Cascadia College

Established in 2000, Cascadia College, a public community college led by President Eric W. Murray and serving 2300 students, was founded on a unique legislative mandate to innovate. From its very inception, it aimed to redefine the community college experience, building its foundation on collaboration and forward-thinking.

The college's groundbreaking approach began in 1999 with a small team of less than a dozen staff and faculty. This dedicated group, including the innovative "Curriculum and Learning Design Team," meticulously developed the curriculum, programs, and campus design from the ground up. Their efforts led to the selection of 15 "Founding Faculty" from over 1,100 applications, all oriented to an environment focused on interdisciplinary curriculum and outcomes-based organization. This innovative structure earned Cascadia recognition as one of twelve "Vanguard Learning Colleges" by the League for Innovation in the Community College in its opening year, 2000.

Cascadia College has continued its legacy of excellence and sustainability, earning a ranking as the second-best U.S. two-year college by Washington Monthly magazine in 2007. The college boasts impressive infrastructure, including CC3, the Global Learning and the Arts Building, which is the second LEED platinum building in Washington state, featuring solar panels and rainwater capture. Further demonstrating its commitment to cutting-edge education, Cascadia opened Innovation Hall in 2024—a LEED Gold certified joint STEM building shared with the University of Washington Bothell—offering students a state-of-the-art collaborative learning environment.