Passport to Possibility
Thu, May 21
|SPSCC Lacey Campus
Join Olympia World Affairs Council for a reception featuring international-style small plates, a curated silent auction, and a compelling featured speaker with audience Q&A all in support of scholarships that help local students access life-changing study abroad opportunities.
Time & Location
May 21, 2026, 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
SPSCC Lacey Campus, 4220 6th Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503, USA
About the event
Join Olympia World Affairs Council on Thursday, May 21st, for a reception featuring international-style small plates, a curated silent auction, and a compelling featured speaker with audience Q&A all in support of scholarships that help local students access life-changing study abroad opportunities.
This lively and inspiring evening is dedicated to expanding global opportunities for Thurston County students from The Evergreen State College, Saint Martin’s University, and South Puget Sound Community College.
The Olympia World Affairs Council welcomes Thomas White as keynote speaker for an evening of timely global insight. A retired senior Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), White spent more than 25 years working on humanitarian response, democratic governance, and economic recovery in some of the world’s most complex environments, including Gaza, Darfur, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Cambodia. As America’s global role is increasingly debated, and following USAID’s recent closure, White offers a rare insider’s perspective on how U.S. civilian engagement shapes global stability and what may lie ahead.
Event Highlights:
530pm - Doors Open | International Food & Drink
530-620pm - Silent Auction | Unique items from around the World, travel experiences, cultural treasures & more
630pm - Speaker/Q&A | Tom White, retired Foreign Service Officer with USAID