Welcome from President Randy C. Frisch

“Starting is good, but finishing allows you to do great things.”
– Randy C. Frisch, President of City University of Seattle

We are so excited you have joined the City University of Seattle family!

City University of Seattle (CityU) is a special institution. Founded nearly 50 years ago to help working adults complete their bachelor’s or master’s programs, it has grown into an institution with global diversity, mixing students from Washington state, the United States, China, Mexico, Vietnam, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and other parts of the world. CityU students get an education flavored with a global perspective from faculty who are scholars and practitioners. They work in their discipline during the day, teach at night and weekends, and share their current knowledge with students from around the world.

At CityU, we offer you the opportunity to learn the “best practices” that are currently being used in your chosen field or profession. You will also be challenged to develop insight into how to improve the profession by faculty who are dedicated to their field. You will be given exposure to alternate career pathways that you may not have previously considered.

One thing is certain, upon completion of your chosen program, you will be prepared with the skills generally required to meet and exceed your career pathway expectations. It is also important to us that you finish your program of study, and we remind ourselves of that frequently. Starting is good, but finishing allows you to do great things.

We are a global university, and one thing we would like to make clear above the rest: No matter where you are from, you are welcome at CityU, in Seattle, and in the state of Washington.

CityU has a rich heritage as one of the first Pacific Northwest universities to participate in online education. We have an established tradition and commitment to personalized education with highly ranked academic and certificate programs.

As the demands of students and technologies have advanced, so have the wide varieties of learning formats and delivery methodologies that will be available to you. Today, you have an opportunity to participate in online, on-site, a hybrid of the online and on-site, and leading-edge, performance-based education, as just a few illustrations of this commitment.

CityU is also the best institution for prior learning assessment. We know how to take industry learnings, military training, or courses taken at other institutions, and give you credit for that work. You can finish faster at CityU.

Each year, CityU serves nearly 7,000 students worldwide, but our priority is to treat each student as an individual with the care and service that is a hallmark of CityU. It is because of this personalized approach that more than 90 percent of students surveyed feel they have gained new career competencies in their degree program and more than 80 percent of CityU’s surveyed alumni say they had a positive experience with CityU.

Thank you for coming to CityU. There is a great deal of extraordinary learning and professional development happening here, and it is our goal to help you achieve the life you want. We are a private nonprofit university where our students remain our only shareholders. Please let us know how we can serve you better.

— Randy C. Frisch, President of City University of Seattle

About the President

Randy C. Frisch was named President of City University of Seattle effective October 1, 2016. Prior to the appointment, President Frisch served for three years as the Vice Chancellor of Business and Administration for National University System. In this role, President Frisch provided leadership as its Chief Financial Officer and directed business operations for the areas of finance, human resources, facilities, and financial aid. For National University System, he had responsibility for business development and investment management and as in-house counsel with responsibility for legal matters. President Frisch continues his legal role with National University System.

Prior to joining National University System, President Frisch was with the San Diego Business Journal, where he served as President and Publisher for three years. Before joining the Journal, President Frisch established the Law Offices of Randy C. Frisch, a general business employment and labor law firm in San Diego.

Previously, President Frisch served as the Vice President, Operations and Information Technology and Chief Financial Officer for the San Diego-Union Tribune. He also served as the Chief Operating Officer, Editorial Page Editor, and General Manager of the Salt Lake Tribune. His career in the newspaper industry began with the Tribune Publishing Company of Idaho, where he was a reporter, editor, and publisher.

President Frisch has been actively involved in the community and has served as Chairman and President of San Diego Habitat for Humanity. He also has served on the Board of Directors of several organizations, including San Diego-Imperial County American Red Cross, the Neighborhood House, United Way of San Diego, YMCA of San Diego County, and the ESET Foundation. He was a member of Rotary International, Club 33, and is now a member of Seattle Club 4.