Evergreen Tacoma

TACOMA – The Evergreen State College Tacoma will hold its annual Founder’s Day celebration on Tuesday, March 4 from 1-4 p.m. at 1210 6th Avenue in Tacoma. All current Evergreen Tacoma students and alumni are invited to gather to share art and poetry and hear speeches from graduating seniors. The program will open with a keynote address by faculty emeritus Dr. Joye Hardiman and close with remarks by Dr. Dexter Gordon, Executive Vice President for Evergreen. 

Over the years, this event has doubled as a birthday celebration for Evergreen Tacoma founder Dr. Maxine Mimms, who was born on March 4, 1928. The late Dr. Mimms, a longtime Tacoma resident and Evergreen faculty member, founded the Tacoma program in her home in the Hilltop neighborhood in 1972, teaching working adults college-level coursework at her kitchen table. Dr. Mimms developed the Tacoma program with a deliberate mission to provide a college education to working and adult learners, especially those living in the inner city. The program was formally established at 12th and MLK in 1982. In 2001 it moved to its current location on 6th Avenue. Dr. Mimms passed away peacefully last fall on October 8, 2024. 

"This is the first time we will celebrate Dr. Maxine Mimms as our founder at a time when we are still mourning her passing,” shared Dr. Marcia Tate Arunga, Dean of Evergreen Tacoma. “We are grateful for the clear instructions that she left about how to move forward as a higher educational institution. What an honor to have been chosen as the leader that steps into her shoes.” “Founder’s Day pays tribute to the early group of educators and leaders whose initiative, creativity, resourcefulness, and drive built the college we know today: Maxine Mimms, Betsy Diffendal, Joye Hardiman, and others,” added Dr. Gordon. “To celebrate Founder’s Day is to celebrate the life and work of Maxine Mimms.” 

Continuing Dr. Mimms’ legacy, Evergreen Tacoma offers a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that celebrates diversity, innovation, and community engagement. To learn more about Evergreen Tacoma’s history and programs, visit its website.

Photo of the late Dr. Maxine Mimms with Dr. Joye Hardiman from 2019

OLYMPIA – The Evergreen State College proudly announces a generous $1 million gift from an anonymous alumni donor. This significant contribution, to be given over the next five years, will directly support student success by funding scholarships and vital student services.

Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, the funds will be provided to the college’s Basic Needs Center and for scholarships for students of Evergreen Tacoma and the Native Pathways Program. The donor selected these three initiatives to help reduce barriers to graduation and support students who are making a positive impact in their communities.

Evergreen’s Basic Needs Center facilitates access to necessities such as housing, food, clothing, and hygiene products, and community resources at no cost to students. The Basic Needs Center also helps students connect to regional community resources through tailored referrals and advocacy.

Located in the historic Hilltop neighborhood, Evergreen Tacoma has helped Tacoma residents acquire the skills and confidence to take their places as leaders in the region. Longtime Tacoma resident and Evergreen faculty member Dr. Maxine Mimms founded the Tacoma program in her home in the Hilltop in 1972. The program was formally established at 12th and MLK in 1982. Evergreen Tacoma offers a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that celebrates diversity, innovation, and community engagement.

In Evergreen’s Native Pathways Program, students expand their knowledge by examining Indigenous and Western thought and practices through an Indigenous lens. Using a cohort model of learning, the program uses works written or created by Indigenous authors and scholars, engages in place-based learning that tells the stories of the land, and structures lessons centered on Indigenous cultural knowledge.

“We are incredibly grateful for this gift, which will have a lasting impact on our students and the broader community,” said Dr. John Carmichael, Evergreen President. “These funds allow the college to address immediate student needs and help remove barriers to higher education, proving once again that Evergreen is for everyone.”

This gift is part of The Evergreen State College’s Foundation’s ongoing efforts to empower students and support innovative, community-based education.

TACOMA – The Evergreen State College's Tacoma Campus celebrates Black History Month, featuring a diverse array of events honoring Black leaders, culture, and scholarship. From February 3rd to February 24th, 2024, the campus will host a series of engaging activities open to students, faculty, staff and the broader community.

The celebration kicks off from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, February 3rd, with a special event featuring historical Black leaders Emer Dixon, Founder of the Black Panther Party; Khalfani Mwamba, Evergreen Tacoma Alumni; and Larry Gossett, renowned civil rights activist. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with these influential figures and gain insights into their impactful contributions.

Continuing the festivities, from noon to 2 p.m., Saturday, February 10th, Evergreen-Tacoma will host a film screening double feature showcasing "Take Me with U: Gifts from the Elders" and "Cultural Reconnection." These films offer powerful narratives that explore the richness of Black culture and heritage.

The following weekend, from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, February 17 the campus will feature an event spotlighting Evergreen Tacoma Authors. Participants will enjoy readings and book signings by esteemed authors, including Evergreen Tacoma Dean, Dr. Marcia Tate Arunga; Dr. Joye Hardiman; Jean Watley; Anthony Norman; Larry Norman; Antonio Edwards; and N.L. Harper. This event promises to be an inspiring celebration of literary talent within the Evergreen community.

