SEATTLE, Wash. — The Evergreen State College Foundation’s annual Art of Giving gala returned on May 8 with impressive fundraising success, bringing together alumni, students, donors, community partners, and elected leaders for an evening dedicated to expanding student opportunity. Held for the first time at the Seattle Art Museum, the event sold out two weeks in advance, signaling strong and growing support for Evergreen students.
At Evergreen, learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. For student leader Maria Atristain, it extends into food banks, community partnerships, and the everyday work of making sure people have what they need to succeed.
That commitment recently earned Atristain a Student Civic Leadership Award from the Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good, a recognition of students across the state who turn education into meaningful public impact.
Turning Learning Into Action
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Students at The Evergreen State College are gaining rare access to professional scientific equipment thanks to a major federal investment aimed at strengthening STEM education. This funding was made possible through a Congressionally Directed Spending appropriation championed by U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), who at the time served as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. In December 2024, Evergreen received an additional round of funding totaling $217,000 from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to enhance a new scanning electron microscope.
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Evergreen State College and the Olympia Historical Society & Bigelow House Museum (OHS) have entered into a new partnership to ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of Olympia’s historical records and artifacts. Through this agreement, OHS will transfer select archival materials to Evergreen’s Archives & Special Collections for professional storage, stewardship, and expanded public access.
OLYMPIA, WA (2/5/2026) — The Evergreen State College Foundation Board of Governors today announced that it has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 John W. Nason Award for Board Leadership by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB). Presented annually by AGB, the Nason Award, established in 1992, recognizes higher education governing boards that demonstrate exceptional leadership, foresight, and initiative in advancing institutional mission and impact.
Olympia, WA — The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) are proud to launch a new partnership that strengthens pathways for SPSCC students pursuing a four-year degree locally.
OLYMPIA – The Evergreen State College has earned national praise from Washington Monthly for “the extraordinary outcomes it provides to a student body of everyday means.” With Evergreen placing in the top 15% of the magazine’s 2025 ranking of Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars in the United States, Evergreen was also highlighted as a best-in-class institution.
Olympia, WA - Evergreen is proud to announce a series of events to introduce this year’s academic theme: Public College, Public Good. We are excited to invite our community to reflect on the vital role public institutions play in defending and expanding the public good, especially in the face of rising global authoritarianism.
Olympia, WA - The Evergreen State College is pleased to share that Acacia Engram, a second-year student at Evergreen, has been appointed by the governor as the new student trustee. Engram brings with her a passion for empowering student representation and making positive change in the Evergreen community.
Olympia, WA — The Evergreen State College has announced that John Calambokidis, Senior Research Biologist and co-founder of Cascadia Research Collective, will receive the Joseph Albert Dear Distinguished Alumni Award at this year’s Return to Evergreen event on October 11, 2025. The award recognizes Calambokidis for his exceptional contributions to nonprofit research and marine conservation.