TCC Honors Distinguished Alumnus, Honorary Degree Recipients

From left to right: Joe Harned, Dr. Walter Nolte, Laurie Jinkins

Tacoma Community College will honor Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Walter Nolte and Honorary Degree Recipients Laurie Jinkins and Joe Harned at the Distinguished Alumni and Honorary Degree Awards Dinner. The event will be held in the Building 11 Student Center from 6-8 p.m. on May 25. The cost is $50 per person.

Dr. Walter Nolte, 2011 Distinguished Alumnus, graduated from Tacoma Community College in 1970. After receiving his B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Puget Sound, Nolte returned to Tacoma Community College in 1984 as Dean for Vocational Education. Nolte received his PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Texas in 1991 and currently serves as president of Casper College in Wyoming.

“His passion and innovation in higher education have influenced the paths of many across the United States, and he is committed to higher education and to student success,” said TCC President Dr. Pamela Transue. “His published works, his community activities, and his professional career all focus on the importance of education, and we are proud that his degree from TCC set him on that path.”

Honorary degree recipient Representative Laurie Jinkins served on the Tacoma Community College Board of Trustees from 1998 to December 2010, when she was elected to the Washington State Legislature.

“Laurie has been a tireless advocate for the betterment of our community and is a valued leader,” said Transue. “She is a crucial activist for education, equality, health care, gay rights and many other critical issues, and her influence is far reaching. She embodies integrity, passion, and determination and her background reflects a person who lives to serve, contribute and make a difference for us all.”

Honorary degree recipient Joe Harned is a longtime supporter of Tacoma Community College, funding scholarships to assist low-income students through the TCC Foundation. In 2010 he made the largest donation to TCC in the institution’s history. The gift will benefit the planned Harned Center for Health Careers, which was named in his honor.

“For the past decade, Joe has turned his considerable entrepreneurial abilities to helping students and the institutions that educate them,” said Transue.

The Distinguished Alumnus and honorary degree recipients will also be honored at Commencement, which takes place June 11 at 10 a.m. at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center.