Business & Law
The Business and Law Division provides students with several affordable, accessible, and high-quality programs that will help launch them into rewarding and meaningful careers. Students may choose pathways in: Accounting, Business Technologies and Administrative Careers (BTAC), Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Court Reporting and Captioning, and Business Management.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Shannon Sharpe
ssharpe@greenriver.edu
Interim Dean:
Lea Ann Simpson
lsimpson@greenriver.edu
College and Career Pathways
The Career and College Pathways Division (formerly Transitional Studies and Wellness) offers classes in Pre-college areas. These include classes in English for Language Learners (ELL), Adult Basic Education, High School Equivalency (ABE/HSE), and High School Completion (HSC).
Our goal is to assist students to meet their personal and educational goals through academic preparation. For continued intellectual and development, we strongly encourage and assist students to take other college classes and to complete degrees and certificates.
Workforce Education Services provides financial support to help connect students with a path into high demand, high wage career through grants. These services can help support students planning on transferring to a university, Professional Technical degrees and certifications, job skills training needed to gain employment and pre-college skill attainment through GED, ELL and Basic Skills programs. Available grants include Worker Retraining, Workfirst, BFET, and Opportunity Grant. Funding Workshops available to determine eligibility.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Heidi Sheneberger
hSheneberger@greenriver.edu
Interim Dean:
Lionel Candido Flores
lcandido@greenriver.edu
English
The English Division at Green River offers composition courses from pre-college to college level and provides offerings in American, British, and world literature courses. English courses apply to the AA transfer degree; they are prerequisites for many courses in other disciplines, and they apply to many certificates, such as Diversity Studies and Gender Studies.
At Green River College you may begin your studies by taking courses that prepare you to be "major ready" and transfer to a university. While you are taking your major prerequisites within your transfer degree, you can focus your distribution choices and elective credits toward meeting your educational goals and area of interest. All transferability of classes to four-year institutions is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Students should contact an advisor at the college to which they intend to transfer. Please visit the University and College Transfer for more information.
Division Contacts
Division Co-Chair:
Kirstin Higgins
khiggins@greenriver.edu
and
Jake Frye
jfrye@greenriver.edu
Interim Dean:
Ian Sherman
isherman@greenriver.edu
Fine Arts
The Fine Arts Division at Green River College encompasses the Visual and Performing Arts. Students can find courses and programs that include Ceramics, Dance, Design, Drama, Drawing, Music, Painting, and Photography. The Fine Arts Division has a variety of Concentrations and Degrees. Our Associate of Fine Arts Degree will prepare you for transfer to a four year institution with an emphasis on the fundamentals of visual art and creating a strong portfolio. The Fine Arts Division focuses on creating, making and discovering. Students who enroll in our classes can choose to act in a play, make music, sing in a choir, work on a newspaper, be a voice on the radio or make art. Many of our courses will fit into the AA Direct Transfer Degree and students can take these classes to explore areas as an interest or as a pathway to a career.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Paul Metivier
pmetivier@greenriver.edu
Dean:
Christie Gilliland
cgilliland@greenriver.edu
Health Sciences, Education, & Wellness Division
The Health Sciences, Education, & Wellness Division at Green River College prepares students to be workforce ready in influential careers in the healthcare and education industries including physical therapist assistant, occupational therapy assistant, childcare and educators. In the transfer degree area, we offer classes in Health Education and Physical Education. Our programs vary in length providing either a certificate, applied associates or applied bachelor's degree focusing on skills needed to be an outstanding healthcare or education practitioner. We are comprised of over 40 full-time and adjunct faculty serving more than 500 students annually in our respective areas of expertise. We have strong community partnerships that serve our students through on-site training to provide the necessary skills for employment readiness. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, healthcare is one of the most consistently in demand, high wage industries. Education and childcare are also in constant demand and the wages associated with jobs in those industries are on the rise.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Leslie Kessler
lkessler@greenriver.edu
Interim Dean:
Lionel Candido Flores
lcandido@greenriver.edu
Humanities
An education in the Humanities cultivates invaluable and practical skills for a productive career and an engaged life. As a Humanities student, you will learn critical and creative thinking, effective communication with diverse groups, and gain insight into how language and culture shape our world. You will address life's big questions and learn how to navigate workplace and personal communication with care and respect. With these skills, you'll be ready to tackle challenges, connect meaningfully with others, and make a difference.
Within the Humanities Division, students can take classes and degree concentrations in subjects that cover Asian Studies, Communication Studies, Diversity Studies, Film, Gender Studies, Global Studies, Hispanic and Latin American Studies, Journalism, Information Studies, Philosophy, and Foreign Languages such as Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. The Humanities Division also includes faculty counselors who provide mental health services and faculty librarians who assist with student research and instructional support.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Erin Fernandez Mommer
emommer@greenriver.edu
Interim Dean:
Ian Sherman
isherman@greenriver.edu
Intensive English Program
Green River's Intensive English Program (IEP) program is designed to give nonimmigrant international students the strong English communication skills necessary for success in college. The IEP is for students who score lower than 500 on TOEFL.
