Seattle University and Cornish College of the Arts Announce They Will be Joining Together

 

Seattle University and Cornish College of the Arts announced last month the signing of a Letter of Intent for joining the institutions, with Cornish becoming the Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University and continuing to educate students at its South Lake Union campus.

Both institutions are non-profits with Cornish College enrolling 502 students and Seattle University, a Jesuit institution, enrolling 7,182 students. 

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers, and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Cornish was founded as Cornish School of Music in 1914. It was briefly advertised as Cornish School of Music, Language, and Dancing in 1915 and later, Cornish College of the Arts in 1921.  After the Depression era it referred to itself as the Cornish School. In 1955, the name changed to Cornish School of the Allied Arts and in 1977, to Cornish Institute of Allied Arts. Then in 1986 it became Cornish College of the Arts.

Seattle University was founded in 1891 as the School of the Immaculate Conception. The name changed to Seattle College in 1898 and then to Seattle University in 1948.

Focusing on Yakima Valley College History and Future through Lens of Campus Buildings

The Yakima Herald published an interesting article, "YVC past and future: College to expand to west campus," with reporting by Tammy Ayer.

Ayer interviewed a number of people associated with Yakima Valley College and provides an historical sketch of the institution through a focus on several campus buildings:  Prior Hall, Raymond Library, Kendall Hall, Kendall Auditorium, Larson Museum and Gallery, and the more recent West campus expansion.

Yakima Valley College was initially founded in 1928 as a private two-year college. In 1948 it became a public junior college under the auspices of the Yakima School District and was known as Yakima Valley Junior College. In 1967 the Washington State legislature passed the Community College Act and YVC became a state community college under the jurisdiction of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Everett Community College: Celebrating 75th Anniversary

The Everett, WA Herald published an interesting editorial, "In teaching students, EvCC built a community," focusing on the history and contributions of Everett Community College.  EvCC celebrated the 75th anniversary of its founding in 1941 this week.  The institution serves more than 19,000 students each year through seven learning centers located throughout Snohomish County.  EvCC is also one of  thirty-four community and technical colleges administered by the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges.

The college also offers a Voices of EvCC page with links to a number of oral history recordings from several years ago

Whatcom Community College celebrates 50th Anniversary of Founding

 

Whatcom Community College in Bellingham, WA is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.  The institution was founded in 1967 and reported enrollment of 4,391 students.  Kyle Mittan of the Bellingham Herald reports on an exhibit at the Whatcom Museum that will be showcasing the college history this spring.

The college website also offers an anniversary page with links to a timeline, photo gallery, 50th anniversary video, and a schedule of events.

Seattle University Celebrates 125th Anniversary

Seattle University is celebrating its 125th anniversary.  SU is a Jesuit institution founded in 1891 as the School of the Immaculate Conception.  It became Seattle College in 1898 and Seattle University in 1948.  Anniversary web pages are available with brief historical sketches, images, a timeline of anniversary activities, opportunities for alumni to share their thoughts, downloadable posters, and much more.

Pierce College begins celebration of 50th Anniversary

Pierce College with campuses in Lakewood and Puyallup, Washington is beginning celebration of the anniversary of its founding in 1967.

Classes were initially held in an abandoned grocery story in Lakewood and the institution was originally known as Clover Park Community College.  The name was later changed to Fort Steilacoom Community College and a new permanent campus was established on 135 acres overlooking Fort Steilacoom Park and Waughop Lake.   The name was changed again in 1986 to Pierce College and land was acquired for a second campus in Puyallup.

The Puyallup Post student newspaper published an article by senior reporter Grace Amsden, "Coming back home for Pierce College's 50th anniversary celebration," with coverage of activities kicking off the yearlong celebration.

Presidents Serving Eastern Washington University over the past 100 Years

The Easterner, independent, student-run news site for Eastern Washington University (EWU) posted an article this past week by Colette-Janae Buck, "Presidents: The prominent EWU presidents of the last 100 years."

