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League for Innovation - 2021 Innovation of the Year Award

Established over 35 years ago, the League’s Innovation of the Year Awards were devised as a way to recognize significant innovations at Board and Alliance member colleges. These innovations reflect significant achievements and the continuing renewal of the spirit of innovation and experimentation upon which the League was founded. The award honors faculty, staff, and administrators at member colleges who have created and implemented innovative programs, practices, partnerships, policies, and activities that improve the institution’s ability to serve students and the community.

English Directed Self Placement: Guiding Student Choice

This year, Seattle Colleges received an Innovation of the Year Award from the League for Innovation for its English Directed Self Placement: Guiding Student Choice.

The Guiding Student Choice tools provide students with a culturally inclusive and responsive way of placing themselves into the appropriate level English course. More students are beginning in college-level English and the initiative is proving a powerful strategy for increasing student completion and narrowing equity gaps.

photo collage of awardees

2021 Innovators

  • Elinor Appel, Faculty, Basic and Transitional Studies
  • Cathryn Cabral, Faculty, English
  • Caitlin Carle, Faculty, English
  • James Eaton, Faculty, Basic and Transitional Studies
  • Steph Hankinson, Faculty, English
  • Tracy Heinlein, Faculty, English
  • Tish Lopez, Faculty, English
  • Kaitlin McClanahan, Faculty, English
  • Laura McCracken, Faculty, English
  • Jon Nachman, Faculty, Basic and Transitional Studies
  • Steve Quig, Faculty, English
  • Justina Rompogren, Faculty, English
  • Desiree Simons, Faculty, English
  • Paige Talbot, Faculty, English

Award History

Established over 35 years ago, the League’s Innovation of the Year Awards were devised to recognize significant innovations at Board and Alliance member colleges. These innovations reflect significant achievements and the spirit of innovation and experimentation upon which the League was founded. The award honors faculty, staff, and administrators at member colleges who have created and implemented innovative programs, practices, partnerships, policies, and activities that improve the institution’s ability to serve students and the community.