A coalition of housing developers, community organizations, childcare providers and educators today broke ground on the Mount Baker Redevelopment and Rainier Rising Early Learning Campus. The 3.8-acre project is expected to create 400 affordable apartments, provide high-quality childcare and be home to a first-of-its-kind early childhood learning center.

By bringing affordable housing, early learning and community resources together, families will be better supported. This development, across the street from Sound Transit鈥檚 Mount Baker light-rail station, creates a unique, transit-accessible place where affordable housing and high-quality early learning exist side-by-side, with resources and partnerships designed to support children and families more holistically.

鈥淭his moment represents a major milestone in bringing a long-envisioned, community-centered project to life,鈥� said Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson. 鈥淭he partnership reflects a belief that complex challenges require us to work differently 鈥� and together. No single organization or sector can address the interconnected needs of children, families and communities alone. This project demonstrates what is possible when government, community organizations, philanthropy and the university bring their respective strengths together around shared priorities.鈥�

The redevelopment is the result of an eight-year collaboration between the UW College of Education, the City of Seattle Office of Housing, the State of Washington, Mercy Housing Northwest and El Centro de la Raza, among others. These organizations hold a shared commitment to children and families 鈥� and a belief that supporting thriving communities requires innovative approaches that work across traditional boundaries.

鈥淭ogether, this project will bring affordable housing, high-quality early learning and family and community resources together in one dynamic, transit-accessible location,鈥� said Mia Tuan, dean of the UW College of Education. 鈥淩ainier Rising Early Learning Campus creates an extraordinary opportunity to bring the UW鈥檚 world-class research and expertise in early learning into partnership with the knowledge and experience of our community partners 鈥� creating a place where research informs practice, innovation takes root and what we learn together can strengthen early learning for children and families well beyond this campus.鈥�

Since 2018, the UW College of Education and partners across southeast Seattle have worked alongside families, educators and community leaders to imagine a space shaped by community needs and community voices. Co-designed with Rainier Valley residents, Rainier Rising Early Learning Campus (RRELC) was created to address longstanding inequities in access to affordable, high-quality childcare and preschool while centering culturally affirming, anti-racist care for children and families.

The Mount Baker Redevelopment 鈥� built in two phases 鈥� will create housing for more than 1,000 individuals. The first phase includes 239 affordable rental homes.

鈥淭he groundbreaking is an important milestone, but it is only the beginning,鈥� said Colin Morgan-Cross, Mercy Housing Northwest. 鈥淭oday, we come together to celebrate years of hard work in partnership, planning and community engagement. As we start of the next phase of work, we remain grounded in the fact that the impact of this project will be shaped not just by the buildings themselves, but by the relationships, programs and opportunities that grow from them.鈥�

The development prioritizes affordable family living, cultural diversity and community safety. One-third of the homes will be reserved for families earning at or below 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and a total of 60% will be family-sized homes.

Mercy Housing Northwest, together with El Centro de la Raza, are developing more than 400 units of affordable housing. The completed project will be a community that reflects the voices and rich cultural tapestry of the Mount Baker neighborhood. Rooted in the shared principles of justice, equity and partnership, this redevelopment project addresses housing affordability, enhances public spaces and creates economic opportunities for residents and local businesses.

鈥淭here is an ongoing role for the community and our broader network of partners.,鈥� said Estela Ortega, executive director of El Centro de la Raza. 鈥淭his development means a life of dignity for families in our community 鈥� access to safe and affordable housing, supportive services and the opportunity to build a better future. As this project takes shape, we invite our neighbors, community members and partners to be part of the journey, share the story, and help create a place where families feel supported, connected, and rooted in our community for generations to come.鈥澛�

The $170 million Mount Baker Redevelopment funding comes from a variety of state, city and private sources.

The RRELC will be a first-of-its-kind early learning hub that will expand access to high-quality early care and education, bring research and evidence-based practices into partnership with community expertise, and strengthen the region鈥檚 early learning workforce. The space will consist of about 35,000 square feet split between two floors. An eight-classroom early learning space on the first floor is designed to serve more than 120 children from infancy through preschool. The second floor will host an ecosystem of early learning organizations who support children and families, professional development and adult learning.

