Pierce College has been named a 2026 Leader College of Distinction by Achieving the Dream (ATD), a national organization that supports community colleges in improving student access, learning, and economic opportunity. The designation applies to Pierce College, which serves students at its Puyallup campus.
Achieving the Dream describes Leader Colleges of Distinction as institutions that demonstrate sustained commitment to student success and equity. Pierce College is one of a select group of community colleges nationwide to receive this recognition for 2026.
The announcement is one of several recent honors for Pierce College. Chancellor and CEO Dr. Julie White received the Eduardo J. Padrón Award for Presidential Leadership in February 2026. That same month, a Pierce College student was named a 2026 DREAM Scholar by Achieving the Dream, and the college's International Education Executive Director was selected for a Fulbright International Education Administrators Award focused on Taiwan.
In November 2025, Pierce College was awarded more than $5. 5 million in federal TRIO grants to expand student support services. The college also held its Distinguished Alumni and Scholarship Celebration on Tuesday, March 24, at the Puyallup campus, honoring three former students. No additional details about the ATD designation criteria or next steps were included in the announcement.
Source: Pierce College News website, scraped March 26, 2026.