enrollment

Olympia – For the first time in years, The Evergreen State College expects a larger entering class as teaching starts today at the college’s Olympia and Tacoma campuses.  
 
This year's entering class grew by 14%, the largest proportional increase since 2000. This larger entering class halts recent enrollment losses at the college, including smaller entering classes during the last two years of COVID. The final tally will be taken after day 10 of fall quarter. 
 
“As we emerge from the pandemic, we find that students want the kind of education that Evergreen provides more than ever. Evergreen offers an affordable, flexible education, where students work closely with faculty and with each other to achieve their goals,” said Evergreen President Dr. John Carmichael.  
 
Executive Vice President Dr. Dexter Gordon attributed part of the enrollment turn-around to a dedicated admissions team, a range of initiatives, and an innovative partnership between staff and the college’s faculty union. In addition, Evergreen launched new certificate programs in its school for Professional and Continuing Education geared towards adult learners, and a new Early Childhood Education program at the Tacoma campus. A new scholarship to encourage former students who have yet to complete their degree was also added. “Evergreen took an all-hands-on-deck approach to new student recruitment where nearly 50 faculty, administrators, and even college board of trustees members partnered together to work directly with students and guide them through the admissions process,” said Dr. Gordon. 
 
“The team met hundreds of students in one-on-one meetings that were exciting and enjoyable. We approached each student as an individual and showed them how Evergreen practices education. Evergreen respects students by trusting their curiosity. That trust, combined with individual attention, makes all the difference,” said faculty initiative leaders Dr. Nancy Koppelman and Dr. Bradley Proctor.  
 
“This collaboration demonstrated what can be done when faculty and college staff partner together for the benefit of students. As such, this teamwork will continue as the college ramps up for its next recruitment cycle,” added Gordon.  
 
A year ago, Evergreen embarked on a new leadership model which put Carmichael and Gordon at the helm as president and executive vice president to co-lead the college. In the past month, Washington Monthly’s national magazine ranked Evergreen No. 1 for contributions to the public good among more than 600 colleges and universities. The U.S. Department of Education also recently awarded the college a $2.1 million Title III grant to increase access and success for students. 
 
 
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OLYMPIA—The Evergreen State College is proud to announce increased student enrollment for the fourth consecutive fall.

Despite challenges faced by students nationwide — from financial aid issues to ongoing recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 on learning — Evergreen continues to thrive as a beacon of innovation and community. As of Day 10, of the Fall 2024 quarter, Evergreen’s undergraduate enrollment is up to more than 2500 students, reflecting an 8 percent increase over the previous year’s numbers. The college has seen an especially significant increase in undergraduate enrollment, adding approximately 400 new students to the Evergreen community over the past three years.

Evergreen’s President, Dr. John Carmichael, attributes this success to the college’s unique learning environment and the dedication of its faculty and staff:

“This sustained growth demonstrates the powerful draw of Evergreen’s interdisciplinary, hands-on learning approach, which empowers students to take ownership of their education and emerge as changemakers in their communities. The Evergreen community has worked tirelessly to recover from the challenges of the pandemic and to emerge stronger and more committed than ever to our mission. Our staff and faculty deserve tremendous credit for their resilience, dedication and unwavering commitment to the success of our students.”

Dr. Dexter Gordon, Executive Vice President of Evergreen, echoed the sentiment, highlighting the role that leadership, collaboration, and creativity have played in sustaining Evergreen’s growth:

“The consistent increase in enrollment is a testament to the vision and hard work of our faculty, staff and leadership across the Olympia and Tacoma campuses. We have fostered a culture of innovation and inclusivity, which resonates with students looking for an educational experience that prepares them to address real-world challenges. We’re incredibly proud of the Evergreen legacy and the continued efforts to nurture the next generation of leaders, innovators, and collaborators.”

Evergreen’s enrollment growth comes at a time when many institutions are grappling with lower student numbers, particularly as students continue to face challenges with FAFSA, financial aid, and recovering from the educational disruptions caused by the pandemic. Despite these hurdles, Evergreen’s model — focused on interdisciplinary, experiential learning and fostering a deep sense of community — continues to attract students seeking an education that prepares them to make meaningful contributions to society.

With new students joining Evergreen’s undergraduate and graduate programs, the college is looking ahead to a bright future, knowing that those who cross the graduation stage will carry Evergreen’s spirit of change-making and collaboration into their communities and the world.

For more information on The Evergreen State College and its unique approach to education, visit www.evergreen.edu.

With the first month of a four-month legislative session behind us, Evergreen has been engaged on bills that would help students across Washington meet their basic needs and grant scholarships to Native American students.

In conversations with legislators from all parts of the state, we are also talking about the beginning of our enrollment turn-around and underlining the need for strong investment in our students, staff and faculty. We are addressing legislator questions about how, after many years of declining enrollment and tuition revenue, we can get the college on a sustainable long-term footing. 

Some of the initiatives we’re talking about include one-year certificates in business and administration, computer science, environmental solutions, and video and audio production. We’ve started a new early childhood education program at our Tacoma campus.  We’ve done some targeted outreach to people who have earned some college credit but quit before they earned a credential. In partnership with the faculty union, we have an all-hands-on-deck effort to make sure that admitted students know about the pragmatic, personalized education they can get at Evergreen. And we’re working to start up a baccalaureate program serving incarcerated students in Washington state.

On January 27 Evergreen Vice President for Tribal Relations, Arts and Cultures Kara Briggs gave moving testimony to the House Committee on Postsecondary Education and Workforce Development on a bill to establish a Native American scholarship program in our state.  Vice President Briggs, who contributed to the bill’s original language, told how many Washington tribes including her own, the Sauk-Suiattle, lacked the resources to give their members financial support for college. She noted that Native people in Washington are consistently among the poorest people, the least likely to finish high school, and yet the most likely to be needed to take leadership roles in tribes and in urban Indian organizations. This bill is currently in committee. 

Government Relations Director Sandy Kaiser used data provided by Evergreen’s Basic Needs Center to testify January 31 in favor of a bill by Rep. Debra Entenman (D-Kent) that would expand state support to public colleges to help students meet their basic needs. 

Students across the state and at every institution are struggling to pay for housing, food and utilities, which puts at risk their ability to succeed in college. Evergreen’s data shows how in fiscal year 2022 we helped 44 students who were experiencing hardship, and that 29 of those were able to finish that quarter, 65 percent. We know this kind of quick-response/low-barrier support makes an incredible difference to student success. The bill is currently in committee. 
On February 2, Evergreen trustees Kris Peters and Shane Everbeck joined regents and trustees from Washington’s other public colleges in a day-long series of meetings with multiple legislators. They made the case for continued support for public higher education and waved the Evergreen flag high, noting the unique students we serve and emphasizing the value of an Evergreen education. 

Along with higher education officials from other institutions, Evergreen President John Carmichael presented on enrollment at a Senate higher education committee work session on February 3.  He noted the college’s 17 percent increase in new student enrollment this academic year, while emphasizing that Evergreen still has work to do in raising overall student numbers. Later that day he and Sandy Kaiser met with House higher education chair Rep. Vandana Slatter (D-Bellevue) to talk about the college’s budget in advance of upcoming recommendations for public college funding.