Evergreen News & Stories
Forty years ago, Mount St. Helens turned itself inside out, stunning the world with an eruption whose ash would circle the globe. After the violent explosion, the rich, complex ecosystem to the North of the mountain was buried beneath 300 feet of rocky pyroclastic flows. The area now known as the Pumice Plain was transformed into a sterile moonscape after the 1980 eruption. Nothing survived the devastation.
Evergreen students are well-known for pursuing their own paths to their degrees and for their commitment to service. This spring quarter, many students are taking a complete load of credits while holding full-time jobs deemed essential during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oscar Lira climbs cell towers for a living. A veteran who retired from the Army last year, Lira maintains critical infrastructure needed to operate radios, antennas and communications systems used by first responders and law enforcement.
As kids and teachers learn and work from home during the pandemic, both may have a renewed appreciation for the physical gathering space a classroom provides. Though distance-learning technology makes digital classrooms possible, it also blurs the line between life and school.
Last week, The Evergreen State College distributed $1.1 million in federal funds to students. Eligible students automatically received between $500 to $750 to cover expenses such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, basic needs and child care.
These funds came from the $2-trillion, federally funded Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The aid went to approximately 1,675 graduate and undergraduate students at the college, and distributions will continue as more students are determined eligible.
Dear Students, Friends and Families,
The COVID-19 virus has disrupted our work, our lives and our community.
Nevertheless, in the middle of much uncertainty, I am so grateful for the way our students have engaged, adapted, and continued exploring and learning.