For more than 18 years, Laurie Franklin has held executive positions at EvCC, most recently serving as the temporary vice president of student services, which oversees marketing and communications, student financial services, student development, enrollment services and enrollment management. She formerly held the positions of director of student financial services as well as dean of enrollment and financial services. Franklin graduated from Hawaii High School and went to Oregon State University for a master’s in education and a bachelor’s in science.

One important goal that Franklin is planning to address is fixing CtC Link and implementing the transition change. She wants to support the students, especially the POC students. Also mentioned was her desire to build a structure so that financial and enrollment services are all in one place. A key change that Franklin wants to make to the structure of financial services is to make them comprehensible and accessible to students.  

Franklin is one of the co-advisers for the Iwi Pono Pacific Island Club. Iwi Pono is an alliance for all students to gather and gain a better understanding of the Pacific Islander people, history, culture, language, and experiences. Iwi Pono is the student club for Pacific Islander students and those who have an interest in learning more about the cultures. In the past, EvCC has done hula and other dances to teach interested students about performing them, culminating with an annual luau. Due to Covid, the school hasn’t had a luau in several years, but hopes to get the club started again soon. “I am the founding advisor and was approached by Pacific Islander students who needed their community for support at the college. We now have two other co-advisors and are doing our best to recruit new members.” Franklin said.

Franklin loves all Seattle sports, especially Trojan Nation. “I am an advisory board member of the Snohomish County Sports Hall of Fame and the EvCC Sports Hall of Fame to honor highly qualified applicants and advocate for athletes who may have been overlooked in the past due to their gender or ethnic identities.” Franklin said. 

Franklin has been a mentor with the National Associations for Asian and Pacific Islanders for the last six years. The mentees that she works with have lived in different states like Texas, Virginia, and California. She keeps in touch with them regularly. “I was talking to one of my students that I have mentored for about nine months, and they brought up the point that I am the first Asian American woman to have the title of vice president of student services,” Franklin said.