Together, we can help our students succeed

A message from President Sheila Edwards Lange, Ph.D.

Dear Friends, 

One of the great joys of working for a college is to be surrounded by the optimism and energy of students. It’s palpable, and it’s perennial. The resilience, enthusiasm and passion of our students never ceases to astound me. That is just one of many reasons why I have dedicated my life and career to education.

It’s also why I feel incredibly fortunate that my path has led me to the presidency of Seattle Central College. After serving since last August as interim president, I was appointed to the permanent positon earlier this week, and I am absolutely elated. There exists in this role an exciting opportunity to change the lives of students in profound ways.

I was attracted to this position, in part, because I can identify with many of our students. I did not come from a wealthy family. I needed loans, work-study jobs, help from scholarships and need-based aid to make a college education a reality. I worked hard and eventually graduated from a great university, with an education and a set of experiences that not only changed my life, but greatly influenced my future course.

Over the past year as interim president, I have benefited greatly from working with and getting to know many of you, the supporters and champions of our college. This has allowed me to better understand the challenges facing our institution, to discover the rich history and tradition of Seattle Central, and to realize that our college has a very bright future.

As a result, I feel that I am on very firm footing to begin this journey with you. As we move forward out of this period of transition, I want to continue the important work of creating a shared vision for the future of Seattle Central. All of you in the community have so much to contribute, and only by working together will we forge meaningful strategies to help our students succeed. When they build rewarding careers that can support themselves and their families, our community grows and thrives in remarkable ways.

Sincerely,

Sheila Edwards Lange, Ph.D.