What sets the RRELC apart is its integrated approach to learning, support and innovation. The campus will provide high-quality early education for local children while also serving as a training and demonstration center for educators, researchers and community partners. Through partnerships with healthcare providers, early learning organizations, and the UW, the campus will strengthen the early learning workforce, connect families to critical resources, and advance research-informed practices that can improve outcomes for children locally and nationwide.

Beyond the classroom, the RRELC will connect children and families with resources that support their health and well-being. Partners from across the UW 鈥� including UW Medicine, the School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, School of Dentistry and School of Social Work 鈥� will work alongside community partners to bring their expertise to the campus and explore new ways to support children and families.

To honor former UW President Ana Mari Cauce鈥檚 role in advancing the RRELC from vision to reality, the early learning hub will feature the Cauce Community Space, a dedicated area for families and community members to gather, learn and access resources. This flexible-use space honors Cauce鈥檚 dedicated advocacy of this project during her presidential tenure, including uplifting the critical importance of robust, culturally centered and research-informed early learning practices at the local, state and national levels. Made possible through a gift from the Bezos Family Foundation, the Cauce Community Space will expand the RRELC鈥檚 holistic support to families and community members in Rainier Valley.

Additionally, the UW College of Education鈥檚 Cultivate Learning will bring its expertise in early childhood professional learning, coaching and quality improvement to the campus, creating opportunities for early learning educators to build their skills and learn promising practices. Cultivate Learning will occupy part of the second floor and facilitate classroom learning sessions and trainings for students and in-service professionals, and will amplify results to education leaders nationwide.

The RRELC鈥檚 total cost came to about $36 million with funds that were secured through a braided effort of philanthropy, federal, state, county and city resources. These costs are in addition to the funding for the Mount Baker Redevelopment.

In addition to housing and the RRELC, the development will include:

• Public Spaces: A 20,000-square-foot open space as the centerpiece of the development, fostering connection with the community and outdoor play and activities.
• Community Hub: 6,000-square-foot space for events, cultural programming, and services to support the residents and celebrate the neighborhood鈥檚 diversity.
• Support for Local Businesses: 4,000 square feet of commercial spaces designed to uplift BIPOC-owned and locally owned businesses.
• Climate Resiliency: Green design features include advanced stormwater management and beyond-code environmental practices.

The Mount Baker Redevelopment Project phase one and the RRELC is scheduled for completion by 2029. The architect for the Mount Baker Redevelopment is Runberg Architecture Group. Beacon Development Group is the developer consultant and Walsh Construction is the builder. For the RRELC, the architect is Mithun and Walsh Construction is the builder.

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It all started with a slide rule.

In the fall of 1965, during Cheryl Wright鈥檚 first week at the 天美影视传媒, she went to Suzzallo Library to complete a chemistry assignment. She needed help with a math problem and saw a boy across the reading room who had a slide rule 鈥� an analog calculator. The young pharmacy student who helped her that day was Raymond Wilson. Together the couple, who go by Cherie and Ray, did far more than solve a mathematical equation 鈥� they married and formed a bond that鈥檚 lasted more than six decades.

Cherie and Ray, both members of the Class of 1969,聽 went on to have successful academic and professional careers.聽 Over the years, their connections to the UW have deepened. They have supported scholarships, created alumni communities, built friendships and professional relationships, and cheered for Husky athletics, including the volleyball, basketball and football teams.

Now, the Wilsons have made a bequest of more than $8 million to be shared among the College of Education, the School of Pharmacy and UW Medicine鈥檚 BRaIN Laboratory. Bequests allow donors to direct their assets to causes after their death. The bequest brings the Wilsons鈥� total giving to more than $10 million and they now will be recognized by the UW as Presidential Laureates.

鈥淭his remarkable bequest reflects not only Cherie and Ray Wilson鈥檚 generosity, but a lifetime of connection to the 天美影视传媒. It represents an enduring relationship grounded in gratitude, trust and a shared belief in the power of education and discovery,鈥� said UW President Robert J. Jones. 鈥淔rom their earliest days as students to this extraordinary commitment, they have invested in people, ideas and communities across our university. Cherie and Ray鈥檚 impact will be felt for generations, expanding opportunity for students and advancing research that improves lives.鈥�

After graduating from the UW, both Cherie and Ray attended the University of Kansas, where Cherie earned a master鈥檚 degree in early childhood development and Ray earned his doctorate in medicinal chemistry. They both earned medical degrees from the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, respectively.

