2023 Impact Report /
Forward
Together

Belonging Index

Our annual belonging index measures Continuum’s health from an employee perspective and serves as an indicator of whether our diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) efforts are having an impact internally. We’ll continue to evaluate ourselves against these metrics as we work to combine what DEIB means for our staff with our mission to expand equity in higher education.

Fostering diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging

At Continuum College, we believe DEIB is fundamental to our vision of offering everyone the education they need to thrive. We’re taking our DEIB work, which has an internal focus for our staff, and combining it with how we think about our mission in the world. This is the first year we’ve merged these two pieces into a strategic plan, which means how we work will continue to evolve.

As part of our DEIB efforts, we’ve hired our first director of people and culture to help us focus on our internal culture and facilitate continued staff learning and engagement around DEIB. We also engaged a consultant from UW HR’s Professional & Organizational Development (POD) organization to evaluate our internal DEIB practices and provide recommendations for action.

In response to the initial DEIB Assessment, we’ve been working to incorporate the themes and goals of the UW Diversity Blueprint over the past year. We formalized our DEI subcommittee commitments and established a leadership champion for each subcommittee who’ll work to refine program initiatives. As we integrate our internal DEIB work in support of our external mission, we realize that we’re at the beginning of this journey and look forward to collaborating with our community as we move forward.

Our Programs

By offering programs for all education levels and generations, UW Continuum College makes education possible for everyone. Explore the stories below to see how our diverse programs impact students’ lives at every stage.

UW Youth & Teen Programs

Offering year-round learning through camps and courses for students in grades 4–12, UW Youth & Teen Programs lets students dive deep into a passion or prepare for college. They also provide instructors like Cole Kopca and Caitlin Chamberlin an opportunity to creatively craft curriculums and find new ways to engage students.

UW in the High School

Since 1981, UW in the High School (UWHS) has let ambitious high school students take University of Washington courses in their own classroom, with their own teachers trained by UW faculty. With the passage of Senate Bill 5048, the option to enroll and receive college credits will now come at no cost to public school students, opening the door to higher education.

International & English Language Programs

UW Continuum College offers one of the most prestigious International and English Language Programs (IELP) in the United States. It features a variety of curricula, such as The Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Program, which offers Fellows from around the world a chance to collaborate and find solutions for combating disinformation.

UW Degree Programs

For working professionals interested in taking their careers to the next level, UW Continuum College teams up with campus partners to offer unique undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Many of these programs are a ticket to expanded possibilities for students like Jessica Brown, who used her master’s degree to land a job impacting the larger community.

UW Summer Sessions

With more than 1,000 credit courses in more than 100 fields of study, Summer Sessions at the University of Washington offer something for everyone. They also provide campus partners like Ana Gomez-Bravo with the opportunity to team up with UW Continuum College and transform their courses into online programs to help increase access for students.

UW Professional & Continuing Education

Providing the perfect mix of quality instruction, peer collaboration and hands-on experience, UW Professional & Continuing Education programs make it possible for busy professionals to keep learning at the University of Washington, allowing students like Kim Hawk to update their skills and turn passions into careers.

Osher Lifelong Learning at UW

Featuring thought-provoking courses and talks by local experts, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the UW (OLLI-UW) provides the opportunity for adults over the age of 50 to keep learning. The variety of programming also gives students like Murray Urquhart and Charlene Joy a chance to explore creative outlets, such as hosting the program’s podcast.

Opening the Door to Opportunity

While the Pacific Northwest has seen a decade of economic boom, many local people are struggling due to inequities and rising living costs. The UW Certificate Scholarship exists to break down barriers for Washington adults living on low incomes by providing access to in-demand skills and career opportunities. With help from funding partners, we can now offer need-based aid for many UW Certificate programs, covering at least 80% of program fees.

Meet one of our 2022 scholarship recipients, Rebecca Bramwell, who used the UW Scholarship and UW Certificate in Wetland Science & Management to realize her dream to be a professional wetland ecologist and help protect the planet.

Read Rebecca's Story

Meet Our Chief Advancement Officer

After a nationwide search, Pacific Northwest local Manca Valum has joined Continuum as our first-ever chief advancement officer. In this role, Manca will serve as our strategic advancement adviser, supporting our mission of providing students with the opportunity to achieve their learning goals through access to educational opportunities that serve learners at every stage in their lives.