�鶹��

�鶹�� (�鶹��) has been approved to expand access to college in prisons through the �鶹�� Prison Education Program (EPEP) at (Stafford Creek). Program expansion is made possible thanks to the U.S. Department of Education’s approval of �鶹��’s application for federal financial aid received in May. Students at Stafford Creek are now eligible to apply for aid to support enrollment in EPEP’s BA degree pathway. The College will admit a new cohort of up to 25 incarcerated students in the Fall quarter of 2025. 

With approvals from the , the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities, and �鶹��’s Board of Trustees, EPEP began offering bachelor’s degree courses to students at Stafford Creek, in the Winter quarter of 2024. Courses continued with a single cohort of dedicated students throughout the 2024-2025 academic year. Stafford Creek staff and leadership have been supportive partners throughout the development of �鶹��’s new degree program. Building on excellent education services delivered by community college partners, EPEP supports students completing the final two years of their four-year BA degree.

EPEP “clears away obstacles to learning” by making �鶹��’s interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree available to incarcerated scholars. The theme-based, inquiry-driven, cohort model of experiential learning is anchored in a rigorous and responsive curriculum. Education is a widely recognized strategy that can help people improve their lives while benefiting communities. Expanding access to education in prison is also one of the most effective ways to reduce recidivism. In their 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. In their resolution approving the establishment of EPEP, �鶹��’s Board of Trustees declared “college behind bars is the best documented, most ethical, and highest value systemic preventer of recidivism because we educate to liberate, not to ‘de-recidivate.’"

This milestone reflects �鶹��’s ongoing commitment to inclusive education. Noah Coburn, Provost and Vice President for Academics, emphasized the significance of the expansion and the collaborative spirit that EPEP embodies, saying, “This expansion is a wonderful recognition of �鶹��'s transformative model of teaching and learning. At �鶹�� we have long insisted that we must be expansive when we ask not only what should a college education be, but who should it be for. We are deeply grateful for this collaboration between �鶹�� faculty and staff, and the Department of Corrections, and particularly to the incarcerated students who are willing to challenge themselves with this opportunity.” 

�鶹�� staff and faculty have decades of experience supporting education and providing holistic support services for currently incarcerated and legally liberated people. In 2023, �鶹�� organizations formed the �鶹�� Liberation Education Network. Members include EPEP, Gateways for Incarcerated Youth, , and Liberation Scholars. Through the Network, these organizations exchange ideas, share resources, and collaborate to improve education and reentry services. 

�鶹�� Marketing & Communications Office Contact: 
mediarelations@evergreen.edu 

�鶹�� Prison Education Program Contacts: 

Eirik Steinhoff, Program Co-Director 
steinhoff@evergreen.edu 

Kelli Bush, Program Co-Director 
bushk@evergreen.edu

OLYMPIA, WA - �鶹�� is proud to announce its upcoming commencement celebrations, honoring the hard work and achievements of the Class of 2025. 

The main commencement event begins at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 13 on Red Square at the Olympia Campus, rain or shine. All are welcome and no tickets are required. 

�鶹�� is excited to welcome humanitarian and influencer Kwabi Amoah-Forson ‘15 as this years commencement speaker. Kwabi is a humanitarian and influencer from Tacoma, WA. Through various humanitarian campaigns, he has assisted those in need in his community, across the country and globally. He also strives to educate people on how they can utilize their skills and passions to help others in need. Kwabi also drives “The Peace Bus’, a vehicle he uses to spread the message of peace throughout the local community. 

This summer, Kwabi plans to launch his summer youth feeding program, “All Youth Can Eat”, for the 4th year in a row, helping to feed youth and college students experiencing hunger. Last summer, the campaign helped to feed over 3,000 youth experiencing food insecurity, and this year the innovative campaign will help to feed young people not only in major cities in the Pacific Northwest, but the Midwest as well. 

In addition to the main ceremony on Friday, �鶹�� Tacoma will have their ceremony for graduates on Saturday, June 14 at the Tacoma Armory. 

Because of the higher-than-normal number of visitors to �鶹�� for graduation festivities, parking will be free from 4 to 9 p.m. June 10-12 and from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, June 13. 

Carpooling and use of Intercity Transit is encouraged. Graduates and guests driving to campus are encouraged to park in lots B and C. A shuttle will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to take guests from F lot to Red Square and again from 3 to 5 p.m. to return people to their vehicles. 

Motorists traveling on �鶹�� Parkway near the college can expect closures to inbound traffic from 2 to 4 p.m. to allow for guests departing the commencement ceremony. Expect delays and take alternative routes if possible. 

