When Valentine Quintana learned he was the first Running Start student to enroll in SPSCC’s Culinary Arts program, he was surprised. “It’s such an amazing opportunity that you’d think more people would take it,” he said.

Article via Thurston Talk
By Grant Clark

Several colleges showed interest, but Keilani Brown initially had no plans to play basketball after high school. A call from South Puget Sound Community College women’s basketball coach Mike Moore changed her thinking.

Article via Thurston Talk
By Grant Clark

Jaysa Brandis kept putting it off.

Dominic Ceu Bik has had a lifelong love for soccer. Originally from Burma, his family left their home country when he was 12 and stayed in an immigrant refugee camp in Malaysia before coming to the United States in 2014. But no matter where he’s lived, at every stage of his life, Dominic has played soccer. From Burma, to Malaysia, to playing varsity at Foster High School in Tukwila, and, now a sophomore, he plays at SPSCC.

The Night Shift

Tanya delicately placed a new bedpan under the middle-aged woman in the acute care unit. The nurse watched her swift and careful movements from across the room. “You should’ve called me in here sooner,” she said to the nurse with a gentle smile. “Just because it’s 4 a.m. doesn’t mean you should do my work.”

Growing up as the child of Filipino immigrants, Cleo wanted a rewarding and meaningful career at a young age—and SPSCC helped her find the right path to success.

“I always knew I wanted to go to college,” Cleo said, “but the road to receiving higher education was unclear because I knew how expensive it was.”

After five years of excelling as a fire support specialist in the Army, a back injury shifted Ethan’s focus back to the civilian world and getting an education.

SPSCC today announced that Phuoc Truong, an international student focusing on computer science, will represent SPSCC on the 2019 All-Washington Academic Team. Truong along with top students from each of the state’s 34 community and technical colleges will be recognized and awarded a scholarship at the All-Washington Academic Team ceremony on Thursday, March 21, 2019.

Carlos was attending SPSCC to earn his Associate of Arts degree when his instructors brought up the idea of continuing his studies in New Zealand to finish a 4-year degree.

After 15 years of working in human resources and singing in the Army, Sabrina was ready for a new challenge: transitioning into the workforce and civilian life.

Returning to school was her biggest hurdle. She hadn't been in a classroom for many years, but her professors helped show her that she could be successful.