Olympic College has long been rooted in the Kitsap County community, serving as a trusted pathway to education, workforce preparation and opportunity for generations of students. That commitment was celebrated in October 2025 when alumna and Washington State Representative Tarra Simmons (23rd District) returned to OC to speak at the Poulsbo Healthcare Expansion Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
“This is more than a ribbon cutting,” Simmons said. “It’s a celebration of innovation, hope, and opportunity taking root right here in Kitsap County.”
The new Poulsbo facilities feature state-of-the-art labs, simulation suites and collaborative classrooms designed to prepare students for high-demand healthcare careers, including radiologic technology, sonography, and surgical technology. These programs are especially vital as Kitsap County faces an ongoing shortage of skilled healthcare professionals.
“The need for trained healthcare workers has never been greater,” Simmons said. “These students will soon be the trusted professionals caring for our families and neighbors, helping expectant parents hear a heartbeat, diagnosing illness through imaging or supporting life-saving procedures in the operating room.”
For Simmons, the significance of the expansion is deeply personal. A first-generation college graduate and Olympic College alumna, she shared her own journey as evidence of how accessible education can change lives and strengthen communities.
Simmons entered Olympic College in 1994 as a single mother living in deep poverty. Three years later, she left transformed, having completed an associate degree and the nursing prerequisites. After commuting for several more years to finish her nursing degree, Simmons returned to the community and served as a nurse for 11 years.
“This project ensures that more people in our community can pursue meaningful, family-wage careers close to home,” she said. “They won’t have to commute long distances to get the education they need or to give back to the community they live in.”
Simmons emphasized that the Poulsbo Healthcare Expansion Project is not only an investment in education, but also in equity, access and public health.
“Community colleges like Olympic College,” she said, “serve traditional students, working adults, veterans and parents, meeting people where they are and opening doors that might otherwise remain closed.”
“As your state representative, I know that when we invest in our community colleges, we invest in the people who keep Washington strong,” Simmons said. “Every dollar spent here comes back to us as skilled graduates, thriving families and healthier communities.”
She closed by reminding students, faculty, and staff of the broader impact of their work. Education, she noted, does not just transform individual lives, it lifts entire communities.
“To the students who will study here,” Simmons said, “the future of healthcare in Washington is in your hands.”
With Phase 1 of the Healthcare Expansion complete, Olympic College sets its sights on Phase 2 of the expansion, which will pave the way for proposed programs in Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic, and Respiratory Therapy.
Visit the Olympic College Healthcare Expansion webpage for all the latest Phase 2 project news and information.