The Power of Perspective
A look back on Continuum’s achievements of 2024, including how we’re using our unique partnerships and programming to broaden perspectives and ensure the communities we serve attain the education they need to have a greater impact on the world.
Broadening Career Pathways for Washingtonians
Since 1912, UW Continuum College has provided people access and attainment in new and different ways. This year, we leaned deeper into that mission to provide new programming and focus outwardly on our community.
We moved most of our professional programs into an online learning format, enabling people living across the state of Washington to take these impactful programs. In addition, we formed partnerships with several units on campus, such as the UW Department of Bioengineering, Canadian Studies Center and Native American Law Center, to create programs that change the lives and perspectives of our students.
Our new advancement team is also doing phenomenal work, including nearly doubling the amount of money raised for our UW Certificate Scholarship program on Husky Giving Day compared to 2023. However, their work isn’t only about fundraising but also advancing our mission. As a part of our strategic vision this year, we set a new target for ourselves. By 2040, the state of Washington will have an equitable ecosystem of higher education for every resident in the state.
To accomplish this, we’ve started to reach out to the broader community in a different way. We held our first Continuum Convenes event, a hard-hitting conversation that looked at ourselves as a higher education institution. We determined we had more work to do to help everyone feel like they belong at the University of Washington. We must center our programs to include diverse perspectives and provide legitimate pathways for people to attain credentials that help advance their lives.
Our goals are big, and we can’t accomplish them alone. But helping people partner is what Continuum has done throughout our existence. We know how to bring units within the UW together and how to bring community partners together to collaborate effectively with the UW, and it has become part of the forefront of where we’re moving today.
Rovy F. Branon III
Vice Provost, University of Washington
Continuum College
33%
Increase in Digital Badges Awarded in UW Youth & Teen Programs
38k
UW Credits Awarded to UW in the High School Students
54
Countries Represented by International & English Language Program Students
388
Online Courses Offered Through UW Summer Sessions
2,830
Digital Badges Issued Through UW Professional & Continuing Education Programs
2,121
Graduate Degrees Awarded
1,273
Active Members Enrolled in Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the UW
Our Programs
By offering programs for all education levels and generations, UW Continuum College makes education possible for everyone. Discover how our diverse programs impact students at every stage of their lives.
UW Youth & Teen Programs
Offering year-round learning through camps and courses for students in grades 4–12, University of Washington Youth & Teen Programs open up a world of possibilities for students like Aman Mittal by allowing them to broaden their minds and get a taste of college life.
UW in the High School
Bringing UW courses to students on their own campus, UW in the High School (UWHS) lets students challenge themselves and gain college credit. Thanks to innovative new programming led by French instructor Hedwige Meyer, the classroom has also become a bridge to the French speaking world.
International & English Language Programs
Continuum’s International and English Language Programs (IELP) feature a variety of curricula and partnerships. This year, one such partnership — The Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Program — brought together 19 global leaders to collaborate on how to advocate for the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in their respective communities.
UW Summer Sessions
With courses in more than 100 fields of study, Summer Sessions at the University of Washington offers something for all learners. They also provide campus partners like Lorna Rozelle with the opportunity to create asynchronous courses that support greater access for more diverse students.
UW Professional & Continuing Education
Through quality instruction and hands-on experience, UW Professional & Continuing Education makes it possible for professionals to keep learning at the UW, giving students like Neva Corrigan an opportunity to build the skills to complete a groundbreaking study and gain a new perspective on her career.
UW Degree Programs
To expand learners’ possibilities, Continuum teams up with campus partners to offer a range of undergraduate and graduate programs. These programs help turn passions into careers for professionals like Lonny Alaskuk Strunk who is using his master’s degree to deepen the understanding of his native language.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the UW
By offering a variety of fascinating courses and lectures, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the UW (OLLI-UW) provides adults over the age of 50 — like Daniel and Cynthia Whitney — the opportunity to enrich their lives by exploring subjects they didn’t have time to peruse previously.
53,590
Total Students Served
7,279
Campus partner programs
14,469
Campus partner special programs
4,118
Continuum professional programs
11,498
Continuum special programs
12,628
Extended partner programs
819
International & English language programs
We served an additional 2,779 students enrolled in other programs, such as Shared Access, Quarter Start Online Courses, ASF, UWHS Teacher Training and Tuition Exemption Summer Quarter Students.
Download the full enrollment chart
Expanding Possibilities Through Scholarship
Through UW Certificate Scholarships, we 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 offer need-based aid for many UW Certificate programs, covering at least 80% of program fees. Meet one of our 2024 scholarship recipients, Guillermo Ruiz, who used our scholarship and the UW Certificate in Digital Marketing to land a job after a layoff.
Make a Gift
Your Support, Their Future
Continuum extends the impact of the UW to deliver the right learning opportunities, in the right way, at the right time. In 2024, thanks to our generous donors and funding partners, we were able to provide scholarships to 26% of UWPCE* students who applied and were eligible for financial assistance. With your gifts and philanthropic support, we can do even more to help learners at all ages and stages of life find their path.
We invite you to contribute to our scholarship fund — or contact us to explore more ways we can work together to support learning, attainment, innovation and community collaborations.
* In fall 2024, 19 UW Certificate Scholarships were awarded from a pool of 73 qualified applicants.
Founding Donor