The program includes five levels of courses in speaking and listening (oral), grammar, writing, reading, and optional TOEFL for level five students. Free tutoring is available for IEP students. Classes meet four hours a day, five days a week, with a special schedule during summer quarter. After successfully completing the IEP, international students can enroll directly in Green River's academic classes.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Elizabeth Longo
elongo@greenriver.edu
Mathematics
The Mathematics Division offers a wide range of designed to meet students at their current understanding and expand that understanding to fulfill the requirements of their degree. In addition to the traditional classes for Science and Engineering majors, a variety of specialized classes are available to students pursuing Education, Information Technology, Social Science, Humanities, and Business.
With a mission to promote student success in these courses, the Math Learning Center (MLC) provides a variety of resources for students, including free drop-in tutoring assistance, computers, textbooks and graphing calculator rentals.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Allison Beckwith
ABeckwith@greenriver.edu
Dean:
Miebeth Bustillo-Booth
miebeth.bustillobooth@greenriver.edu
Nursing and Healthcare Studies
The Nursing and Healthcare Studies Division at Green River College is dedicated to
preparing students for rewarding careers in the dynamic healthcare field. We offer
a range of programs designed to meet both immediate workforce needs and long-term
career goals. Our division is deeply responsive to the evolving needs of the healthcare
industry. Whether you're just starting out or building on existing experience, our
programs are structured to support stepwise educational and career advancement. We
are proud to offer flexible, accessible, and affordable training options that lead
to livable wage careers and meaningful contributions to our community鈥檚 health.
Our short-term certificate options include 1- to 2-quarter programs in Nursing Assistant
Certified (NAC), Phlebotomy, Emergency Room Technician (ERT), and Electrocardiography
(EKG) Technician, providing fast pathways to employment in high-demand roles. For
students looking to continue their education, we offer an Associate of Pre-Nursing
DTA transfer degree, as well as Associate in Nursing pathways for Licensed Practical
Nurses (LPN) and Medical Assistants (MA to LPN), available in both full-time and part-time
formats. At the baccalaureate level, our Bachelor of Science in Nursing (LPN to BSN)
degree supports licensed practical nurses seeking career advancement and expanded
scope of practice. This program is also offered in both full- and part-time formats,
making it accessible to working professionals. Green River鈥檚 nursing programs are
approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing and nationally accredited by the
National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA),
ensuring quality and rigor at every level.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Anna Drury
adrury@greenriver.edu
Associate Dean:
KaraLynn LaValley
klavalley@greenriver.edu
Science
The Science Division at Green River College includes courses in Anatomy and Physiology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, Oceanography, and Physics. We teach classes face-to-face, online, and a little of each. On any given day our students can be found studying dinosaurs, organic chemistry, cadaver anatomy, botany, and wave dynamics. We teach classes in Auburn as well as Kent and Enumclaw. Our courses are designed to give students the skills they need for careers in science and the knowledge they need to understand their world.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Katy Shaw
kshaw@greenriver.edu
Division Co-Chair:
Danny Najera
dnajera@greenriver.edu
Dean:
Miebeth Bustillo-Booth
miebeth.bustillobooth@greenriver.edu
Social Science
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Tim Scharks
tscharks@greenriver.edu
Dean:
Christie Gilliland
cgilliland@greenriver.edu
Technology
Green River Technology Division is focused on pathways to in-demand careers that make up a major part of Washington's economy, especially in the greater Seattle area. Because of the quality of our programs and our graduates, they are well-received by both state and local businesses, allowing students to earn thriving wages and opportunities to continue to earn advanced degrees. The Technology Division offers undergraduate degrees in Computer Science, Engineering, Aviation, Software Development, Natural Resources, and Cybersecurity and Networking.
Many of our programs are nationally recognized or accredited, our IT program is an NSA Cybersecurity Center for Academic Excellence. Our Aviation programs are certified by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), Natural Resources maintains Society of American Forester's accreditation. Faculty also hold numerous certifications and do regular development to make sure their qualifications match industry demands. The course offerings are current, innovative and reflect the needs of our community. Our graduates work for many different companies and organizations, from small and large businesses, start-ups, and non-profits to state and federal agencies and locally for national companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, MultiCare and Blue Origin.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
Michael Wood
mawood@greenriver.edu
Dean:
Miebeth Bustillo-Booth
miebeth.bustillobooth@greenriver.edu
Trades
The Trades Division consists of Automotive Technology, Carpentry Technology, Machining & Manufacturing Technology, Maintenance Mechatronics, and Welding Technology.
The Trades Division offers educational opportunities for developing aptitudes, perfecting skills and acquiring the knowledge necessary for individuals to be effective and competitive throughout a lifetime of employment in a changing work environment.
Division Contacts
Division Chair:
David Lewis
dLewis@greenriver.edu
Interim Dean:
Lea Ann Simpson
lsimpson@greenriver.edu