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  1. Seattle Central Home Page
  2. About Us
  3. Guided Pathways
  4. Title III

Title III

Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP)

In October 2019, the U.S. Department of Education awarded Seattle Central College a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant of more than $2.2 million over a five-year period. The purpose of this grant was to help eligible colleges become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen their academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability. Seattle Central College was provided a no-cost extension and the grant concluded in January 2026.

Seattle Central implemented three main activities:

Activity 1: Launched a First Year Experience Program

  • Developed and implemented an equity-based Directed Self-Placement tool that was expanded to other instructional departments
  • Developed and taught a mandatory, credit-bearing First Year College Skills course that included career and academic planning, and college skills.

Activity 2: Implemented Activities to Support the First Year Experience

  • Career Exploration-First Year Experience Center that helped students choose an area of study and begin planning their coursework
  • Restructured and redesigned New Student Orientation to focus more on pathways and careers to make it more responsive to student needs

Activity 3: Launched a Coordinated, College-Wide Professional Development Program

  •  Ensured that faculty and staff have the tools and skills needed to support students. 

Seattle Central’s Title III grant had two primary goals:

  • Increase rates of retention and completion and decrease the length of time to completion
  • Improve in-class and non-instructional support for students through a coordinated, college-wide professional development program.

The contents of this website were developed under a 5-year $2,207,882 grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions Program. However, the content does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Department of Education and should not be considered an endorsement by the Federal Government.