Cherie and Ray wanted to return to Washington state and eventually settled near Seattle, where Cherie worked as a pediatrician at Seattle Children鈥檚 and in private practice in Bellevue. Ray set up a gastroenterology practice at the Everett Clinic. Their career success enabled them to give back to the community in several ways, including philanthropically, with several gifts supporting the UW. For Ray, who was able to attend the UW thanks to scholarships, supporting students today is a way to pay it forward.

鈥淥ur giving is out of gratitude for what the University did for us,鈥� Ray said. 鈥淚t certainly helped me when I didn’t have a lot of money. It鈥檚 a privilege to try and help other students who might be struggling to get through school.鈥�

College of Education

Ray was inspired to create an endowed scholarship fund at the College of Education more than a decade ago to support master鈥檚 level teacher training for Native Americans. It was a way to honor his high school baseball and basketball coach, Dan Iyall. Iyall, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, reached legendary status as a pioneer in Washington high school athletics.

Iyall worked for nearly 50 years in education and is a member of the Washington Baseball Hall of Fame. He created the Washington high school baseball championships and is credited with developing a new style of bunting. He coached championship-level teams from four different high schools across Eastern Washington: Coulee City, Deer Park, Oroville and University. He also took a team from Oroville to the Washington State A boys basketball championship.

Wilson said Iyall鈥檚 presence reinforced the importance of inclusivity.

鈥淓ventually, I decided we need more people like Dan Iyall,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淲e need more teachers like that.鈥�

The bequest will grow the Dan Iyall Native American Support Fund by more than 300%. 聽Thanks to the fund, more than a dozen Native American fellows have earned their master鈥檚 in teaching. Now, the College will be able to award more fellowships each year.

The Wilsons are also creating the Dean Mia Tuan Endowed Professorship, to recognize Tuan鈥檚 leadership and long-standing emphasis on authentic, reciprocal community partnerships and culturally informed problem solving. The new endowment will allow the College to recruit and retain faculty specializing in community- and equity-based education.

鈥淩ay and Cherie are extraordinary people whose generosity reflects a deep commitment to strengthening our communities,鈥� Tuan said. 鈥淭heir gift will support Native students in becoming teachers while helping diversify Washington鈥檚 educator workforce. I am also deeply moved that their gift will establish an endowed professorship dedicated to authentic community partnerships and culturally grounded problem solving.鈥�

School of Pharmacy

Several decades after Ray received financial assistance to attend the UW School of Pharmacy, he teamed up with classmates and launched the Class of 1969 Scholarship Fund. Set up in the 2000s, it was the first School of Pharmacy alumni class to create a fund to help students.

鈥淚 came from a small town in Eastern Washington with almost no money, and yet, the University provided me with scholarships and completely covered my tuition,鈥� Ray said.

Wendel L. Nelson, a professor and pioneer in medicinal chemistry, recognized Ray鈥檚 talents early on and hired him to work in a lab. The research helped Ray advance his career, and the extra money helped pay for food and housing. More than that, the combination of scholarships and laboratory work enabled Ray to graduate debt-free.

With this bequest, the Wilsons鈥� generosity supports two additional funds in the School of Pharmacy: The Wendel L. Nelson Endowment in Medicinal Chemistry, named for Ray鈥檚 mentor, will support graduate students involved in basic laboratory research in medicinal chemistry. The gift also adds to the Nelson-Mendenhall Summer Scholars Program Fund, which brings undergraduates to the UW School of Pharmacy for a 10-week intensive in pharmaceutical sciences.

