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TACOMA – The AV����–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, AV����, including its Tacoma campus, saw a decrease in enrollment,especially during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.��

AV����-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 AV����’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.”��

AV���� 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 AV���� when I met Dr. Maxine Mimms and Dr. Joye Hardiman, founders of AV����’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 AV����. ��

Both campuses for AV���� 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.��

“AV���� 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.��

AV����’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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OLYMPIA – AV���� is offering cash to 100 former students who started their educational path at AV���� but for whatever reason, were unable to complete their degree.��

For the past 50 years, AV���� has been eliminating barriers to education. The $75,000 in scholarship dollars offered by AV���� Foundation, will help former Greeners pick up where they left off. The monies gifted for these scholarships were thanks to donors of the AV���� Fund and the Art of Giving, the colleges annual fundraiser that brings donors, alumni, friends and businesses together to celebrate and build potential for students.��

“AV���� has always sought to bolster access to education,” said chief enrollment officer John Reed. “This generous gift from the Foundation will help returning students ease the cost of coming back to college. If you want to pursue a different career or get a promotion, a college degree at AV���� is more affordable now than ever. AV���� offers a variety of flexible evening and weekend programs, as well as certificates now too. We are here to help students return, learn and graduate.”

The first 100 returning Greeners will receive a $750 scholarship to help them with continuing their education at either of the college’s Olympia or Tacoma campuses. AV���� offers unique programs and schedules for adult learners as well as internships, individual learning contracts, the Professional and Continuing Education Program and a new Early Childhood Education program at the Tacoma campus. Find out more by contacting Kelly Von Holtz, Public Relations and Marketing Manager at Kelly.Von_Holtz@evergreen.edu or by visiting evergreen.edu/finish.

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TACOMA – AV����’s Tacoma campus located in the historic Hilltop Neighborhood 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.��

“We are excited to offer this program at AV���� Tacoma,” said Dr. Marcia Tate Arunga, Dean of Tacoma. “This program helps those interested in pursuing a degree with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education and offers a variety of courses that will help students grow a greater understanding into language and culture along with how to work with families and communities as we all work together to build solid foundation for our children’s future.”

Fall 2022 courses for this program include Working with Families; Language, Culture and Young Children; and Tribal Sovereignty and Early Childhood Education. Classes are virtual and are held in the evenings to allow ease for those working full-time.��

AV���� offers an affordable education and $9000 scholarships are available for students working for an through .��

AV����’s Tacoma campus is a small and mighty liberal arts program focused on community, flexibility and convenience. 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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OLYMPIA – In a special meeting today, Thursday, July 7, AV����’s Board of Trustees permanently appointed Dr. John Carmichael as college president with a contract through June 30, 2025. Carmichael was appointed interim president in June 2021. His salary will remain at the current level. ��
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“The Board of Trustees is exceptionally pleased with Dr. Carmichael’s performance as interim president during the last year. He is an exceptionally able leader and has excelled in addressing administration needs and the fiscal challenges the college faces. He has provided excellent leadership as the college has developed new academic offerings, including professional certificates. Carmichael has cultivated strong relationships with Washington’s legislators, current and prospective donors, and community partners. He’s achieved all of this and more while successfully navigating the complexities of COVID-19, which has ensured the safety of students, staff and faculty on AV����’s two campuses,” said board chair Karen Fraser. ��
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Carmichael joined AV���� in 1998, serving in a variety of roles including chief of staff and secretary to the Board of Trustees and most recently as the college’s vice president for finance and operations. A 1987 Bachelor of Arts graduate of the college, Carmichael also holds a Master of Public Administration degree from AV���� and a doctorate in education and human resource studies from Colorado State University.��
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This move brings further stability to the college and continues the strong collaboration between Carmichael and executive vice president Dr. Dexter Gordon. “It is clear that the two of them are working very well together and providing forward-oriented leadership for AV����. We are very pleased with Dr. Gordon’s performance and the excellence we are seeing in the critical areas he oversees. Gordon is providing outstanding leadership for institutional improvements which will better serve current and future students,” added Fraser.
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Today the board also authorized ratification of a collective bargaining agreement with the college’s Uniformed Personnel for 2023-2025. ��

For more information about AV����, visit evergreen.edu. ��

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OLYMPIA, WA. — AV���� continues to experience strong momentum in student enrollment and retention, with preliminary data showing a 13% year-over-year increase in spring 2025 enrollment. This marks the third consecutive year of spring enrollment growth and includes significant gains among first-generation undergraduate students. 

