Bellevue College Magazine
Stories at the heart of Bellevue College. Special edition 60th anniversary - 2026.
Featured Story
A Look Back at Bellevue College’s History
From its modest start at a high school campus in 1966 to its 100-acre campus today, Bellevue College has seen its share of change in the last 60 years.
The Athletes who Ran, Jumped, and Soared
Bellevue College’s 60th anniversary celebration extends beyond the classroom. It’s seen on the tracks, courts, and fields where the Bulldogs built their legacy.
Four Decades of Philanthropy
Courter Baseball Field. The NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies (NWCET). The Early Childhood Center. The Courter Family Pavilion. The Margaret Courter, Courter Family Interior Design, and Courter Athletic Scholarships. The Bellevue College Foundation. The Willard Geer Planetarium.
Basketball Alumna Turns Up the Heat with Award–Winning Cookbook
Hawa Hassan can answer what attracted her to Bellevue College with one word: “Basketball.” She played for the women’s team in 2002 and still recalls fondly her time as a Bulldog.
Magazine Stories
Alum Finds Success as Co-Founder of Popular Tutoring App
Marwan El-Rukby entered Bellevue College through Running Start in 2015. This first-generation American immigrant knew that he wanted to start a business. He completed his business associate degree at age 20.
Josh Shaer: Assistant Attorney General and Bellevue College Alum
Josh Schaer’s fascination with public service began in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as a primary school student. “One day, I just called the mayor’s office. I think I was about eight years old,” he said, adding that he was curious about what a mayor did, and the mayor was happy to tell him.
Bellevue College Alumna Now Driving Patient Access at Fred Hutch
Megan Brazil’s older brother went to Bellevue College, so it seemed natural for her to start there in pursuit of her associate degree in healthcare administration. As a child growing up in Renton, Brazil spent considerable time at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and her experiences left her with a deep appreciation for the people working there.
The Beauty of Teaching: Alum, Instructor Inspires Through Math
An immigrant from Iran, Tony Akhlaghi arrived in Washington as a young man and found Bellevue was the cheapest place for him to live in the late 1980s.
First-Gen Alum Turned Physics Instructor, YouTuber Inspires Students Worldwide
Dr. David Jackson never planned to go to college. Nobody in his family had pursued a degree. Instead, he spent the early 1980s after high school working on his dream of rock-and-roll stardom. At one point, his group did make it through “a battle of the bands” and got some airplay on the radio.
Pioneer in the Field of Ultrasound (Sonography)
As a young woman, Joan P. Baker wanted to go to medical school.
But in order to get in, she needed a language other than English on her transcript, and she had unfortunately failed French. So, she turned to plan B: bypassing medical school to work in radiography.
Merle Landerholm: Founding President was a Groundbreaking Visionary
The Eastside owes much to Bellevue College’s founding president.
1965: Eastside Community Comes Together to Campaign for Bellevue College
It started with a luncheon between two competing school district leaders. And ended with the entire Eastside rallying behind a campaign to place a Bellevue college on the map.
Late Counselor, Instructor Donates $1.8 Million to Bellevue College Foundation
Thousands of Bellevue College students will benefit from $1.8 million bequeathed to the Bellevue College Foundation by the late Daniel J. LaFond, a former instructor and counselor, who passed in October 2024.
The DNA of Learning: Three Generations of Mauldins at Bellevue College
For over five decades, at least one member of the Mauldin family has contributed to the excellence of Bellevue College.
About Bellevue College Magazine
The Bellevue College Magazine elevates the college’s remarkable stories—stories about faculty pushing the bounds of innovation, students growing and discovering new passions, and alumni who take what they’ve learned and use it to shape their own success and strengthen their communities. Within these stories, you’ll read about the heart behind what makes Bellevue College a college built by and for the community.