evergreen

John Howard, Emeritus Professor of Arts and Humanities at King’s College London, Queer Studies scholar and author will be in Olympia and featured at two events on April 7 and 10, one of which is at The Evergreen State College.

Professor Howard will be featured at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 7 at the Olympia Film Society’s screening and discussion of “Electra,” (1964). Students showing their Evergreen ID can get tickets for $9.00. 

He will then come to Evergreen’s Purce Hall at 3 p.m., Monday, April 10 for a public lecture titled, “Doing Queer History: Here and Now.”

Dr. Howard is the head of the Department of American Studies at King’s College London and is the author of eight books including his latest work, Truths of his Sleeve: The Times of Michael Cacoyannis (2022) and Men Like That: A Southern Queer History (2001). 

“For the last 30 years, John Howard has shown with his work that the adage ‘we’re here, we’re queer,’ coined in 1990, really meant, ‘we’re not only here; we’re everywhere,” said Dr. Nancy Koppelman, Evergreen faculty member and sponsor of the Dr. Howard event, “Everywhere included places where no one seemed to be looking.”

Dr. Howard is interested in the historical production of human differences and their attendant inequalities. His work also assesses differences as productive mechanisms of affiliation, identity, coalition, and struggle. Informed by queer, feminist, materialist, critical race, and spatial theory, his research and teaching primarily engage with the categories now known as sexuality, gender, class, race, and region.

His work has received awards and commendations from the American Sociological Association, American Studies Association, Arts and Humanities Research Council, British Academy, Delfina Studio Trust, Fulbright Commission, Rockefeller Foundation, and King’s College London Students’ Union, among others.

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Dr. Maxine Mimms will be celebrated 4-8 p.m., Saturday, March 4 at The Evergreen State College’s Tacoma Campus. This event doubles as a Founder’s Day event and a birthday celebration for the Evergreen, Tacoma founder. 

Dr. Mimms began teaching at The Evergreen State College in 1972. She started teaching working adults college-level coursework at her kitchen table in the historic Hilltop neighborhood and it was at that table where Evergreen’s Tacoma Campus was born.  

Evergreen-Tacoma became an official campus for The Evergreen State College in 1982 and in 2001 it moved to its current location of 1210 6th Avenue.  

Dr. Mimms developed the Tacoma program with a deliberate mission to provide a college education to working and adult learners – especially those living in the inner city.  

“Dr. Mimms is the essence of community and her vision of transforming the life of the community she lives in is something that should be celebrated not just in collaboration with her birthday, but every day,” said Dr. Dexter Gordon, Executive Vice President for The Evergreen State College. “At 95 years young, she still works tenaciously to remove educational and economic barriers and make college available where and to whom, it historically wasn’t.” 

“Her work has resulted in college degrees for thousands who have walked through the doors of Evergreen, Tacoma,” shared Dr. Marcia Tate Arunga, Dean for Evergreen, Tacoma. “The faculty and staff strive every day to continue her living legacy to the students of Evergreen’s Tacoma campus and the Hilltop community.” 

Attendees at the Founder’s Day celebrations will enjoy music, spoken word and of course, be part of the birthday honors for Dr. Maxine Mimms who is turning 95.  

To learn more about Evergreen’s Tacoma campus, please visit its website.  

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Chibi Chibi Con, Evergreen’s colorful and free anime festival, returns to the college tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 25 for its 22nd year. 

The event will run from noon to 11 p.m. Admission to Chibi Chibi Con is free, which makes it an inviting, low-barrier opportunity to explore anime convention culture. As a health precaution, attendees again this year will have to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter. Masks are not required but people are encouraged to wear them, especially in crowded areas. 

This convention has been produced by Evergreen students since 2001. Currently named the Chibi Chibi Con Committee, the group is one of the college’s longest-enduring registered student organizations.

Though the name Chibi Chibi loosely translates from Japanese to mean “Little Little,” Chibi Chibi Con is the largest one-day anime convention in the Pacific Northwest. Organizers estimate that the convention had over 3,000 attendees last year. 

This year’s convention will feature favorite events from past years – including the Cosplay Contest and lip sync battles. There will be three food trucks on Red Square for attendees wanting to snack. The convention’s popular Artist Alley is also back, offering handmade and hard-to-find merchandise.

The Evergreen State College’s Olympia campus is located at 2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW. Visit the convention website for maps, schedules, policies and information on volunteering.

OLYMPIA – The Evergreen State College has hired another exceptional coach to start up its wrestling teams. 

Evergreen is now the only four-year college in Washington to offer a wrestling program and Fan Zhang will be leading the women’s team for its inaugural season. 

