Welcome to Ground to Tree Coffee at Highline College
We believe that coffee should taste good and do good at Ground to Tree Coffee. We make it a priority to partner with vendors that give back to the people and planet that help us serve delicious coffee in the first place!
Our roaster, Grounds for Change, provides beans that are:
- Carbon-Free Coffee
- Bird-friendly
- Rainforest Alliance, Certified
- Fair Trade, Certified
- Purchased from co-ops rather than corporations
- Shade-grown
To back this mission further, we offer a 10% discount when you bring in your reusable mug.
Contact Information
General Manager and HOST Faculty Member:
Micala Nitz can be contacted at mnitz@highline.edu
Where is Ground to Coffee located?
We are in the middle of Building 29 on campus at Highline College.
View the campus map.
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Mission Statement
The mission of the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Highline College is to work with all students to assist them in reaching their professional goals as stated by each student as a unique individual. Students completing the program will be empathetic critical thinkers, understand all HOST stakeholder groups, and be prepared for a successful career in HOST.
Ground to Tree Mission Statement: We are proud that our mission is to serve our community, invest in our students’ educational opportunities, and serve ethical coffee.
Vision Statement
The vision of the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Highline College is for every single student to enjoy having their hospitality abilities, both academic and applied, stretched so they can learn about their career options, choices, abilities, and successes.
Ground to Tree Vision Statement: All stakeholders will experience our mission lived out through our coffee, our staff, and our community involvement!
Our Community
Ground to Tree Coffee is passionate about finding ways to connect in real and meaningful ways with the communities we serve. Some ways we connect to our community are:
- Hosting clubs and events! Are you interested in hosting at Ground to Tree Coffee? Reach out to us.
- Modifying our menu, hours of service, and operations so as to reach as many community members as possible. We build managerial decision-making around these things into HOST coursework. Join our coursework such as HOST 128 (Barista), HOST 129 (Menu Design), or HOST 130 (Food & Beverage Operations) to learn more.
- We host an Italian Soda Happy Hour from 2:30-3:30 p.m. every day we’re open! We use this time to encourage the community to be built on campus even in the afternoon when the campus is less rowdy. Join us to enjoy $1 off any Italian soda or Lotus energy drink!
- Do you have ideas for us to improve? Let us know! We are open to feedback about how we can improve.
Our Staff
We are proud to hire an entirely student-run staff from Highline College and CWU-Des Moines. Our students work in an environment that is education-focused since this space was originally designed to support our Hospitality and Tourism Management Department (HOST) at Highline College.
Many of our student baristas are going into customer and hospitality-centric fields. Their time at Ground to Tree is intended to support them by providing opportunities to grow in those areas. Students undergo training in daily operations at the shop but also learn about behind-the-house systems, customer connections, and how to thrive in a team environment.
You are not only supporting our environmentally conscious mission by drinking our coffee. You are also helping our students learn and grow in their career paths with each sip you savor!