Shoreline Community College announces name change to Shoreline College

Photo courtesy Shoreline College

(Shoreline, WA) At the May 2025 Board meeting, the Shoreline Community College Board of Trustees voted to officially change the institution’s name to Shoreline College, a strategic change that reflects the College’s growth, while reaffirming its deep commitment to student success, equity, and community engagement. 

This decision came after a community-wide survey was conducted asking participants to vote on whether the college’s name should change or not.

“It was exciting to watch the process unfold. I had no idea how the poll results would turn out, so it was great to see a strong majority across all groups supporting the same outcome. This name change is a great opportunity for us to strengthen our identity,” said President Jack Kahn.

The shift to Shoreline College underscores the institution’s long-standing priorities: making education accessible, valuing student voice, and ensuring equity across programs and services. 

It also reflects a forward-looking vision that recognizes and celebrates the diversity of student experience as essential to academic and community success. A simplified name like Shoreline College supports clearer recognition, particularly for international audiences and new student populations.

The name change comes as the College continues to expand its academic offerings, workforce training programs, and global reach. The change aligns with a growing trend among two-year institutions nationwide to adopt simpler, more inclusive names that reflect diverse pathways to student success, including transfer degrees, professional certificates, and applied bachelor’s degrees. 

Last year the College announced it had received approval to offer its first bachelor’s degree, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene.

A new logo and visual identity are currently in development, and the College will invite students, alumni, employees, and community members to participate in the selection process this fall. The full brand launch, including the updated logo and campus signage, is planned for the first half of 2026.

In the meantime, the College will begin introducing the name Shoreline College in select communications, particularly those focused on international outreach, while continuing to use Shoreline Community College in broader public-facing materials during the transition.

President Kahn shared, “I think the most challenging part of making this recommendation to the board was the concern that removing the word ‘community’ might suggest a reduced focus on community itself. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

"Our mission, board, and broader community remain deeply committed to proactive, action-oriented engagement. Community will always be at the heart of everything we do.”