For more information about �鶹�� graduation celebrations visit the webpage and to learn more about the college visit www.evergreen.edu.

For more information, contact: 

�鶹�� 
mediarelations@evergreen.edu

OLYMPIA, WA — �鶹��’s Shelton Promise program is celebrating a season of milestones, marked by new funding, strong student participation, and well-deserved recognition for its leadership. 

Monear Fatemi, Shelton Promise Program Manager, received the 2025 Brad Owen Excellence in Mentoring Award from MENTOR Washington. The honor was presented at the organization’s Annual Conference on Wednesday, May 14.

 “I was honored to receive the 2025 Brad Owen Excellence in Mentoring Award from MENTOR Washington,” said Fatemi. “It was a wonderful experience, and I’m grateful for the recognition.”

 Fatemi’s award comes at a pivotal moment for the Shelton Promise program, which provides college access support to high school students in the Shelton School District. Thanks to recent legislative action, the program has been fully funded for another cohort, securing its impact through the class of 2026. 

“This is excellent news for our program and the students we support,” said Fatemi. 

Among recent program highlights: 

• Over 50 students have already been accepted into �鶹�� through Shelton Promise.
• 75% of Cedar High School's senior class is committed to attending �鶹��.
• The program is launching a Shelton Promise �鶹�� alumni network to serve as mentors for incoming students. 

The development of the alumni mentor network has been made possible in large part thanks to the efforts of Ellen Shortt Sanchez, whose dedication and guidance have been instrumental in laying the foundation for this growing initiative. “We are incredibly grateful to Ellen for her vision and support,” said Fatemi. “Her work has helped ensure that our students not only arrive at �鶹�� but are supported throughout their journey.” 

The Shelton Promise program is a cornerstone of �鶹��’s commitment to equity, access, and local community empowerment. With continued investment and a growing support network, the program is helping students build lasting educational pathways—and celebrating the leaders who make it possible.

For more information, contact: 

�鶹�� 
mediarelations@evergreen.edu

OLYMPIA, WA. — �鶹�� continues to experience strong momentum in student enrollment and retention, with preliminary data showing a 13% year-over-year increase in spring 2025 enrollment. This marks the third consecutive year of spring enrollment growth and includes significant gains among first-generation undergraduate students. 

“Our spring enrollment at �鶹�� continues to surge ahead year over year with 13% more students at the college spring 2025,” said John Reed, Chief Enrollment Officer. “An important component of this enrollment growth is the improvement we are seeing in our student retention. First-year students from fall 2024 to spring 2025 are persisting at a rate of 85%, the highest we have seen in 12 years.” 

The college’s fall-to-spring retention rate for first-time, first-year students has steadily improved, rising from 68% in 2020 to 85% in 2024 — a 17-point increase over five years. Preliminary data also shows that the number of first-generation undergraduate students enrolled this spring reached 459, up from 371 the previous year. 

�鶹��’s efforts to support student success through personalized advising, flexible academic pathways, and community-building programs are credited as key drivers behind these trends. 

For more information, contact: 

�鶹�� 
mediarelations@evergreen.edu

Olympia, WA. - April 18, 2025 - �鶹�� successfully concluded its seventh annual Equity Symposium, held April 16–17, 2025. Centered on the theme “The Wisdom of Stories,” the two-day event brought together students, faculty, staff, and community members to explore how storytelling fosters connection, resilience, and collective liberation. 

The symposium kicked off with a dynamic plenary session led by Dr. Leticia Nieto, where students, staff, and faculty were invited to explore and share their own stories of grounding, hope, and connection. The room buzzed with heartfelt reflections and meaningful dialogue, setting the tone for a deeply personal and collective experience.

Following the plenary, participants jumped into a wide variety of hands-on workshops covering everything from justice in healthcare to storytelling in activism. Whether diving into the intersections of equity and technology or exploring identity through art, each session offered practical tools, fresh perspectives, and new strategies for making change—in the classroom, the workplace, and the world. 

The symposium's keynote address was delivered by Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs, a renowned writer, scholar, and activist. Gumbs, known for her work on Black feminist thought and ecological consciousness, captivated the audience with insights from her latest book, Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde. Her address emphasized the transformative power of storytelling in navigating uncertain times and envisioning a more just future. 

For more information about the Equity Symposium, visit evergreen.edu/equity-symposium. 

Media Contact: mediarelations@evergreen.edu

TACOMA – �鶹�� Tacoma will hold its annual Founder’s Day celebration on Tuesday, March 4 from 1-4 p.m. at 1210 6th Avenue in Tacoma. All current �鶹�� Tacoma students and alumni are invited to gather to share art and poetry and hear speeches from graduating seniors. The program will open with a keynote address by faculty emeritus Dr. Joye Hardiman and close with remarks by Dr. Dexter Gordon, Executive Vice President for �鶹��. 

