EvCC’s Monroe campus may need to add services as enrollment grows

MONROE — Students packed the hallway last week on the third floor of the Lake Tye Building, waiting for classes to start.

And it’ll soon be more crowded.

The Everett Community College East County Campus is seeing a steady increase in the number of students who are taking college-level classes at the building at 14090 Fryelands Blvd. SE.

More than 254 students have registered for classes for winter quarter, up from 176 in the fall. And more will likely sign up.

“It’s the biggest number we have ever had,” director Rob Prosch said. “It shows there is a need in east county for post-secondary education services.”

Opened in 1999, the EvCC East County Campus has provided classes for high school students who want to begin college work early and college students who want to learn close to home and avoid traveling U.S. 2 to Everett. The campus, which has been housed in the Lake Tye building since 2010, is officially considered a satellite of EvCC.

There is some push to make it a branch campus. That means the campus would need to provide students services such as a library, a counselor and a financial aid officer.

But the campus lacks of space and resources, said Sandra Fowler-Hill, executive vice president of instruction and student services.

“We are quickly growing out of the space we have available,” she said. “We have a commitment to serve students in east county. We are developing a plan to expand our program there into a branch campus.”

Currently, there are three classrooms and two small offices in the building, where the campus has been housed since 2010. The school also has an agreement with Monroe School District to use the lab at the high school.

There are plans to rent an additional room on the second floor for meetings and offices for the faculty. There are also plans to find more space for classrooms in the next three to five years, Prosch said.

Students would like to see expanded course offerings and services.

“It’s more hassle free. It’s really nice here. The building is brand new and you can look at Lake Tye,” said Danika Hollefreund, 16.

She is a high school junior at the Sky Valley Education Center and she is taking college-level courses in Monroe and in Everett four days a week as part of the Running Start program.

Kym Kenagy, 17, is also a student of Running Start, but she attends Sultan High School. She likes taking classes in Monroe.

“It gives me a better understanding of what a real college education is,” she said.

Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@ heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

The rezoned property, seen here from the Hillside Vista luxury development, is surrounded on two sides by modern neighborhoods Monday, March 25, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Despite petition, Lake Stevens OKs rezone for new 96-home development

The change faced resistance from some residents, who worried about the effects of more density in the neighborhood.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.