“We are excited that Fan has chosen to bring his coaching talent to Evergreen,” said Zeb Hoffman, Assistant Intercollegiate Athletic Director for The Evergreen State College. “His history of building champions as well as his experience as a wrestler is exactly what we need to build a top-notch, wrestling program.”

Zhang has been the head coach for women’s wrestling at Simpson University (CA) and Grays Harbor College here in Washington and assistant coach at Wartburg College in Iowa.  He also was the coach for the Iowa women’s wrestling national team for Fargo. His coaching has led to several national championships.   

As a wrestler in China, Zhang was a seven-time, national champion. 

Evergreen announced it would be starting teams for men’s and women’s wrestling and cross country late last year to complement the college’s men’s and women’s soccer, basketball, track and field and women’s volleyball teams. 

In late December, Evergreen announced that Greg Ford, Jr. had been hired on as the men’s wrestling team coach and the college hosted a signing event where 20 wrestlers signed letters of intent to become Geoducks. 

Coach John Lane, well-known in the wrestling community with over three decades of coaching under his belt, will be on board to help Coach Zhang and Ford as they build their wrestling teams. 

“This new wrestling program at Evergreen is a great thing for the community,” said Lane. “With the coaching staff being brought on, we have the foundation to build a champion team as well as give wrestlers from Washington state the opportunity to wrestle and attend a four-year college without moving out of state.”

For more info about Evergreen athletics visit www.gogeoducks.com. To learn more about The Evergreen State College, visit evergreen.edu.

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Olympia – The Science Stories exhibit will be available from now until March 24 at The Evergreen State College’s Library.

The exhibit which brings together scientists and book artists from the Pacific Northwest together, has been touring colleges across Washington and is now at the Evergreen Library. The exhibit is divided into broad topics which include water, ice, mountains, flora, fauna and human health. 

There will an opening reception from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, January 19 in the Evans Hall Library. The reception will feature three curators for Science Stories: Dr. Lucia Harrison, Jane Carlin and Dr. Peter Wimberger. 

For more information about the exhibit please contact rarebooks@evergreen.edu or visit the website.
 

OLYMPIA – The Board of Trustees for The Evergreen State College is set to hold its first regular meeting for 2023 on Friday, January 13.   

The hybrid meeting will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and agenda items include an update on the college’s strategic plan regarding student academic success and support, as well as continuing to strengthen the college’s financial position.   

There is also an action item for the Board to consider approval for the establishment of a new Prison Education Program.   

Evergreen has a long-standing history in expanding prison education in Washington state starting back in 1996 with the Gateways for Incarcerated Youth, which was founded by college alum and faculty emerita, Dr. Carol Minugh along with Green Hill School staff, and the Sustainability in Prisons Project, which was founded by former Evergreen faculty member Dr. Nalini Nadkarni and alum Dan Pacholke.  

Board approval would direct faculty and staff to develop a proposal according to the accreditation process  required for Pell-funded prison education programs. Beginning July 1, 2023, all incarcerated students who are enrolled in eligible programs will once again be able to apply for Pell grants, thus increasing access to a college education.   

“We are very excited for the Board’s consideration of this new program,” said Evergreen’s president Dr. John Carmichael. “The first line of the college’s social contract reads, ‘The Evergreen State College is an institution and a community that continues to organize itself so that it clears away obstacles to learning,’ and establishing this new program that would meet the requirements to allow for access to Pell grant funding, which clearly helps eliminate some of the barriers that exist for incarcerated students.”  

Expanding access to college credits in prison is a widely recognized equity strategy that can help individuals build strong foundations for themselves and the communities where they live both during and after incarceration. In a recent cost-benefit analysis, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy has determined that for every $1 invested in college behind bars, the public stands to accrue $19.74 in benefits. College education also helps reduce recidivism in formerly incarcerated individuals.   
“What we hope is that with the Board’s permission, we can build a new program that helps improve the future for students, their families, and the communities they live in,” explained Dr. Dexter Gordon, executive vice president for Evergreen. “Ninety-five percent of people incarcerated are released – a college education allows for them to be better positioned to secure employment, find stable housing, and provide for their families upon their release.”  

The new program must address the requirements for Pell grant eligibility which is established by the U.S. Department of Education, and the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities. Evergreen’s prison education program will be developed in coordination and collaboration with the Washington Department of Corrections, the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, and as well as many other community partners. Another Board approval would be necessary once the final program proposal is developed in advance of it moving forward for submission to the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities and the U.S. Department of Education.   

More information about Evergreen’s Board of Trustees meeting can be found on the college’s website.

