Evergreen Receives $100,000 to Support Native American Teachers

by Evergreen Communications Office
July 12, 2004

The William Randolf Hearst Foundation has given $100,000 to The Evergreen State College Foundation to continue its support of future Native American Teachers. It's the second $100,000 grant from the Hearst Foundation to the college. The first in 1998, coupled with $50,000 match from the State of Washington, led to the creation of the Evergreen Foundation's William Randolph Hearst Endowment for Future Native American Teachers.

The endowment supports Native American students in the Master in Teaching program. Scholarships are awarded to second year MIT students with merit and financial need. The awards provide financial assistance to students who are entering their quarter of full-time student teaching.

Hearst Foundation Vice President, Thomas Eastham, praised Evergreen in his award letter to the college. "The school's record of deserving scholarship recipients, along with its high academic standards, were influential in board deliberations, as was your prudent stewardship of the fund."

The director of Evergreen's MIT program, Scott Coleman, says the funds will be put to good use. "It's the most generous scholarship we have for the MIT program. The increase to the endowment is great for the long term and will allow us to do more for more students."

The number of Native American MIT students has grown from four in 1999 when the endowment began to 22 students in 2002. Among the students supported by the endowment is Chauneen Goodell, an Evergreen MIT graduate in 2000.

"There are hardly any native American teachers out there. I wanted to be there for Native American students, and everyone, so that the kids can learn a different version of what a teacher can be," says Goodell. "I couldn't have done it without either the loans or the grant."

Goodell currently teaches in the Aberdeen and Hoquiam school districts. Only 0.78% of Washington teachers are Native American.

For more information, contact: Jim Beaver, (360) 867-6042
Katie Wolstenholme, (360) 867-5029