Seattle Central to honor Community College Pioneer Ed K. Erickson, Kick Off Erickson Theatre campaign
A reception will be held to honor community college pioneer Ed K. Erickson, celebrate the official naming of the Ed K. Erickson Theatre Off Broadway, and kick off a $1.6 million campaign to renovate the aging facility.
The theatre campaign is focused upon raising funds for extensive renovation of the theatre, formerly the site of an auto body shop, into a true “black box” community performance space. Seattle Central received a $100,000 gift from PEMCO Insurance in honor of Dr. Erickson, a former PEMCO board member.
During his tenure with the Seattle Community Colleges, Dr. Erickson spearheaded community college education in the Seattle metropolitan area, laying the groundwork for the education of hundreds of thousands of students since 1966. He founded what we now know as North Seattle, South Seattle, and Seattle Central Community Colleges. In July 1969, Dr. Erickson was named president of the Seattle Community College District, which today stands as the state’s second largest institution of higher education.
Attendees will include King County Executive Ron Sims and former Washington State Governor Dan Evans.