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.
26th Annual Earth Month Events ‘Make Waves’
Commemorate Earth Day all month long with Bellevue College’s Earth Month event series happening now through April 30.
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New BAS in Business Management & Technology
Interested in both business and technology? Today Bellevue College (BC) announced the launch of a new Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Business Management and Technology (BMT).
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Held for New Early Learning Center Playground
On September 6, Bellevue College celebrated the renovation of Bellevue’s Early Learning Center (ELC) playground with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The renovation was made possible through a decades-long partnership with Costco. “Children at this stage are developing important physical, social, and learning skills that set the foundation for success,” said Gary Locke, Interim President of…
A New Playground for a New School Year
Bellevue College (BC) celebrated the renovation of the Early Learning Center’s playground, a project made possible through a decades-long partnership with Costco. The renovation replaced playground equipment, enhanced landscaping, and improved drainage. It also created separate play areas for infants/toddlers and preschool children.
Notes from the President
Dear Colleagues,
The start of Fall Quarter is almost here! I am looking forward to experiencing that exciting bustling campus atmosphere that comes with the start of new school year.
Amazon Expands Collaboration with Bellevue College for Job Training, Student Assistance | 425 Business
Bellevue College (BC) students will get more opportunities to earn Amazon Web Services (AWS) certifications and pursue internships and employment with AWS customers and partners under a new collaboration announced this week between the Bellevue College Foundation and Amazon.
Amazon also is providing $100,000 for student scholarships and emergency aid when unforeseen circumstances arise requiring nontuition support, the college said in a news release. The foundation’s safety net program allows students to continue their studies without disruption.
As an AWS Academy member institution, BC receives a free, ready-to-teach cloud computing curriculum that prepares students to pursue industry-recognized certifications and in-demand cloud jobs, the release said. It added that cloud computing skills training offers an opportunity for workers to reskill and reenter the workforce.
Bellevue College Looking to Fill Space for Healthcare Management and Leadership Program | Bellevue Reporter
At the start of the pandemic, many educational institutions had to shift from in person learning to online learning, but Bellevue College’s healthcare management and leadership (HCML) bachelor’s degree program has exclusively offered remote learning since its inception in 2016.
“Our faculty didn’t miss a beat. We’ve been doing it for six years,” said Shana Chung, associate professor and program chair. “We know how to teach online.”
HCML students can choose from two paths to earn their bachelor of applied science degree: general healthcare management, and radiation and imaging management. Students are admitted twice per year–in the fall and spring–and space remains available for this fall. The deadline to apply is August 31.
Cloud Computing Degree Programs Help Fill Workforce Gaps | EdTech
Bellevue College named its continuing and career education arm the Tombolo Institute, after the word for a sandbar that joins an island to the mainland. The institute aims to similarly serve as a bridge, helping working professionals build their careers. When it comes to the cloud, officials are leaning on an ongoing partnership with Microsoft to help midcareer students grow their skills.
“We get input from the job marketplace — from the students and also from our advisory council made up of employers — and there’s definitely a gap in terms of the talent that employers are looking for and the people that want to get into the field,” says Ray Chew, director of technology at the Tombolo Institute. “There are all of these job openings, but you can’t just take a course and then expect someone to hire you tomorrow, so we’ve helped students to bridge that gap.”
Bellevue College’s partnership with Microsoft gives the school access to the vendor’s content and resources. It also provides training for Bellevue College instructors, ensuring that courses are led by professionals with thorough knowledge about the latest tools and practices in cloud computing. Students in the program pursue Microsoft cloud certifications, making them more competitive job candidates, Chew says.
“Cloud computing touches everything today,” says Chew. “Now all of the application services are pretty much cloud-based. If you want to know the world of IT, you need to know how cloud computing works.”
HCML Prepares Students to Enter Growing Field of Healthcare Management
When the pandemic hit, schools pivoted to holding classes online—a new format for many institutions. But for Bellevue College’s (BC) award-winning healthcare management and leadership (HCML) bachelor’s degree program, remote learning was nothing new—it’s been exclusively online since its inception in 2016. “Our faculty didn’t miss a beat. We’ve been doing it for six years,”…
BC Partners with Amazon for Career Choice Program
Amazon benefit offers hourly employees pre-paid tuition for select BC degrees Today, Bellevue College (BC) announced it’s been selected as an education partner for Amazon’s Career Choice program, providing Amazon’s hourly employees access to high-tech degrees. This includes the college’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity, Bachelor of Applied…
Still Hiring | Northwest Asian Weekly
If you’ve walked through your neighborhood recently, you’ve probably noticed “Now Hiring” signs in shop windows. And while they may not have signs in their windows, large and mid-sized companies seem to be on the lookout for talent, too.
Like many institutions and businesses, Bellevue College has seen a higher employee turnover since the beginning of this year.
“The low unemployment rate has created a much more competitive environment for the recruitment and retention of employees,” said Nicole Beattie, the associate director of Communications at Bellevue College.
For some positions, it has become more difficult for the institute to hire.
“We don’t see the same kind of turnover for example with tenured faculty. However, it’s harder to retain some of our frontline service employees due to there being so much opportunity at the moment,” Beattie said.
“In terms of services, the quality hasn’t been impacted but during peak enrollment periods, students might find it takes a bit longer to get a response. We recognize that we need to find more efficiencies to keep workloads manageable,” she added.
As a state employer, Bellevue College is limited in terms of the perks it can offer.
“However, we do have hybrid/work-from-home positions and have adjusted our salary scale for our exempt positions,” Beattie said.
“We also offer great benefits with more vacation and sick days than most businesses, paid holidays, excellent medical coverage, and reduced tuition,” she added.
The organization is evaluating its approach to hiring by developing a variety of recruiting and outreach practices, including community partner engagement, in its effort to adapt their approach to building its talent pipelines based on changing market pressures.
Bellevue College has a Center for Career Connections that not only connects employers with current students and alumni, but also Bellevue residents who are actively seeking work.
“So, if you’re a local business looking to hire, make sure you reach out to colleges,” Beattie said.
More employers are reaching out to Bellevue College’s Center for Career Connections to recruit its students, and Beattie is also seeing an increase in flexible/hybrid opportunities.
“With regards to internships, small to mid-sized companies are proactively reaching out to us to recruit interns, particularly accounting firms,” Beattie said. “Employers who are out of state are even making their internships fully remote to attract more applicants. This is good news for our students as it creates more options for them.”
Another trend the Center for Career Connections has noticed is that players in the life sciences industry, such as Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, and Nanostring, are intentional about attracting diverse talent to the industry.
“They have internship programs with a focus to recruit minority, underserved, and students of color,” Beattie said.