The Evergreen State College
Evergreen

Evergreen’s campus is approximately 1,000 acres of land, with nearly 700 acres of undeveloped forest and about 3,000 feet of water frontage on Eld Inlet of Puget Sound. Photo by Shauna Bittle.

The Evergreen State College is a public liberal arts and sciences college located in Olympia, Washington. Founded in 1967, Evergreen has a national reputation for innovative, interdisciplinary and team-taught academic programs. The college also holds a deep commitment to sustainability on campus and contributing to leadership in the broader community. With undergraduate and graduate programs and seven public service centers, Evergreen’s campus hosts about 4,200 students and 750 faculty and staff.

SPP embodies Evergreen’s way of learning

SPP’s model is born out of Evergreen’s values. SPP’s four managers are Evergreen graduates, grad students coordinate many of our programs, an Evergreen faculty member co-directs SPP, and many of the DOC staff in our programs are also Greener Grads. Our approach exemplifies Evergreen’s Five Foci:

1. Interdisciplinary Study: incarcerated students, DOC staff, and partners tackle complex, real-world issues (environmental, social, & economic) with diverse expertise.
2. Collaborative Learning: we share learning and break down isolation by seeking input from all concerned parties and finding common ground.
3. Learning Across Significant Differences: we recognize, respect, and bridge differences between academics, incarcerated adults, partners, and correctional staff; everyone’s ideas have value.
4. Personal Engagement: we develop our capacity to evaluate, speak, and act on the basis of reasoned beliefs informed by attentive listening, observation, and investigation.
5. Linking Theory with Practical Applications: we test abstract theories by putting them into practice in demanding, real-world situations.

Eight graduate students from Evergreen’s Master of Environmental Studies (MES) and Master of Public Administration coordinate conservation and education programs, and assist with program research. They take on the challenge of leading one or more programs while collaborating widely with SPP partner agencies and staff. Several students have attended Evergreen with the goal of working with SPP, making this a truly synergistic collaboration.

SPP is lucky to have Evergreen’s partnership for technical, budget, fundraising, and other administrative support. SPP also relies on Evergreen for event hosting and access to excellent undergraduate interns. Many members of the campus community have participated in SPP’s science and sustainability lecture series, sharing their knowledge and experience on a diverse array of topics, including wildlife, native plants, ecological restoration, stormwater management, mycology, and the intersection of science and religion.

SPP’s staff offices are in the Seminar 2 building complex, looking out on Red Square.