Community newsletter message from Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange, August 2020
Dear Seattle Central community,
Fall quarter is just around the corner, and in a normal time that would mean bustling halls a
nd classrooms brimming with energy, hope, and faith in the future.
These are not normal times, and most of our classrooms and halls will be empty this fall. But that does not mean we must also put aside the energy of a new year, the hope of a new beginning, or the faith that better days are ahead.
Instead, we are choosing to focus that energy, that hope, and that faith to take stock of what makes Seattle Central College the unique and vibrant college that it is. We will take chances, adapt, and innovate, so that we can better serve our community in a time when it needs us the most. Though our instruction will take place mostly online, our faculty will work harder to deliver classes that are interesting and that will resonate with our students.
We are finding creative ways to encourage community even when we can’t meet in person. In the few programs where students must meet in person with a teacher, we are instituting strict safety protocols to keep them safe. This year will also see the first fruits of our commitment to Guided Pathways, an educational approach designed to help students find the programs that fit their needs, and to complete those programs efficiently and quickly.
The program will remove the barriers that keep many students from succeeding in college, particularly for students of color. A big part of this work will be supported by a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program grant of more than $2.2 million, which will fund training for faculty and the redesign of our student orientation and counseling services.
All of this work will be done in the midst of uncertainty, due to our financial situation and the global pandemic. But I have seen this college and its staff and faculty rise in past challenges. With your help and support, I know we will come out of it better, stronger, and more committed to serving our students and our city.
In solidarity,
Sheila Edwards Lange, PhD President,
Seattle Central College
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