鈥淔rom their longstanding financial support to their ongoing participation in School events, to Ray鈥檚 past volunteer leadership, Ray and Cherie have already contributed so much to our School of Pharmacy community, and they have done so with a genuine desire to help students and the School thrive,鈥� said School of Pharmacy Dean Jay Panyam. 鈥淭he Wilsons鈥� estate commitment is yet another example of their incredible generosity, and I know it will have a significant and lasting impact for our students.鈥�

UW Biorepository and Integrated Neuropathology (BRaIN) Laboratory in the UW School of Medicine

The Wilsons鈥� bequest contributes additional funds to the BRaIN Laboratory, part of UW Medicine鈥檚 Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology.

Researchers at the BRaIN Lab are studying normal brain anatomy and function and how these change in injury and disease, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy .

Cherie and Ray聽 were introduced to the BRaIN Lab鈥檚 groundbreaking research by their former neighbors, Linda and Bob Dahl, whose son, Matthew Dahl, was one of their favorite neighborhood kids. When he died at 24, they were moved to learn about the BRaIN Lab, where Bob and Linda had donated his brain for research and to understand the impact of a childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI). The examination determined that Matt鈥檚 childhood TBI had evolved, rather than resolved. The outcome 鈥� Matt鈥檚 brain showed significant damage 鈥� highlighted the importance of such donations and moved the Wilsons to make meaningful philanthropic contributions to the lab.

Cherie said she鈥檚 hopeful the BRaIN Lab鈥檚 work may lead to treatments that could result in better long-term outcomes for patients.

鈥淪ome of these problems are going to be solved,鈥� Cherie said. 鈥淛ust becoming aware of chronic head injury and the effect on kids is really, really important.鈥�

The BRaIN lab is a global leader in neurological research on many topics, including TBI. With this bequest, the Wilsons support the intersection of pharmaceutical research and brain injury and disease.

鈥淩ay and Cherie鈥檚 engagement and generosity will continue to help the BRaIN Lab become a national model for neuropathology research. This generous gift will accelerate our work to better understand the mechanisms of brain injury and disease and to support the development of new strategies for diagnosis, treatment and prevention,鈥� said Dr. Caitlin S. Latimer, director of both the Division of Neuropathology and the BRaIN Lab.

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Ballmer Group commits $38 million anchor gift to 天美影视传媒 aligned with additional $5 million for early childhood workforce advocacy and programs to foster leaders of color in the field

The 天美影视传媒 today announced that it is part of a multi-pronged grantmaking strategy from Ballmer Group aimed at drawing more people into careers in early childhood education in our state 鈥� including by providing more than 1,500 scholarships over the next eight years.

Ballmer Group is providing a set of gifts totaling more than $43 million to fund scholarships, leadership development and advocacy across multiple organizations, reducing the financial barriers that prevent talent from entering the early childhood workforce. The gifts ensure Washington can successfully implement the Fair Start for Kids Act and build racially diverse leadership in the broader policy field.

The strategy includes a $38 million anchor gift to the UW College of Education; $1.65 million to , an organization that works to elevate diverse leadership across the early childhood policy field; and $4 million to to lead advocacy efforts aimed at improving compensation, well-being and professional development opportunities that improve recruitment, retention and workforce quality.

The grants to UW include support for more than 1,500 scholarships over the next eight years for students pursuing bachelor鈥檚 degrees, master鈥檚 degrees and high school internships in early childhood education. These cost-of-attendance scholarships cover tuition and other expenses. The support aims to reduce or remove financial barriers for students pursuing careers in early childhood education while attracting a more diverse workforce to the field. Studies show that diversity among teachers results in better outcomes for all students, and especially those from historically marginalized communities.

鈥淭he evidence is clear that early childhood education is a key factor in improving lifelong prospects, health and well-being,鈥� said UW President Ana Mari Cauce. 鈥淲e are deeply grateful for Ballmer Group鈥檚 visionary investment in training the skilled, dedicated early childhood educators whose work makes a lifetime of positive impact for children, families and communities.鈥�

Removing barriers to attaining degrees in early childhood education will help address the shortage of credentialed teachers, coaches and other early childhood professionals in the state. Too often, a student鈥檚 financial hardship prevents them from earning degrees; and these Ballmer Group gifts will help more than 1,200 students attain degrees without going into debt.

