Northwest Education Access

The mission of Northwest Education Access (formerly Seattle Education Access is to provide comprehensive and individualized support to help low-income young people, ages 16-29, in King and Pierce Counties build their own path to higher education and beyond. Our goals are to:

• Provide the personal attention, mentorship, technical assistance, and moral support that low-income young people need to navigate the complex systems of higher education and financial aid.
• Connect low-income young people with information and resources, and support them in creating an individualized plan to meet their higher education goals.
• Advocate for and with low-income young people, and empower them to develop their own voices as they pursue their higher education.
• Provide financial resources that help low-income young people access higher education and meet their basic needs while in school.

We believe:

• In the inherent worth and dignity of each human being.
• That education is a human right.
• That every person deserves an education that meets their individual needs and goals.
• That education is a lifelong process.
• That institutional racism and systemic injustices create substantial barriers to access and opportunity.
• That every person is the expert on their own life.
• In the right of every individual to self-determination.
• In the power of community and supportive relationships.
• That the success of our organization is measured by the well-being and success of our students.

NWEA welcomes all races; all religions and worldviews; all ethnic, cultural, and national backgrounds; all immigration statuses; all sexual orientations; all genders; all abilities; and all the intersections of these identities.

NWEA fights poverty and homelessness by helping low-income young people make strong transitions to local community colleges and four-year universities. Many of our students have been homeless; others are immigrants, foster youth, or young parents. NWEA is the only college access organization in Washington State – and one of few in the US – that serves students who did not successfully complete high school. What they all share in common is motivation to complete their educations, coupled with a lack of adequate resources to achieve their goals. We provide our students with financial and social resources so they can excel academically, as well as personalized, compassionate, respectful academic advising and advocacy. As a result, our students are succeeding in higher education and leaving poverty behind, preparing to give back to society as professionals and leaders of the next generation.

NWEA began in 2002 as a small group of volunteers and fewer than a dozen students. In 2020, NWEA will serve approximately 1,000 students across our service area. Of those students, 100% are low-income, 78% are people of color, 76% are the first in their family to attend college, and 51% have experienced homelessness. Students are served at partner sites, including community and technical colleges, high school re-engagement sites, GED programs, and organizations serving youth experiencing homelessness.