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OLYMPIA – Both women’s and men’s wrestling and cross-country will be added to The Evergreen State College’s student athletics programs starting in Fall 2023. 

“Student athletes make great Greeners,” said Evergreen’s president Dr. John Carmichael. “They are self-motivated and community minded. We look forward to welcoming more student-athletes to Evergreen.” 

It is estimated that the expansion of Evergreen’s athletics programming, combined with other investments in existing sports teams, should yield more than 100 additional students over the next three years. The new teams join the college’s existing intercollegiate teams - men’s and women’s soccer, basketball and track and field and women’s volleyball. 

“Anytime you have the opportunity to give potential students the opportunity to attend college while participating in an athletic activity, it is cause for celebration,” said executive vice president Dr. Dexter Gordon. “Adding new teams will also help us weave a diverse tapestry within our programs to help ensure that underrepresented groups have equal access to opportunities here at Evergreen.” 

In addition to growing enrollment, successful athletics programs help to build student life on campus, provide a stronger sense of belonging for some students, and supports student retention. Athletics is a key contributor to Evergreen’s diversity, equity, and inclusion mission, and student-athletes are retained at a higher rate.

Recruitment for new Greener athletes starts this month and the college expects teams to be established by Fall Quarter 2023. Learn more about Evergreen’s athletics programs at gogeoducks.com.  

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OLYMPIA – For the first time ever, The Evergreen State College will welcome trick-or-treaters at its Lord Mansion, located in the heart of Olympia’s historic Capitol neighborhood.

From 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Halloween evening, staff, faculty, and student volunteers will be providing treats to all the ghosts, goblins, and of course, geoducks who venture up to the festively decorated “Monster Mansion.” There will also be photo opportunities with Speedy, the college’s mascot, throughout the night.

The Lord Mansion aka the Monster Mansion is located at 211 21st Avenue SW in Olympia and is just six blocks from the Capitol Campus. 

Learn more about Evergreen’s undergrad, grad and professional studies programs at the event or at www.evergreen.edu.

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OLYMPIA – On a day where sports will be headline news in Seattle with the Seahawks and possibly the Mariners playing, The Evergreen State College in Olympia will be celebrating its own athletics program from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16. 

Evergreen’s Recreation and Athletics Hall of Fame will induct alum and former head soccer coach, John Purtteman and the 2002 Men’s Basketball team. 

Purtteman coached Evergreen’s men’s soccer team for 15 seasons and the women’s team for three. He compiled a conference record for the men’s team of 92 wins, 79 losses and 27 draws, was named The Cascade Conference Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2016 and established the college's single-season, record with a .778 winning percentage. 

The 2002 Evergreen Men’s Basketball Team will also be inducted. This team was the 2002 Mens’ Basketball Conference Champions resulting in the college’s first appearance at the National Tournament with a record of 18 wins and 2 losses. The team included current Evergreen Basketball Coach, Jackie Robinson.

“We’ve not held an inductee ceremony in four years, said Evergreen’s Assistant Athletic Director, Zeb Hoffman. “Evergreen has had athletes from across the country and around the world come to take part in the college's unique learning atmosphere and dig deep into competition playing for the men's and women’s sports. It is an honor to have Coach Purtteman and members of the 2002 Men’s basketball team back to campus and induct them into Evergreen’s Hall of Fame.”

The hall of fame inductee ceremony will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Evergreen’s Evans Hall (Library Building) on the 4th Floor in room 4300. For more information and schedules for Geoduck spots, please visit the athletics website at gogeoducks.com. 

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OLYMPIA – The Evergreen State College is hosting the 20th Annual Latinx Youth Summit on November 22. This will be the first in-person summit since 2019 when it was held at Saint Martin’s University and was last hosted by Evergreen in 2016. 

This college and career event is open to high school students, their parents, and their educators in Thurston, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Grays Harbor counties. 

The workshops throughout campus include topics such as how to apply for financial aid, getting college credit in high school, mural making, voice and identity, careers in STEM and many more. 

Evergreen in partnership with the Hispanic Roundtable, whose mission is to strengthen the Latino community through partnerships, education, community building and cultural representation, opens its doors with a day of keynote speakers, entertainment, food and more. 

This year’s theme for the summit is Somos Semillas/We are Seeds. 

“Quisieron enterrarnos, pero se les olvidó que somos semillas.”  

“They wanted to bury us, but they forgot that we are seeds.” 

Registration information can be found here along with a full list of workshops, speakers, check-in details and times. 

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Registration information can be found here along with a full list of workshops, speakers, check-in details and times. 

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