By Dr. David Mitchell
As a 2015 Aspen Prize finalist, Olympic College was recognized as one of the top 10 community colleges in the nation, which places us in the top 1 percent nationally.
We look to build on that distinction in 2016 through the expansion of programs and partnerships that are preparing the next generation of skilled workers, and industry and community leaders in Kitsap and Mason counties.
OC currently offers bachelor degree programs in nursing, computer information systems and organizational leadership and technical management (OLTM). The OLTM program launched this fall with a full cohort of 24 students. Many of the students in this program are Puget Sound Naval Shipyard employees who earned their associate degrees with OC through our industry-leading apprenticeship program. The OLTM program allows students to earn the academic credentials they need to fill management positions that are being vacated by baby boomers who are leaving the workforce.
Opportunities for place-bound students to earn bachelor’s degrees locally will increase in 2016 thanks to partnership programs with local universities. Washington State University, which offers a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at our Bremerton campus, will add an electrical engineering program that will help to fill a growing need for engineers locally.
At our Poulsbo campus, Western Washington University will expand its offerings to include a cyber-security bachelor’s degree. This program provides yet another opportunity for students to earn their associate degree at OC, then transfer into a highly sought-after program without having to leave Kitsap County.
In addition to cyber security, which is expected to launch next fall, WWU also offers degrees in education, human resources, environmental science/policy and business administration at our Bremerton and Poulsbo campuses.
Mason County residents will also have more educational opportunities thanks to our partnership with the Mason Transit Authority. Later this year, we will begin offering culinary courses in the state-of-the art commercial kitchen in the Transit-Community Center. OC Shelton will also offer computer classes in the center’s computer lab.
OC has the second-largest population of veterans, active duty and dependents of any college in the state. Thanks to a $320,000 federal grant, we will establish a Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success aimed at increasing enrollment and degree completion for veterans.
While the landscape of program offerings at OC changes, so too does the physical landscape with the ongoing construction of the College Instruction Center. The building, which is scheduled for completion in 2017, includes new homes for art, music and theater programs, as well as a 276-seat theater that will draw the community to our Bremerton campus for events like the Olympic Jazz Festival. The building also includes space for the physical therapy program, some nursing programs, simulation labs and high-tech active learning classrooms.
We remain committed to promoting diversity both in the classroom and in our workforce. In 2015, we hired our first vice president for equity and inclusion, Cheryl Nuñez, who brings extensive experience developing and leading strategic diversity plans in higher education. Our goal is to close the access and opportunity gaps for all of our citizens.
This coming year promises continued growth and increased opportunities for OC students in Kitsap and Mason counties to achieve their academic and professional goals.
— Dr. David Mitchell is president of Olympic College