“Our spring enrollment at AV���� continues to surge ahead year over year with 13% more students at the college spring 2025,” said John Reed, Chief Enrollment Officer. “An important component of this enrollment growth is the improvement we are seeing in our student retention. First-year students from fall 2024 to spring 2025 are persisting at a rate of 85%, the highest we have seen in 12 years.” 

The college’s fall-to-spring retention rate for first-time, first-year students has steadily improved, rising from 68% in 2020 to 85% in 2024 — a 17-point increase over five years. Preliminary data also shows that the number of first-generation undergraduate students enrolled this spring reached 459, up from 371 the previous year. 

AV����’s efforts to support student success through personalized advising, flexible academic pathways, and community-building programs are credited as key drivers behind these trends. 

For more information, contact: 

AV���� 
mediarelations@evergreen.edu

Olympia, WA. - April 18, 2025 - AV���� successfully concluded its seventh annual Equity Symposium, held April 16–17, 2025. Centered on the theme “The Wisdom of Stories,” the two-day event brought together students, faculty, staff, and community members to explore how storytelling fosters connection, resilience, and collective liberation. 

The symposium kicked off with a dynamic plenary session led by Dr. Leticia Nieto, where students, staff, and faculty were invited to explore and share their own stories of grounding, hope, and connection. The room buzzed with heartfelt reflections and meaningful dialogue, setting the tone for a deeply personal and collective experience.

Following the plenary, participants jumped into a wide variety of hands-on workshops covering everything from justice in healthcare to storytelling in activism. Whether diving into the intersections of equity and technology or exploring identity through art, each session offered practical tools, fresh perspectives, and new strategies for making change—in the classroom, the workplace, and the world. 

The symposium's keynote address was delivered by Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs, a renowned writer, scholar, and activist. Gumbs, known for her work on Black feminist thought and ecological consciousness, captivated the audience with insights from her latest book, Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde. Her address emphasized the transformative power of storytelling in navigating uncertain times and envisioning a more just future. 

For more information about the Equity Symposium, visit evergreen.edu/equity-symposium. 

Media Contact: mediarelations@evergreen.edu

TACOMA – AV���� 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 AV���� 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 AV����. 

Over the years, this event has doubled as a birthday celebration for AV���� Tacoma founder Dr. Maxine Mimms, who was born on March 4, 1928. The late Dr. Mimms, a longtime Tacoma resident and AV���� 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 AV���� 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, AV���� Tacoma offers a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that celebrates diversity, innovation, and community engagement. To learn more about AV���� Tacoma’s history and programs, visit its website.

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

AV���� has publicly launched its first-ever college-wide fundraising campaign, Forever Green, to raise $55+ million to expand financial resources for students and programs.

The campaign will increase funding for scholarships, emergency funding, and holistic services for students. It will expand learning opportunities to prepare students with the skills to solve complex problems in our economy, democracy, justice, as well as climate and the environment. And it will increase the college’s support of Native arts and cultures in the Pacific Northwest and beyond with the leadership of AV����’s s’gwi gwi ? altxw: House of Welcome.

Alumni, donors, and champions of the college gathered Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at the Seattle Art Museum for a celebratory kickoff for the public phase of the campaign hosted by AV���� Foundation. During the event, AV����’s President, Dr. John Carmichael, and Executive Vice President, Dr. Dexter Gordon shared how important this campaign is not only for students at AV���� but for the broader community.

“Clearing away obstacles to teaching and learning was a founding mantra of AV����,” explained Dr. John Carmichael, President of AV����. “It remains our first principle today. And one of the biggest obstacles in our path to teaching and learning is funding. We’re at a fork in the road. We’re either going to keep our footing and prosper on our own path or be transformed by forces outside of our control. It’s on us. Right now. As president, I feel that acutely. We can shape our own future, or it will be shaped for us.”