Over the years, this event has doubled as a birthday celebration for �鶹�� Tacoma founder Dr. Maxine Mimms, who was born on March 4, 1928. The late Dr. Mimms, a longtime Tacoma resident and �鶹�� faculty member, founded the Tacoma program in her home in the Hilltop neighborhood in 1972, teaching working adults college-level coursework at her kitchen table. 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. The program was formally established at 12th and MLK in 1982. In 2001 it moved to its current location on 6th Avenue. Dr. Mimms passed away peacefully last fall on October 8, 2024. 

"This is the first time we will celebrate Dr. Maxine Mimms as our founder at a time when we are still mourning her passing,” shared Dr. Marcia Tate Arunga, Dean of �鶹�� Tacoma. “We are grateful for the clear instructions that she left about how to move forward as a higher educational institution. What an honor to have been chosen as the leader that steps into her shoes.” “Founder’s Day pays tribute to the early group of educators and leaders whose initiative, creativity, resourcefulness, and drive built the college we know today: Maxine Mimms, Betsy Diffendal, Joye Hardiman, and others,” added Dr. Gordon. “To celebrate Founder’s Day is to celebrate the life and work of Maxine Mimms.” 

Continuing Dr. Mimms’ legacy, �鶹�� Tacoma offers a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that celebrates diversity, innovation, and community engagement. To learn more about �鶹�� Tacoma’s history and programs, visit its website.

Photo of the late Dr. Maxine Mimms with Dr. Joye Hardiman from 2019

Every year, on the fourth Saturday in February, we celebrate National TRIO Day—a time to recognize the life-changing impact of TRIO programs in communities across the country. Established by Congress in 1986, this day honors the success of first-generation students, students from limited-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities who are breaking barriers in higher education with the support of TRIO. 

At �鶹��, we are proud to collaborate with multiple TRIO programs, empowering our students to achieve their academic and career goals. 

Join us as we: 

• Celebrate the transformative power of TRIO in opening doors to education and opportunity.
• Reflect on the importance of equitable access to higher education for all students.
• Advocate for expanding and protecting programs that support student success. TRIO changes lives. But don’t just take our word for it—hear from �鶹�� students themselves:

Melissa Hearitige 
Why are TRIO programs important?

I am a new RA this year on �鶹��’s Olympia campus, and I work in the A building with majority under 21 students. I see a need for TRIO with all generations, but I advocate for my residents to seek out TRIO because it is that one place at �鶹�� that really works for the students. 

Every time I ask a student who is struggling if they have heard about TRIO they always say "No." Which means that I get the opportunity to tell them about TRIO and all the things they offer and how to qualify. 

If I did not have TRIO, I do not know how I would make it through the school year and through my time here at �鶹��. 

Trina Griffis--TRIO alumna 
How has TRIO supported you? 

Being a first-generation, non-traditional student was not easy. When I first started college, I had no idea where to start, who to talk to, what the annual cycle was or what I even wanted to go to school for. I didn’t understand how college worked and it wasn’t until I connected with TRIO before I was able to gain the tools I needed to thrive in college and after graduation. I learned how to organize my academic life, I learned how to advocate for myself, and I know I would not have been able to succeed and graduate without the support of TRIO. 

Nadine Larsson
How has TRIO supported you? 

My TRIO advisor helps me with everything. She listens when I just need someone to do that. She really listens. And she gives great feedback and offers concrete tools that I’ve been able to use—and they’ve helped me. Not only that, but whenever I visit the TRIO offices, I feel welcome. The staff, each one of them, smile, and some of them I know by name…and, even with their student loads, they remember mine! I feel like they’re part of my family. I don’t need to see them often, but whenever I do it’s a pleasure. 

College is scary. It’s something new, for everyone. If you’ve never experienced college life, and there’s nobody at home to talk to about it and about the impact of the classes, faculty and other students on you, I imagine it could feel very lonely. I say imagine because I haven’t had the chance to feel that. I am supported by a fantastic advisor and by a great team of trained professionals to help me navigate my classes, faculty and other students. Thank you, TRIO!!! 

Katherine Mitchell 
What does TRIO mean to you? 

TRIO means getting support in my educational journey and being part of a community of people dedicating their time and energy towards learning. TRIO has impacted my student life by helping me balance and receive support in my educational journey. 

Bailey Wilson 
What does TRIO mean to you? 

