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Green River College highlights guided pathways, trades and bachelor’s programs as workforce pipeline for Auburn area
Summary
President Dr. Suzanne Johnson described the college’s Aspen Institute recognition, new guided-pathways launch, growing BAS and BSN offerings, and plans to expand trades and EV training to meet local employer demand.
Dr. Suzanne Johnson, president of Green River College, outlined initiatives the Auburn-area college is using to connect students to careers, including a newly launched guided-pathways framework, expanding bachelor’s of applied science degrees and plans for electric-vehicle training.
"We've been in the top 150 since 2021," Johnson said of the Aspen Institute list recognizing community colleges. She described that recognition as reflecting student transfer and employment outcomes, two metrics the Aspen Institute uses to assess colleges.
Johnson described the college’s spring launch of "areas of interest," the local name for its guided-pathways effort. The website, she said, lets prospective students "see the linkages" between programs, courses and potential careers and earning potential: "Go to our... greenriver.edu, and you can check out our areas of interest."
Johnson also highlighted career and technical training at Green River, saying employers routinely contact the college about students they can hire in welding, automotive, carpentry and related trades. She noted new bachelor’s of applied science (BAS) degrees in cybersecurity, software development and a recently approved BAS in accounting, plus a BSN nursing program that draws regional students.
On workforce alignment, Johnson said the college and local cities (Auburn, Algona and Pacific) run a Cities and Schools partnership that connects employers and educators. She described a plan to revive a jobs-matching program paused by the pandemic and emphasized that short certificates, two-year degrees and four-year BAS degrees all contribute to local economic stability.
Johnson encouraged nontraditional students and those new to higher education to use campus advising and student services; she described monthly "pizza with the president" sessions as a regular way to hear student feedback.
The discussion did not propose specific new programs that require city or state approvals; it summarized existing initiatives and the college’s plans to expand training in response to employer demand.
