Graduation

For Graduating Students

Graduation Application Process

Invitations,
Caps & Gowns, Rings

Email Updates

Pictures

Welcome to the Alumni Association

About the Commencement Ceremony

Class Donation

Class Theme

Class T-Shirt

Speakers

Volunteers Needed

For Guests Attending

Accommodations for People with Disabilities

Fresh Flower Leis

Driving Directions and Map

Parking

Seating

Where to Stay (PDF)

 

Guest Speaker

The graduating students chose James Loewen as this year’s guest speaker.  Dr. Loewen has accepted the college’s invitation.

James Loewen

James Loewen

A sociologist, historian and professor who taught race relations for 20 years at the University of Vermont.  He co-authored, Mississippi:  Conflict and Change, which won the Lillian Smith Award for Best Southern Nonfiction, but was not approved for use in the Mississippi school system because it was considered too controversial and placed too much focus on racial issues.  This led to the lawsuit, Loewen v. Turnipseed, which was considered by the American Library Association as a historic First Amendment Case, and one of the foundations of our “right to read freely.”  His book, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your High School History Textbook Got Wrong, is based on his 2 year study at the Smithsonian Institution of 12 American history textbooks.  The book focuses on alleged errors or deliberate omissions in history textbooks but also on the lack of controversy that he claims would make learning history exciting. The book has sold 800,000 copies and continues to inspire K-16 teachers to get students to challenge, rather than memorize, their textbooks.

Dr. Loewen will be joined by Russ Fox, our faculty speaker, Trisha Towanda, the graduate student speaker and Richard Oldenburg, the undergraduate student speaker.

Faculty Speaker
Russell Fox

Russ has been teaching at the college since 1972 when he was hired to teach Advanced Urban Planning. During the past 35 years he exemplified the Evergreen interdisciplinary spirit having taught across the curriculum in the arts, humanities, natural and physical sciences, social sciences -- including nine freshman core programs -- and in the Reservation-Based Community-Determined program. He has rotated into faculty positions in the Library and Academic Advising, served as the Director of the Center for Community Development for two years and as the Dean of Evening and Weekend Studies for six years. Russ was a major force behind the establishment of our Center for Community-Based Learning and Action, a long time dream of his to institutionalize the wonderful, varied, and dedicated community service work that he and others do -- linking students, faculty and community.

Undergraduate Student Speaker
Richard Oldenburg

Richard began his undergraduate education in 1967 at Boise State University and came to Evergreen in 2006 to complete his bachelor of art degree with a focus in communications. Prior to coming to Evergreen, Richard was a disc jockey, radio announcer, manager of a five-state area for American Association of Small Cities, owned a Financial Planning practice and for the past 21 years he has been a successful fundraiser for Puget Sound area charities. Richard and his wife, Margaret, will both be crossing the stage Friday to receive their bachelor degrees.

Graduate Student Speaker
Trisha Towanda

Mother of three. Prior to being accepted into the Master of Environmental Studies Program, both Trisha and her daughter, Robin, earned their bachelor of science degrees from Evergreen in 2005. At the age of 18 her daughter, Ashley, earned her bachelor of art degree from Evergreen in 2003. Trisha has focused her studies in environmental studies and plans to continue her education at the University of Rhode Island as a Ph.D. candidate studying marine invertebrate physiology.

Contact the Site Manager

 

Last Updated: June 12, 2008


The Evergreen State College

2700 Evergreen Parkway NW

Olympia, Washington 98505

(360) 867-6000