Highline College will hold its 2026 commencement ceremony on June 18, 2026 at the ShoWare Center, a decision college officials say was influenced by venue availability, tradition, and capacity needs.
The decision marks a move away from Emerald Downs, where commencement was held last year, and brings graduation back to ShoWare Center, which hosted Highline’s ceremonies for more than a decade prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. College leadership said the venue change was influenced largely by ShoWare’s ability to accommodate graduates and their guests in a single ceremony.
“ShoWare Center has consistently provided a comfortable and accommodating environment for both graduates and their guests,” said Dr. Jamilyn Penn, Highline’s Interim President. “Several factors, including tradition, availability, and capacity needs, contributed to the decision to move commencement to June 18 and to return to the ShoWare Center.”
According to Dr. Penn, early planning discussions reflected Highline’s former President Dr. John R. Mosby’s intent to hold commencement at ShoWare Center. However, securing a date was very difficult due to heavy demand during commencement season.
“We asked early and often, but due to the high demand from multiple colleges and organizations seeking to use ShoWare during the commencement season, our originally requested date was no longer available,” Dr. Penn stated. “ShoWare Center management assigned us the new date, June 18, as it was the earliest possible slot that could accommodate our capacity needs.”
A member of the commencement committee said ShoWare Center is hosting approximately 24 commencement ceremonies this season and June 18 was the only available option for Highline College. Further mentioning ShoWare as the only local venue large enough to hold a single ceremony without limiting the number of supporters students may invite or splitting commencement into multiple events.
“Those alternatives would significantly impact student experience, increase costs and add labor for those planning and working commencement,” the committee member stated in an email response.
The Tacoma Dome was considered as a possible alternative, but members of the Executive Cabinet determined it was too far from campus. It also raised concerns about parking costs for attendees, according to a member of the commencement committee.
While administrators emphasized logistical necessity, the date change has raised concerns among faculty and staff. The June 18 ceremony falls outside negotiated workdays outlined in the 2025–2028 faculty labor contract, creating scheduling conflicts for some employees who had already planned travel, academic commitments, or professional events.
“Since it’s not a paid workday, HCEA (Highline College Education Association) wanted to negotiate pay, but administration declined,” the committee member said. “HCEA filed a grievance and negotiations are ongoing.”
The new commencement date also coincides with Seattle’s hosting of FIFA World Cup games. This conflict means student’s families who travel into the area to see their loved ones graduate will be fighting with hiked travel and lodging expenses, as well as availability against those who plan on attending the games.
The decision-making process involved the college president, Executive Cabinet members, and the commencement leadership team, with the Board of Trustees informed but not serving as the final decision-maker.
As planning continues, college leaders say they are working to balance logistical realities with the goal of providing a meaningful commencement experience, while faculty and staff negotiations remain ongoing ahead of the June 18 ceremony.