The celebration culminates on Saturday, February 24th, with the Black College Leaders’ Summit from noon to 2 p.m. This summit provides a platform for Black college leaders to connect, share experiences, successes, and challenges and strategize for the future. It serves as an important opportunity to foster collaboration and solidarity among Black leaders in academia.

Located in the heart of Tacoma's Hilltop Neighborhood, Evergreen-Tacoma is renowned for its unique curriculum that empowers students to explore a wide range of subjects, connecting various fields of study to address complex real-world challenges. Beyond academics, the campus fosters a thriving hub of community and social activities, exemplifying an inclusive and supportive atmosphere where diverse perspectives are valued and encouraged.

For more information, please visit www.evergreen.edu/tacoma

The Evergreen State College Tacoma Campus is excited to announce its upcoming Summer College Tour scheduled from 1-4 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17. This event will provide prospective students with a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs designed to pave the way for rewarding careers in various fields such as:

•    Community and Organizational Development
•    Law, Justices and Public Policy
•    Public Administration and Management
•    Environmental Studies and Public Health
•    Social and Human Services
•    Education and Outreach
•    Early Childhood Development

During the tour, attendees can meet staff and faculty members who contribute to Evergreen-Tacoma’s reputation for academic excellence. Dr. Marcia Tate Arunga, Dean of the Tacoma Campus, will also be present to share insights about the unique learning environment and the college’s dedication to fostering a supportive and inclusive community.

Evergreen-Tacoma is in the heart of the historic Hilltop neighborhood at 1210 6th Avenue. For more information contact Stella Haioulani or Lawrence Norman.  For more information about the Tacoma campus, please visit the website.

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The public is invited to a vibrant and meaningful celebration of Juneteenth at The Evergreen State College’s Tacoma campus from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 11. 

This year’s celebration will feature Evergreen’s Executive Vice President, Dr. Dexter Gordon as keynote speaker, and music by Owour Arunga. 

The event celebrating freedom is occurring a week before the actual Juneteenth holiday and will honor the day in 1865 when Union troops finally freed enslaved African Americans from Galveston Bay and across Texas, two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.  

“This celebration will serve as a platform for community connection, celebration and education,” explained Dr. Dexter Gordon. “We hope that community members will come and help us as we honor the past, celebrate the present and work towards a future that’s rooted in equality and justice for everyone.”

Washington state passed legislation in 2021 to make Juneteenth a legal state-paid holiday – in 2007, the state’s legislature had designated Juneteenth as a day of remembrance. After years of advocacy, President Biden signed legislation, also in 2021, that made Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. Both landmark pieces of legislation signify a crucial step in recognizing the long struggle for freedom and equality endured by African Americans in the U.S.

Evergreen’s Tacoma Campus is located at 1210 6th Avenue in the heart of the Hilltop Neighborhood. For more information about the Tacoma campus and its programs, visit evergreen.edu/Tacoma.

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TACOMA – The Evergreen–Tacoma campus has been providing a college education right in the heart of the Hilltop neighborhood for going on three decades and is celebrating Fall Quarter with an increase in enrollment – up 48 percent from last fall.  

Like most higher education institutions, The Evergreen State College, including its Tacoma campus, saw a decrease in enrollment,especially during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Evergreen-Tacoma offers a robust, community-based style of learning. Each school year, there is a theme and this year’s is “Liberty and Justice for Whom?” Throughout each quarter for the 2022-23 school year, faculty, speakers and special guests will work with students at the Tacoma campus to develop an understanding of the justice system as it was, as it is today and what it can be in the future.  

“We are so excited to welcome our new and returning students to The Evergreen State College’s Tacoma campus,” said Dr. Marcia Tate Arunga, Dean of Tacoma. “Tacoma has a rich history of welcoming community and education. It is a place where magical transformation occurs and authentic learning takes the front seat.” 

Evergreen Tacoma, whose original founders are Dr. Maxine Mimms and Dr. Joye Hardiman, was created to bring education to all who wanted it. On Sunday, October 16, the campus will host an evening event featuring human rights activist, poet, educator and Black Panther Leader, Ericka Huggins. 

“I first encountered The Evergreen State College when I met Dr. Maxine Mimms and Dr. Joye Hardiman, founders of Evergreen’s Tacoma campus through the grassroots community engagement and rich history that these two extraordinary educators brought to the Hilltop community,” said Dr. Dexter Gordon, Executive Vice President for The Evergreen State College.  

Both campuses for The Evergreen State College are celebrating a 14 percent increase in enrollment overall as well as the award of $2.1 million in a Title III Grant that will allow the college to better serve its students – especially those traditionally underserved by higher education institutions. 

“Evergreen is on the right side of the education spectrum. I see the college as a full partner with the rest of the state in providing the kind of quality education of which we can all be proud. I look around the country and am hard-pressed to see another public, liberal arts institution that is dedicated to removing barriers to education while making sure that diversity is central to what we do,” said Gordon. 

Evergreen’s Tacoma campus is a dynamic liberal arts program focused on community, flexibility and convenience. The campus also offers a bi-lingual, Early Childhood Education Program which will help prepare students for a career working with children while earning their bachelor’s degree in liberal studies. Contact Shawn Harris if you are interested in the Early Childhood Education program at Shawn.Harris1@evergreen.edu or by calling 253-680-3000.  
 

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