Part-Time Student, Full-Time Social Justice Advocate: Meet Kelsey Christensen-Abel

“I thought I’d get into SPSCC, get some courses done, then transfer out,” said Kelsey Christensen-Abel. “I can’t believe I ever felt that way.”

Kelsey is a student in SPSCC’s Social Services & Education Pathway.

“I started by taking one class a quarter just to see if I could get into the college mindset again because it’d been around twenty years,” she said. “Now, I wish I could take more classes. I’m constantly blown away by the quality of professors and experiences I’ve had here.” 

On top of being a student, Kelsey owns a public affairs support company, serves on the Olympia Education Foundation Board of Trustees, and is a dedicated wife and mother. With so many responsibilities, Kelsey is thankful to her friends and family as well as her Educational & Career Planner for helping her stay organized.

“SPSCC is special because you can take things at your own pace. It helps to have a short-term, concrete goal. It feels very attainable,” said Kelsey. “Having an Educational & Career Planner makes all the difference. Planning what classes to take, making sure you’re on track to transfer, they make it such an easy path to follow.”

In addition to utilizing resources on campus, Kelsey takes every opportunity to get involved in the community. Recently, she participated in the Initiative in Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racism Leadership Fellowship where she expanded her knowledge on social justice with lectures, discussions, and projects focusing on improving college policies.

“I found out about the opportunity through an all-student email. The work of the fellowship directly aligns with my personal and professional work, so I was excited to get involved,” Kelsey shared.

“When it comes to social justice, SPSCC is ahead of the curve on many things. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Center is already an incredible resource. The recommendations on policies we make through the fellowship build on that and will help an entire group of students that they belong.”

Along with social justice, Kelsey is also passionate about mental health and access to education. As a member of the Olympia Education Foundation Board of Trustees, she is committed to reducing barriers for every student and increasing equity across the district. Kelsey helped form their Mental Health Initiative (MHI) which has provided mental health initiative grants, suicide prevention training to teachers and staff, a mental health resource library for the entire district, and trauma-informed online mental health training.

“As the need continues to evolve, so does the MHI,” said Kelsey. “As Chair, I’m responsible for ensuring the Foundation continues to help fill important equity gaps. I’ve picked up or honed countless skills through my education at SPSCC. I’m resourceful, determined, pragmatic, organized, and goal-oriented, all of which I relied on to develop the MHI. As so many of SPSCC’s courses have the diversity designation, this valuable lens has seeped into all aspects of my work.”

Kelsey plans on pursuing a career as a middle-school counselor. She’s dedicated to creating a feeling of connectedness and belonging for students while involving their families and the community.

“Being able to create an environment where everyone feels like they belong and that they matter and that their success matters is everything,” said Kelsey. “We can take care of each other as a community.”

“It feels like all the jobs and experiences I’ve ever had has led me to this point. It feels like it’s meant to be. The opportunities I’ve received at SPSCC have been really empowering and it feels like I’m on the right path.”