Evergreen Graduation 2011 Speakers

Faculty Speaker

Ken Tabbutt

Ken became a Member of the Faculty at Evergreen in 1994.  His tenure at the college, however, goes back to fifth grade when his family moved to Olympia as his father became a founding faculty member.   Ken holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geology and Biology from Whitman College and both a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Geology from Dartmouth College. 

Ken’s teaching has spanned the curriculum, from broadly interdisciplinary first-year undergraduate to Master of Environmental Studies programs.  Ken has also assumed a range of significant Academic leadership roles, first as the Environmental Studies Planning Unit Coordinator for two years, followed by five years as the Academic Dean responsible for budget and space allocations.  He has served the College for the last year and a half as Interim Provost and will return to his Academic Dean position at the beginning of July.  In fall 2012 Ken will return to the classroom to teach an undergraduate program, Environmental Analysis.

Undergraduate Student Speaker

Kecia Kimara Husbands

Kecia attended Cornish College of the Arts and Tacoma Community College prior to entering Evergreen’s Tacoma Campus Program. She comes from a long line of service to children in need and is the third person in her family to attend The Evergreen State College. Kecia is currently employed by the Tacoma School District as a para educator in the Special Education department, where she works with pre-K autistic students in a peer model program. After completing her Special Education Endorsement, Kecia plans to enter Evergreen’s Masters in Teaching Program with an emphasis in Special Education and Fine Arts in order to continue her work with special needs children.

Graduate Student Speaker

Nicola Wethall

Nicola is the first in her family to earn both Bachelors and Masters degrees. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Illinois University and has taught high school math for 13 years, currently teaching at Oak Harbor High School.  Nicola earned her National Board Certification in 2008 and won a Presidential Award for teaching mathematics in 2009. She entered the Masters in Education Program in order to grow as an educator and chose Evergreen for its commitment to social justice and acceptance of learners from unique backgrounds.