The sole technical college in Northwest Washington has received one of its biggest donations yet. Bellingham Technical College (BTC) was gifted $780,000 by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. With the finalization of the donation in December 2024, it’s now being put into effect.
Around $300,000 of the gift will fund student scholarships, which some people rely on to put themselves through college and relieve financial stress.
“It makes a huge difference,” says Colin Fritz, a BTC student whose schooling is fully funded by scholarships. “I’m not 100% relying on money from work so I can focus a lot more on school.”
BTC has given over $800,000 in scholarships yearly for the last few years.
In addition to scholarships, BTC is focused on giving students the up-to-date equipment they need to get the education they deserve—the remaining $480,000 will fund extensive new materials and tools. Working with these materials builds students’ apprenticeship hours and real-world experience, allowing them to be pipelined into a high-paying job directly after graduation.
The school offers programs in fields ranging from advanced manufacturing to nursing to culinary, and much more.
Fritz is currently enrolled in their electrician program. He says, “Almost all of the instructors used to work in the field. So, they all have a lot of real-world experience in what they’re teaching.”
This same donor previously made a historic donation of $1.2 million in 2022, and they continue to support the students at BTC.
Applications for scholarships open each year from April 15-June 30.
3028 Lindbergh Ave., Bellingham, 360.752.7000, btc.edu