鈥淩esearch shows that a child鈥檚 earliest years are the most important period of development in their life, yet early childhood education is among the lowest-paid careers in the United States. That dynamic does not make sense if we want the best for our kids and the great people who care for them,鈥� said Connie Ballmer, Ballmer Group co-founder. 鈥淥ur approach with these investments is to tackle the challenges facing the early childhood workforce on multiple fronts: through the direct development of diverse talent at the UW, the increased representation of BIPOC policy leaders via Pathwaves, and important state-level advocacy for policy and public investment into the early childhood workforce via Child Care Aware.鈥�

Steve and Connie Ballmer have a history of giving catalytic gifts to the UW that are focused on improved health and well-being. In 2021, they gave a $38 million landmark gift to UW School of Social Work and UW Medicine that aims to increase the pipeline of well-trained professionals in behavioral health across Washington state via student scholarships and specialized program support. Other gifts have supported UW Medicine鈥檚 COVID-19 response efforts; the creation of the Excellence in Social Impact Endowed Scholarship Fund for undergraduate and graduate students in the UW School of Social Work; as well as gifts to support the provost, the UW School of Public Health and more.

鈥淲ithout intentional work to remove barriers for students and professionals of color, the workforce will lose valuable racial diversity in the field,鈥� said Mia Tuan, dean of the UW College of Education. 鈥淭he early childhood field has a historically underpaid workforce, contributing to racial and gender inequity in economic mobility for the people tasked with the healthy development of children in a critical period of growth and for the working families that rely on child care to maintain their own employment. These gifts help us to begin to make systemic changes.鈥�

More work is required to increase the number of people entering early childhood education and bolster the number of people of color teaching in the field. The Washington legislature can this session continue investments in the Fair Start for Kids Act by increasing reimbursement rates for licensed child care programs. At the same time, officials in Washington are working to establish an affordable child care system that anchors how child care is funded to the true costs of care, including living wages and benefits. An of compensation for early childhood education careers in Washington demonstrates the need to increase wages to achieve parity with other teaching professions.

鈥淎ccess to child care is fundamentally tied to a thriving workforce and benefits healthy child development and family economic security,鈥� said Deeann Burtch Puffert, CEO of Child Care Aware of Washington. 鈥淭his investment in the early childhood education workforce can finally move the needle toward improving child care workforce compensation and provide professional development opportunities that improve recruitment, retention and quality.鈥�

鈥淐ommunities of color are historically the communities most impacted by policy decisions, yet policy leaders often lack direct connection, understanding and accountability to those communities,鈥� said LaToya Holmes-Ware, co-executive director of Pathwaves WA. 鈥淭his investment in Pathwaves鈥� model of elevating collective, racially diverse leadership is a critical component of long-term system change for early childhood in Washington.鈥�

Additionally, the UW will leverage existing relationships with Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Promise program to provide an early pathway entry for students from communities that traditionally are excluded from higher education to the profession and provide much-needed additional capacity to early childhood education programs.

The gifts from Ballmer Group to the 天美影视传媒 specifically include:

• 80 high school internships (10 per year) connected to My Brother鈥檚 Teacher at Cultivate Learning, a program in the Seattle Public Schools focused on increasing the number of male Black and brown early childhood education teachers.
• 1,200 undergraduate scholarships serving at least 600 students in the final two years of their college careers. Creating opportunities for bachelor鈥檚 degrees will help Washington meet current and impending supply needs and mitigate loss of teachers of color from the field.
• 115 scholarships for a Master鈥檚 in Early Childhood Education Policy, part of UW鈥檚 new . The UW already is working with four other institutions as part of the .
• 230 Early Childhood Coaching Certificate scholarships. Increasing the number of coaches in early childhood education is part of a quality improvement effort in Washington state. The coaching certificate creates a professional pathway to higher compensation and adds needed workforce.
• Additional funding will help support alignment from early learning into K-12 systems, two endowed doctoral fellowships, two endowed professorships and a full-time staff person to focus on recruiting and retaining students of color.

鈥淲e still have a need for well-trained, racially diverse early childhood professionals for positive outcomes for children growing up now,鈥� Tuan said. 鈥淔unding scholarships thanks to Ballmer Group will remove barriers to accessing postsecondary education and remove potential debt people accrue if pursuing this path, which can be a significant deterrent to entry, particularly for students of color.鈥�

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