WHATCOM COMMUNITY COLLEGE
237 West Kellogg Road • Bellingham, WA 98226 • whatcom.edu
President: Dr. Kathi Hiyane-Brown, 360-383-3330, khiyane-brown@whatcom.ctc.edu
Trustees: Steve Adelstein, chair; Sue Cole, Tim Douglas, Barbara Rofkar, Chuck Robinson
KEY FACTS (Data from 2014-2015 academic year unless otherwise noted)
Year Founded: 1967
Service Area: Whatcom County
Legislative Districts: 40, 42
Programs: 15 associates degrees
and 25 professional and technical
certificates in 17 programs of
study.
Highest Enrolled Programs:
• Associate in Arts and Sciences,
Direct Transfer Agreement
• Business
• Technology
• Nursing
• Physical Therapist Assistant
Enrollment:
Headcount (all sources)
FTES (all sources)
Headcount (state-funded)
FTES (state-funded)
10,958
3,999
5,411
2,433
Students in Selected Programs
(Headcount):
I-BEST32
International Students
426
Running Start
964
Worker Retraining
99
STUDENT PROFILE — STATE FUNDED
Enrollment by course intent
Attendance
20+59+912 52+48
9%
basic skills
12%
pre-college
20%
workforce
education
59%
academic/
transfer
Ethnicity:*
Asian/Pacific Islander
9%
African American
3%
Native American
3%
Hispanic15%
Other, Multiracial
2%
White/Caucasian74%
Gender:
Female55%
Male45%
48%
full-time
52%
part-time
Median Age:23
Family and Finances:
Students receiving
need-based financial aid in
eligible programs
50%
Students who work
55%
Students with children
17%
* May not add up to 100% because
students may be counted in more
than one race.
POINTS OF INTEREST
National Leader WCC is at the forefront of cybersecurity education. The College is a National Center of Academic
in Cybersecurity Excellence in Information Assurance – 2-Year Education and the lead institution of CyberWatch West. In
Education 2015, WCC received two National Science Foundation grants totaling $6.4 million to drive a nationwide
expansion of cybersecurity education. The college has a new Bachelor of Applied Science degree in
IT Networking (pending accreditation). The four-year degree builds upon current options, including an
associate in applied science transfer degree in cybersecurity that is aligned with a corresponding bachelor
degree program at Western Washington University.
Healthcare Education For more than 30 years, WCC has been a leader in healthcare education, meeting demand for highly skilled
Innovator nurses, physical therapist assistants, medical assistants and massage practitioners. Students experience realworld, high-pressure healthcare scenarios at the college’s Health Professions Education Center. Thanks to
WCC’s innovative instruction, graduates consistently pass licensing exams at rates above national and state
averages. Affirming WCC’s leadership in transfer education, the nursing program is among the first in the
state to offer a direct transfer degree in nursing for graduates who want to earn their bachelor’s degree in
the field.
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Business Degrees WCC’s business degrees pair a foundation of business, accounting and related courses with relevant
that Work electives, preparing students for transfer to four-year institutions or to enter the workforce. WCC’s business
administration AS degree covers general principles and business skills. New certificates of proficiency
include sustainable business leadership practice and finance-related topics that may be applied toward an
associate degree in finance. Graduates of WCC’s office administration and hospitality and tourism business
management programs have versatile skills that help organizations succeed. Many people in Whatcom
County work for or own small to mid-sized businesses. WCC’s business programs are specifically developed
with this in mind.