Points of Pride: Winter 2026
DRAFT
Many interesting, inspiring, and noteworthy things happen across Seattle Colleges every day. We’ve compiled another edition of some (but certainly not all) of these stories. Add these to our growing list of points of pride.
Meet 2026 McKinney Scholar Fella Bryant
Each year, one of the highlights of the annual Community Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is the announcement of the McKinney Scholar in honor of Reverend Dr. Samuel Berry McKinney of Mount Zion Baptist Church. Dr. McKinney was instrumental in bringing Dr. King to Seattle to speak in November 1961. This year's McKinney Scholar epitomizes the spirit of an activist scholar, balancing family, studies, and service. Fella Bryant is a student at South Seattle College, where he also serves as a student ambassador for the United Student Association (USA).
Fella said, "It is my duty to come to campus and make this space safe, inclusive, and really showcase that everybody has a chance to belong—just really feeling like at home. I see brothers and sisters when I come here and, like, it's easier to do the work and feel more confident in it. I love being a leader. It just feels alive... We need to make sure that we sustain this mindset and mentality of caring for each other, making sure we're respectable, and just treating each other with dignity."
- Watch a video about Fella Bryant on YouTube.
- Learn more about Reverend Dr. Samuel Berry McKinney in a video tribute featuring his daughter, Lora-Ellen McKinney.
The nurse with the hawk-moth tattoo
At 43, Heather Bardsley was older than most of her peers when she entered Seattle Central’s Associate in Nursing program after completing prerequisite coursework at North Seattle College. Known for its rigor, the Nursing program comprises six quarters of relentless coursework, clinical rotations that begin before dawn, and instructors whose standards are uncompromising. But it’s a rigor that comes with extraordinary support, and cohorts quickly become supportive families, bonded by shared exhaustion and triumphs.
That support became crucial when a cancer diagnosis and treatment delayed Heather’s plans mid-stream. After the treatments ended successfully and Heather regained her strength, the Nursing program welcomed her back, folding her into a new cohort of students with whom Heather graduated in June 2025.
- Read the Foundation’s College Minute story, The Nurse with the Hawk-Moth Tattoo.
- Watch a video of Heather Bardsley telling her story on Vimeo.
- Learn more about Seattle Central's Nursing Program.
North Seattle College hosts inaugural real estate business case competition
North Seattle College’s Real Estate Department, in close collaboration with the Bachelor of Applied Science programs in International Business and International Accounting, successfully hosted its first real estate business case competition. The Accessory Dwelling Units Affordable Housing Challenge brought together students from multiple academic disciplines to apply classroom knowledge to a real-world housing issue. It challenged them to develop creative, data-driven solutions to an affordable housing case, emphasizing critical thinking, collaboration, and professional presentation skills.
The event was developed by Dr. Lyle Crews, Jr. and Mark Potter from North’s Real Estate and Residential Commercial Property Management Departments. Their collaboration resulted in a rigorous and engaging experience that mirrored the demands students can expect in the real estate industry. The competition was supported by twelve judges, all active professionals in the real estate industry.
- Read the feature story about the competition and find out who took top honors.
- Learn more about the academic programs involved:
Shannon Braddock joins Seattle Colleges Board of Trustees
Governor Bob Ferguson appointed Shannon Braddock to the Seattle Colleges Board of Trustees in January to complete the term vacated by Brian Surratt, who accepted a position as Seattle's deputy mayor in late December 2025.
Shannon Braddock's leadership experience spans regional governance, budget management, public-private partnerships, and community engagement. She made history as the first woman to serve as King County Executive, leading 18,000 employees working on behalf of 2.3 million residents. During her tenure as Executive, she stewarded the County’s nearly $20 billion, 2026-2027 biennial budget focusing on key investments in public safety, housing, behavioral health, and food security. She also prepared King County for uncertainties surrounding future federal funding.
Born in Texas, she was raised in Bellingham, Washington, and has called Seattle home for over 25 years. We welcome her to the Seattle Colleges community.
Seattle Colleges and Western Washington University establish guaranteed transfer admission agreement
Students at Seattle Colleges now have a streamlined and guaranteed route to a bachelor’s degree at Western Washington University through a new transfer pathway partnership announced on January 30.
The agreement guarantees admission to Western for Seattle Colleges transfer students who complete a transfer degree, providing a clear and dependable path to continue their education at one of the state’s top public universities. Students admitted through this program will enter Western as juniors, ready to progress toward a bachelor’s degree.
“This collaboration creates new momentum for student success and takes the guesswork out of transfer” said Seattle Colleges Chancellor Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap. “By simplifying the process, we are ensuring our students have every opportunity to complete their four-year degrees.”
- Get the details about the Transfer Agreement.
Above: Seattle Colleges Chancellor Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap and Western Washington University President Sabah Randhawa shake hands on the new transfer agreement between their institutions.
Published Thursday, March 12, 2026