Tacoma Completes
Degrees Of Change

Our Impact

LEADERS EMPOWERED, COMMUNITIES TRANSFORMED

Our diverse students and alumni are the best embodiment of our impact. With their steadfast commitment and leadership, they are bringing people together and transforming their communities.

For our communities to flourish, we need diverse networks of homegrown leaders who love their home and are committed to building vibrant communities where everyone thrives. It is precisely this kind of diverse, committed leadership network that our programs produce—a new fabric of leadership for our communities.

WHO WE SERVE (Tacoma-Pierce County)

  • 25% Hispanic or Latinx of any race, 23% White, 21% Asian, 14% Black or African American, 13% Multiracial, 2% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.2% Not Provided
  • 62% women, 31% men, 7% non-binary
  • 76% first-generation college students and/or from low-income families

Tacoma-Pierce Program Outcomes

81%

graduate within 6-years, nearly double the rate of their peers nationwide

300

internships provided to emerging leaders in the Puget Sound area

2,000+

served by our college success and leadership development programs

ALUMNI AT WORK

We see the longest-term impact of our programs in our alumni’s work after graduation. They are leading with excellence and inclusion, working to build more equitable systems, serving the most vulnerable, fostering a more diverse and inclusive workforce, and taking on complex and stubborn challenges. Discover what our alumni are accomplishing.

What’s the Power of A Single ‘Yes’?

By Melaina Lenzi Simon Njoroge knows the power of a single yes. Like many international students, Simon heard a lot of noes. While finishing his undergraduate degree, in 2024, Simon applied for over 600 positions and received the same response each time: “Thank you for your application. However, we have selected another candidate.”  Studies show that international students face challenges around…

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From Seed Intern to Mentor: A Full-Circle Journey

By Harleen Kaur During a difficult period in my life, when I was dealing with serious health issues, uncertainty, and self-doubt, people often told me, “Life has bigger plans for you than you could ever imagine.” At the time, I didn’t fully grasp what that…

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