship between art and religion.

More than 120 educators, political leaders, students and their families gathered Jan. 10 to celebrate the 29 college students participating this year in the Latino Leadership Initiative and encourage more Latino youth to become leaders. The program, now in its third year, promotes leadership development and higher education through formal workshops, hands-on mentoring and service-learning projects. Participating students are from Edmonds Community College, Everett Community College and Skagit Valley College.

Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Mike Deller to Everett Community College’s Board of Trustees. Deller, who graduated from EvCC in 1971, is a longtime supporter of the college. He’s the second of three generations connected to EvCC. His father, Bill Deller, was the dean of students at the college and later established the EvCC Foundation.

Everett Community College’s Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) will launch its new custom-built research boat with a celebration at 11 a.m. Nov. 22 at the Port of Everett. The dedication of the Phocoena (the scientific name for harbor porpoise, pronounced FOE see nuh) will happen at the port’s travel lift, located in front of ORCA’s classrooms at 1205 Craftsman Way in Everett. After a ceremonial bottle of champagne is broken across the bow, visitors can take tours of the boat.

Everett Community College was recognized Sept. 24 as one of the nationwide leaders in student success by Achieving the Dream for its commitment to student completion and closing achievement gaps. “EvCC faculty and staff have worked hard to improve student completion in the past three years, and we are tremendously honored to be selected as a student success leader,” said EvCC President David Beyer. “But our work isn’t done. We are committed to streamlining the path to success for every student.” EvCC was one of 16 community colleges selected this year as an Achieving the Dream leader college. Achieving the Dream has 32 leader colleges nationwide, including six in Washington.

Everett Community College nursing students are raising money and collecting donations of supplies for the college’s fifth annual trip to the Dominican Republic to provide care for impoverished families.

Everett Community College has hired María Peña as the college’s chief diversity officer, a new position created to lead the college’s efforts to create and sustain a climate of diversity and equity. Peña, of Mill Creek, brings 23 years of higher education experience to EvCC. Previously, she served as dean for Student Services and assistant to the president at Peninsula College. She also assumed leadership responsibilities as the steward of the Peninsula College longhouse since its creation in 2006.

Everett Community College has hired Alison Stevens as the college’s new executive vice president of instruction and student services. Stevens, of Seattle, has more than 27 years of higher education experience. Prior to EvCC, she served as the interim vice president for Academic and Student Affairs at Shoreline Community College. “EvCC is doing fantastic work, and I’m excited to be part of the college’s future,” Stevens said. “The college is well known throughout the region and state for innovative initiatives, including that of combining student services with instruction under one umbrella to help students get what they need efficiently and effectively.”