TRIO has impacted my life in a positive way as a student. I have met amazing people, received help so I could do my best in every class, and had a place to go for any question I have ever had. All the people working in TRIO that I have met have been nothing but thoughtful, helpful, and kind. They helped me get accommodations and helped me get in contact with others if they couldn’t help directly. Thank you, TRIO!

OLYMPIA – �鶹��’s Willie Unsoeld Seminar Series is excited to announce an exclusive event entitled “March of the Pigments: A Colorful Trek through History,” featuring renowned pigment chemist Dr. Mary Virginia Orna. The event will start at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19, in Lecture Hall 1 in Purce Hall on �鶹��’s Olympia campus. Dr. Orna will invite the audience to examine the march of the pigments through human history, propelled largely by the concomitant development of chemistry, and the effect they have had on our history.

Orna is a chemist, historian of science and professor emerita of the College of New Rochelle in New York where she taught for 40 years. A pioneer in the field of color and pigment chemistry, she works at the interface of art and archeology, using chemistry tools to investigate them. In 2021, she was awarded the HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry from the American Chemical Society. The author of many books and papers on the subject, Orna’s book titled “March of the Pigments: Color History, Science and Impact” was published in 2022.

After the presentation, there will be a book sale and signing, providing attendees with the opportunity to purchase Orna’s books and have them signed by the author.

This event is open to the public, and admission is free. Seating is limited, so early arrival is recommended.

OLYMPIA — �鶹�� proudly announces the governor's appointment of Joshua Coetzee, an international student from South Africa and Senior, as the newly appointed Student Trustee. Coetzee brings a wealth of leadership experience and a strong commitment to student governance and campus involvement.

Joshua is an active member of the �鶹�� community, serving as a Resident Assistant and a member of the Geoduck Student Union and the Services & Activities Board. He is also a student-athlete on the men's soccer team, further solidifying his dedication to leadership and teamwork.

"I am honored to serve as the Student Trustee at �鶹��," said Coetzee. "I am passionate about servant leadership and student governance. I want to foster stronger connections among student leaders and get more students involved in supporting college activities and sporting events."

Coetzee's academic interests include Team Leadership, Business Leadership and Computer Science. He also hopes to use his platform as a Student Trustee to advocate for the international student community, encouraging more students worldwide to attend �鶹��. "I want to help create a truly global community here at �鶹�� and add to the diversity that makes our campus so unique," he said.

�鶹�� is proud to have Coetzee join the Board of Trustees as the student representative. His commitment to leadership and fostering a stronger sense of community will be invaluable as the college continues to provide a world-class education in a collaborative, inclusive environment.

TACOMA – �鶹�� will continue celebrating the long life of its Tacoma campus founder, Dr. Maxine Mimms, who passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.

�鶹��’s Tacoma campus will be hosting a, “Give Back,” event on Saturday, Oct. 26 to honor Dr. Mimms and to help carry out her legacy of providing community to those often left behind. Community members are invited to come to the campus and remember the legacy of Dr. Mimms and celebrate the community that is �鶹�� Tacoma from 3 to 7:30 p.m.

Dr. Mimms became a member of the faculty at �鶹�� 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 �鶹��’s Tacoma Campus was born.

�鶹��-Tacoma became an official campus for �鶹�� in 1982 and in 2001, it moved to its current location at 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.

“This is a historic moment and pivotal loss for the �鶹�� community,” said Dr. John Carmichael, �鶹�� President. “If you know or have known �鶹�� in the past over 50 years, you know about Dr. Maxine Mimms. We were so lucky to have had her as an inspiration and leader. She built a strong foundation for not just the college but for her community and we will continue as a college to build upon that, especially at �鶹�� Tacoma.”

"While we deeply mourn the loss of Dr. Mimms, she truly embodied the spirit of community. Her vision to transform the lives of those around her is inspiring, and our sorrow turns to joy as we celebrate her life and legacy," said Dr. Dexter Gordon, Executive Vice President of �鶹��. "Her life’s mission was to break down educational and economic barriers, making college accessible to learners who have historically been left behind."

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

In 2020, The Dr. Maxine Buie Mimms Scholarship was established to support students at �鶹�� Tacoma, with an emphasis on non-traditional, low-income students. This

scholarship continues Dr. Mimms’ work of making a college education accessible to all. This scholarship is endowed and will continue in perpetuity, ensuring that Dr. Mimms’ legacy lives on. If you are interested in giving to the scholarship or to learn more, please visit �鶹��’s website.

A celebration honoring Dr. Mimms is planned as part of �鶹�� Tacoma’s Founder’s Day celebration in March 2025.