Bellevue College's 60th-anniversary fundraiser brought in $415,200, a record for the institution's foundation, with the money earmarked for student scholarships, emergency aid and academic programs.

Nearly 200 donors and community members attended the Diamond Jubilee gala, 425 Magazine reported in a sponsored post.

The evening included a student showcase, remarks from college leaders, a live auction and a "Raise the Paddle for Student Success" segment.

Nursing student Morgan Burke, a single mother managing ADHD, spoke at the event about how a Bellevue College Foundation scholarship helped her pursue her degree. Burke's story put a face on the kind of aid the fundraiser supports.

The gala also marked the first Distinguished Alumni Award, given to Brandon Ting, founder and CEO of Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya and Supreme Dumplings.

When Ting first enrolled at Bellevue College, he was placed into English Level 2 for non-native speakers, according to a college profile published in 2020. He went on to found Kizuki Ramen, which now operates locations across multiple states and in Japan.

The fundraiser was part of a yearlong celebration of the college's six decades in Bellevue. The school opened in January 1966 at Newport High School with about 500 students after legislation signed by then-Gov.

Dan Evans in spring 1965 paved the way, according to 425 Business.

Thomas Lee, a Bellevue College instructor and senior operations specialist who attended the school as a student, reflected on the institution's role in a July 2026 interview with 425 Business.

"I remember my family talking about the reason why Bellevue Community College was created, and that was (to be) an educational and workforce opportunity for the immediate Eastside," Lee said. "We're still true to that. …"

Lee, a second-generation Bellevue College student, said his family viewed the school as a place that offered "ample options and choices for exploration."

He left for the workforce and later returned to serve on staff.

Raechel Dawson, the college's associate director of communications, told 425 Business in July 2026 that alumni often reconnect with the institution years later.

Dawson's own family ties to the college run deep: her parents, her sister and her late great-grandfather, Willard Geer, the college's first physics teacher, all have connections to the school.

The anniversary year is set to conclude with the opening of the college's 56,618-square-foot W Building, expected in winter 2027. The building will house a modern arts hub with workshops and a makerspace.