Green River Community College 
Green River Community College is a public
two-year college where students from all
over the world come together to learn,
grow and enrich their lives. Green River's
main campus, founded in Auburn's Lea Hill
neighborhood in 1965, stretches over 180
acres of beautifully forested land. Branch
campuses, located in downtown Auburn,
Kent and Enumclaw, bring the college's
unique educational experiences to local 
communities. 
At Green River, students can choose from a wide variety of transfer degrees, professionaltechnical
programs, pre-college and basic skills courses and continuing education classes. Highquality
faculty and motivated staff advise, counsel and support students in their chosen
educational careers, creating an atmosphere where achievement is expected and encouraged. 
Strong academics, solid student services, a diverse and lively campus community and new
facilities combine at Green River to provide students a one-of-kind education with lessons that
will stay with them throughout their lives. 
History 
The roots of Green River Community College stretch back to 1945, when the Auburn School
District started a program of adult evening education, which soon became the largest in
Washington state. The popularity of the program convinced citizens from the surrounding
communities that the Green River Valley needed its own community college. Local committees
began working to secure state approval to start a community college in 1959. In 1963, the
determination of local citizens paid off when the Washington State Board of Education
approved the community college. 
Green River's professional and technical program began in September 1964 at a location near
the Auburn Boeing plant. A year later, Green River opened its doors at its present location on
Lea Hill, east of Auburn. This favorable location is easy to reach from local communities and is a
40-minute drive from either Seattle or Tacoma. With increasing demand for higher education,
Green River has opened satellite campuses in Kent and Enumclaw. 
Green River's service area is defined as District 10 by the 1967 Washington State Legislature;
the college is governed by a five-member board of trustees. Financial support comes from state
appropriations and student tuition. 
September 2012