By Nina Huang
Northwest Asian Weekly

From left: Mark Mitsui, Patrick Yalung, Sherri Wade, Dianne Chong, Sue Anderson, Paul Killpatrick, Steven Gonzalez, Paul Ishii, and Sung Yang (Photo from George Liu/NWAW)

Every year, the Northwest Asian Weekly recognizes some of the most influential community leaders in the area at the Diversity at the Top awards dinner and gala. This year, the paper honors 10 individuals who have fought to break through the bamboo ceiling to get to the top. Read the full story

By Stacy Nguyen
Northwest Asian Weekly

Mark Mitsui

Mark Mitsui became the 12th president of North Seattle Community College (NSCC) in July 2010.

He also serves as vice chancellor of student success for the Seattle Community College District and was recently appointed board chair of the new Asian Pacific Islander American Association of Colleges and Universities.

Mitsui came to NSCC from South Seattle Community College (SSCC), where he served as vice president of student services and led a team that secured a $2.4 million Department of Education grant and designation for the college as one of a nationally select group of Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).

Prior to SSCC, Mitsui served in leadership roles at Green River and North Seattle community colleges.

Mitsui is a doctoral student in educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Washington, where he also earned his master’s degree in the same field. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University. Read the full story

Chris Lu and Mark Mitsui, president of North Seattle Community College (Photo by Rebecca Ip/SCP)

President George W. Bush appointed two Asian Americans to his cabinet. The Asian community was impressed. But President Obama gave us more—three cabinet secretaries, Gary Locke, Steve Chu, and Secretary Eric Shinseki, and many other powerful appointments, including Chris Lu, one of the 25 assistants to the president since 2008. Read the full story

From left to right, top to bottom: Mark Mitsui, Ruby G. Moy, Robert Underwood, and Gabriel Esteban

North Seattle Community College President Mark Mitsui has been appointed chair of the Asian Pacific Islander American Association of Colleges and Universities (APIACU) Board of Directors. APIACU aims to help address the complex set of social realities facing students in the underrepresented and underserved Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

Vice chair is President of the University of Guam Robert Underwood. Co-vice  chair is President of Seton Hall University Gabriel Esteban. Together, they will work along with APIACU president and CEO, the Honorable Ruby G. Moy, to lead the organization. ♦

From left, in back: Former Seattle Community College District (now Seattle Community Colleges) Chancellor Peter Ku, Shiao Yen, NSCC President Mark Mitsui, Vera Ing, Winnie Lee, and Seattle Community Colleges Chancellor Jill Wakefield. Front: Terri Ji

Passport to Success is North Seattle Community College (NSCC)’s annual dinner and the only fundraising event for the Education Fund of North Seattle Community College, which supports scholarships and other programs at the college, including faculty and staff development, tutoring, and academic programs.  Read the full story

Ho, ho, ho, yes, yes, yes!

I looked back on 2010 to see if our blessings exceeded our losses. Indeed, they did

1. Welcome, Cobalt, our new neighbor

Vulcan building

So Amazon moved out last summer, and we lost a lot of business in the Chinatown/International District.  Cobalt, which provides digital marketing services, has signed in as the new tenant to use up some of the space that Amazon occupied in the Vulcan buildings. Cobalt might not have as big of a crowd as Amazon. But having 800 additional bodies in our community is nothing to sneeze at. Hopefully, Cobalt folks like to dine out as much as the Amazon people did.

Read the full story

From left: Antioch University President Cassandra Manuelito-Kerkvliet, City University Provost Steve Olswang, Bellevue College President Jean Floten, Seattle Community Colleges Chancellor Jill Wakefield, Seattle Central Community College President Paul Killpatrick, Whatcom Community College President Kathi Hiyane-Brown, University of Washington Bothell Chancellor Kenyon Chan, North Seattle Community College President Mark Mitsui, and Edmonds Community College President Jack Oharah. (Note: This is not a photograph, but an image created by combining two photos.) (Image credit: Rebecca Ip/SCP)

The Women of Color Empowered luncheon honored 11 female educators on Sept. 24 at the China Harbor Restaurant. Despite the fact that the event honored women, several important men showed up. They belong to what I call the presidents’ league. Read the full story

1: Mark Mitsui. 2: South Seattle Community College President Gary Oertli, Bea Kiyohara, Jill Wakefield, and Peter Ku. 3: Mark Mitsui with his parents, family members, and friends at a gathering hosted by Vera and Joel Ing (not shown). (Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW)

When Mark Mitsui was appointed as the president of North Seattle Community College, I felt that he could very well be another Peter Ku, chancellor emerita of Seattle Community Colleges. Read the full story