Donors have contributed $47.8 million towards the $55+ million-dollar goal – and at the launch on Tuesday evening, two new $1 million-dollar gifts were announced, one from an anonymous donor with deep ties to the college and the other from John Hennessey, a 1977 graduate and member of the foundation’s Board of Governors.

“Contributing to AV���� creates access for those who are often at the bottom of the economic ladder, to have a leg up, to have an opportunity to climb, to have an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to our shared democracy.” Dr. Dexter Gordon, Executive Vice President for AV���� told the packed house on Tuesday night. “When American democracy is revealing at once its resilience and its fragility, AV���� needs your support. Contributing to AV���� contributes significantly to the strengthening of American democracy.”

For more than 50 years in Olympia and over 25 years in Tacoma, AV���� has enriched the lives of more than 46,000 Greeners who have taken their education to build successful careers and make positive change in the communities where they live, work and participate.

Forever Green will support diverse, next-generation leaders–61 percent are women, 20 percent are first-generation college students, 35 percent are low income and 32 percent are students of color. Ninety percent of first-year students identify restoring the environment, understanding and appreciating differences, and contributing to the community as important reasons why they chose AV����.

Gifts to the campaign have already increased student scholarships as well as emergency aid and launched a new Center for Climate Action and Sustainability where students, alumni and community members come together to find climate crisis solutions. In addition, early gifts have helped AV����’s s'gʷi gʷi ʔ altxʷ: House of Welcome expand its impact as a grant-maker to individual artists and to Native Arts programs at other universities.

“It’s incredible to witness the collective impact of AV����’s generous community,” said Abby Kelso, Executive Director of AV����’s foundation. “Alumni and friends from every decade are digging deep for students and building a bright future for AV����. Already the campaign has increased student aid by 47%. Imagine where we’ll be by June 2024!”

The campaign, which began its silent phase on July 1, 2019, will conclude on June 30, 2024. To learn more about how you can help AV���� students on their unique paths, visit the campaign’s website.

We were built for times like these, built for what’s next. At AV����, we will forever go our own way, but we can only do it together.

If you are interested in joining the thousands of Greeners who are called to make the world better, visit evergreen.edu.

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Olympia – For the first time in years, AV���� expects a larger entering class as teaching starts today at the college’s Olympia and Tacoma campuses. ��
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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.��
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“As we emerge from the pandemic, we find that students want the kind of education that AV���� provides more than ever. AV���� offers an affordable, flexible education, where students work closely with faculty and with each other to achieve their goals,” said AV���� President Dr. John Carmichael. ��
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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, AV���� 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. “AV���� 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.��
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“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 AV���� practices education. AV���� 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. ��
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“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. ��
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A year ago, AV���� 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 AV���� 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 – This week, the U.S. Department of Education awarded more than $2 million in Title III grant dollars to AV���� for its Strengthening Institutions Program. ��

The grant money funds a five-year project that will continue AV����’s work to increase college capacity in student access and success for historically underserved students through holistic advising and coordinated wrap-around services. The funding will also help leverage technology to strengthen AV����’s student support services and expand community- and career-connected learning. ��

“AV����’s vibrant, cross-divisional collaborations were critical to designing and securing this exciting grant,” explained Dr. Therese Saliba, Associate Vice President of Inclusive Excellence & Student Success. “Many thanks to all the AV���� faculty and staff who helped envision what proactive, holistic support for our diverse students could look like. We are excited to move forward to fully support our students both personally and holistically.”��

“AV���� was created to bring affordable, world-class education to everyone – especially those who are typically underserved by higher education,” said ��Executive Vice President, Dr. Dexter Gordon. “This federal funding is an investment in AV���� so we can expand student support thus enabling them to focus on their educational success.”��

AV���� will also use the funding to create an early alert system that will identify students who are struggling and provide them with the resources they need to get back on track. ��

“This is AV����’s first Title III grant award and will help us in our ability to identify and support students in need and provide tools for faculty and staff to ensure that all roads lead to student success,” explained Gordon. ��

For more information about AV����, please visit evergreen.edu and to learn more about student success initiatives, please visit the college’s Inclusive Excellence and Student Success webpage. ��

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