EWU was founded as Benjamin P. Cheney Academy in 1882.  It became a State Normal School in 1890 and was known as Cheney State Normal School.  The name changed in 1937 to Eastern Washington College of Education, to Eastern Washington State College in 1961, and then to Eastern Washington University in 1977.  A "Chronology of the History of Eastern Washington University" is available as a .pdf through the EWU Digital Commons. 

Trinity Lutheran College announces it will be Closing

Trinity Lutheran College in Everett, WA announced it will be closing at the end of the current academic year.  You can also read an article written by Chris Winters of the Everett Daily Herald.

Trinity was founded in 1944 as the Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle, a branch of the Minneapolis-based Lutheran Bible Institute.  The initial campus was in downtown Seattle.  It then moved to the Greenwood area of north Seattle.  It relocated in 1979 to Issaquah on a campus formerly owned by Sisters of Providence.  The name was changed to Trinity Lutheran College in 1998 and the institution then moved in 2008 to Everett.  

Le Cordon Bleu Colleges of Culinary Art will no longer enroll new students

Inside Higher Ed reports on December 17, 2015 that Le Cordon Bleu Colleges of Culinary Art will no longer accept new students and intends to close in 2017.  The for-profit operates sixteen locations around the country and is owned by Career Education Corporation.  The table below includes enrollment and accreditation information for each location from IPEDS.

Interface College in Spokane, WA is Closing

Caitlin Rearden of NBC affiliate KHQ in Spokane, WA reported on September 28, 2015 that private, for-profit Interface College of Spokane is closing.  Interface was founded in 1982 and offered programs in medical assisting, information technology, business, and web design.  Enrollment in fall 2014 was 91 students.

Green River Community College (WA) Adopts New Name

Stephan Kinholt, faculty member at Green River Community College, comments for the Auburn Reporter on the institution's decision to become Green River College.  Kinholt argues that people should embrace the "community" focus of the institution.  Green River Community College was founded in 1964 in Auburn, WA.

Jesse Torres reported on the decision in mid-December for the campus student newspaper, The Current.

Washington Colleges that have Closed, Merged, or Changed Names

This table below includes institutions that have closed, merged, or changed their names.  If you note a need for changing or updating information, please notify ray01brown@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

An index with links to separate pages for other states and countries is available.

There is a College History Garden Facebook group or you can view and follow multiple College History Garden boards on Pinterest or there is a board specifically devoted to Washington colleges.

Thanks for your interest and suggestions!

Bethel & Adelphia: Two Institutions with a Common Foundation in Swedish Pietism

Chris Gehrz authored a post, "When Bethel Had A Sibling" that is available as part of a larger project offering a digital history of Bethel University from 1914-2014 with the title of Bethel at War: A Digital History of a Christian College in a Century of Warfare.  Bethel University in St. Paul, MN was founded as Bethel Academy and had a sister institution, Adelphia College in Seattle, WA.  Gehrz explores Bethel's success and Adelphia's closure in the broader context of institutions founded in the early 1900's.  Bethel is affiliated with the Baptist General Conference that has roots in Swedish Pietism.

The page also includes links to other digital resources hosted by Bethel that may be of interest.

Removing "Community" from Names of Colleges

Mary Beth Marklein focuses on the trend to drop "community" from college names in her June 4, 2014 article at USA Today.  Seattle Colleges and Henry Ford College are cited as examples.

Washington State Student Achievement Council

The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) maintains transcripts for some institutions that no longer operate in the state.  Scroll down the page for the section on closed degree granting institutions.

The WSAC has transcripts for the following closed schools:

• Behavioral Physiology Institutes
• Crown College - degree program students only
• Henry Cogswell College
• Maple Valley College, aka Pacific Western College or Renton College
• Northwest Aviation College
• Prometheus College
• Rainier College

The site also offers contact information for transcripts of :  Northwest Baptist Seminary (Tacoma), Kaplan College-Renton, and Puget Sound Christian College, Everett.

Washington Workforce Training & Education Board

The State of Washington Workforce Training and Education Board offers an extensive list of closed institutions along with information for requesting transcripts.