News and Stories
We’re making headlines at Bellevue College. Take a look at the latest events, innovations, and student achievements detailed in our news and stories. From alumni profiles to institutional success, we are proud of the stories that make Bellevue College the region's college of choice.
Bellevue College Board of Trustees Adopts New Mission and Vision
Bellevue College’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to adopt new mission and vision statements for the college on Wednesday, April 23.
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Border Stories
Water bottles left in the middle of a desert on the Tijuana/San Diego border with messages of hope written in Spanish. Children’s clothes and toys abandoned by the dried-up husk of a bush. A mother, attorney and activist, separated from her teenage daughter in the U.S., standing by the wall on the Mexican side with an upraised fist, defiant and undeterred. These were just a few of the moments that struck BC alum Mari McMenamin on a whirlwind journey to tell the story of life at the Mexico/Southern California border for 91.3 KBCS, BC’s award-winning community radio station serving the Seattle-Tacoma region.
Mastering the High Art of Ramen
When Brandon Ting, founder and CEO of Kizuki Ramen and Izakaya, a growing international chain of ramen restaurants, first arrived at Bellevue College, he was placed into English Level 2 for non-English speakers. The subject had been his worst in Taiwan. “They felt sorry for me,” said Ting. “When I arrived, I couldn’t even spell,…
Prepare Your Business for the Effects of COVID-19
New course offering from the Tombolo Institute The Tombolo Institute is excited to introduce a new program, Innovation Lab. The intensive, seven-week program is designed to help businesses acquire relevant business knowledge and adapt to the changed economic environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with Startup425, the institute will offer this program with no tuition…
Bellevue College Awarded $1,473,625 Federal Grant
Funds will support success of low income, first generation, students with disabilities The U.S. Department of Education recently awarded Bellevue College a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant of $1,473,625. The grant will help more BC students succeed in college, and graduate. TRIO SSS serves students who are low income, first generation (those whose…
Excellence Award winners named at Bellevue College
The Bellevue College Foundation recently announced the winners of the 2019-20 BC Faculty & Staff Excellence Awards. Created in 1984 by the BC Foundation, the awards honor outstanding employees who embody excellence and selflessness in helping their students and colleagues achieve success.
Gallery Space Renamed the Robert Purser Art Gallery After Longtime Art Instructor
A visionary leader and founding faculty member, Robert (Bob) Purser’s vision and determination to establish an art gallery led to the eventual construction of the beautiful gallery space we now enjoy at Bellevue College. Purser was hired in 1966 to become the first art instructor at the new Bellevue Community College, where he inspired students…
BC Tackles Textbook Affordability
An innovative digital course materials program, called Inclusive Access, is saving Bellevue College students an estimated one-half million dollars in textbook costs Fall Quarter 2020. Since the program’s inception in 2019, savings have increased each quarter,” said Kristen Connely, BC bookstore manager. “In Spring Quarter 2019 the program saved BC students $90,000 in textbook costs…
Bellevue College is Outraged by the Federal Policy Change to International Students’ Visa Status
The recent news that International students are in jeopardy of being sent back to their home country is devastating to higher education. It has made this a frustrating week for Bellevue College and higher education institutions throughout Washington State and across the US. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced unfair, cruel and ludicrous…
Summer Enrollment off to a Strong Start at BC
Why college is still a smart choice Summer Quarter enrollment at Bellevue College (BC) is off to a strong start, with a 16 percent increase comparing July 1, 2020 to same date in 2019. While the final numbers won’t be tallied until mid-July, it’s a promising sign that many Washingtonians still see higher education as…
RISE Immersion for Faculty and Staff Focuses on Trans Experience
June 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the riots against police brutality at New York’s Stonewall Inn, which is generally considered the birth of the modern LGBTQIA movement. Millions of people joined Pride marches around the world in 2019, and LGBTQIA rights were increasingly in the spotlight. “What many people forget is that many leaders…