Seattle University and Cornish College Announce Intent to Join Institutions

Seattle University and Cornish College of the Arts are excited to announce the signing of a Letter of Intent to join institutions, with Cornish eventually becoming the Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University and continuing to educate students at its South Lake Union campus. This plan, endorsed by the boards of trustees at both institutions, promises to enrich the student experience on both campuses through enhanced educational opportunities and interdisciplinary learning.

“Seattle University joining forces with Cornish will combine two storied Seattle institutions of higher learning into one,” says SU President Eduardo Peñalver. “It will create incredible new opportunities for our students to expand their educational horizons and for faculty to pursue innovative interdisciplinary collaborations. This is definitely a case of ‘one plus one equals three.’”

Enhanced Educational Opportunities for Students

Students at both Seattle University and Cornish College of the Arts stand to benefit immensely from this planned combination. Once completed, this will broaden educational opportunities on both campuses, including innovative interdisciplinary learning across fields such as computer science, business and the fine arts.

This announcement comes just months after Seattle University announced the largest gift of art to any university in the United States, a $300 million collection from Seattle philanthropist Richard Hedreen and with it, the intention to build an art museum on campus. Expanding opportunities for arts education at Seattle University reflects the long-standing Jesuit commitment to integrating the visual and performing arts into the educational experience. This new initiative not only leverages the geographic and academic proximity of the two institutions but also their shared missions and values.

“Cornish and Seattle University have many shared values, including the utmost dedication to our students,” says Cornish College of the Arts Interim President Emily Parkhurst. “We are excited about the prospect of joining with such a well-respected and mission-driven institution to provide a robust fine arts education in downtown Seattle and continue the mission of our founder, Nellie Cornish, who believed in education through exposure to all the arts.”

Next Steps in the Process

The journey toward a combination of the two institutions will involve several key steps that will occur over approximately the next two years:

• As the two institutions presently work toward a final definitive agreement, Seattle University will undertake a thorough due diligence review of Cornish’s finances, holdings and assets, operations, compliance and legal obligations.
  
  
• Once executed within the next few months, the definitive agreement will include customary conditions to closing the transaction which, if all satisfied, will result in Seattle University acquiring Cornish and becoming its controlling entity. In accordance with applicable laws and regulatory requirements, the conditions to consummating that transaction are expected to include, among others, any necessary approvals from applicable Washington state agencies with oversight authority for higher education; a review and approval by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which accredits both institutions; and a review by the U.S. Department of Education.
  
  
• Following Seattle University becoming the controlling entity of Cornish, which the parties expect to occur by the end of May 2025, the two institutions will begin a “transition period” during which Cornish will be controlled by Seattle University but retain its separate degree-granting authority, accreditation and federal student aid participation. During that transition period, which is anticipated to last approximately one year, the two institutions also will begin to integrate certain administrative support operations, to the extent permitted by applicable accreditation and regulatory requirements and as may be agreed by the parties.
  
  
• At the end of the transition period, and subject to further accreditor and regulatory agency approvals, the institutions will fully combine and Cornish would become the Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University.

A Hub of Innovation and Creativity

Located in a world-changing city known for its cultural and technological innovation, the planned union of Seattle University and Cornish College of the Arts promises to not only further advance the region’s dynamic educational environment but also to help meet the region’s economic and cultural needs with graduates uniquely well-equipped to drive innovation and creativity. Through the distinctive educational experiences made possible by this combination, graduates of Seattle University and the Cornish College of the Arts will continue to enrich the region's vibrancy and capacity for growth and progress.