The Tribal acknowledgement of The Evergreen State College is a living document that will be reviewed annually and may be updated as language and other factors change.
The Squaxin Island Tribe’s habitation of the land on and around the inlets of the Southern Salish Sea, including what is now the City of Olympia and at the Olympia campus of The Evergreen State College spans thousands of years. The ancestral families who lived and thrived here: They named Budd Inlet Steh-Chass, and they named Eld Inlet where the campus is located Squi’Aitle. Today, the Squaxin Island Tribe continues to live on and steward the lands and waters of the Southern Salish Sea.
We acknowledge the Squaxin Island Tribe as it continues to live on and steward these lands and waters.
We acknowledge that the Tacoma campus of The Evergreen State College is on the traditional homelands of the Puyallup Tribe. The Puyallup people have lived on and stewarded these lands since the beginning of time, and continue to do so today. We recognize that this acknowledgment is one small step toward true allyship and we commit to uplifting the voices, experiences, and histories of Indigenous people of this land and beyond.
We respect and acknowledge the Squaxin Island and Puyallup Tribes, and other Tribes across the Americas, and their many contributions to The Evergreen State College (in support of education, tribal sovereignty, environmental stewardship). This acknowledgment is one small step towards respect and collaboration with the aim of uplifting voices, cultures and histories of the Tribes of these lands and waters.
WELCOME TO EVERGREEN! 2024
You’re joining a college community dedicated to teaching and learning. At Evergreen, you’ll learn to develop and communicate original ideas while working cooperatively and compassionately with others. Your experience at Evergreen will prepare you for whatever path your life may take – career, advanced study, and civic engagement.
YOUR SUCCESS IS IMPORTANT TO US
At Evergreen, we strive to realize our commitments to racial equity, social justice, environmental stewardship and service in the public interest. We look forward to the contributions that you will make to these efforts.
Participating in Welcome Week activities will help you have a successful start at Evergreen. I encourage you to embrace the opportunity to meet new people, learn about campus, and begin the work of developing a meaningful education that is entirely your own.
Our community is not limited by the boundaries of the campus. In a few years when you graduate, you’ll join more than 45,000 alumni who are using their Evergreen education to create meaningful lives and to build the kind of world in which we all want to live.
Thank you for joining us in this exciting work. We’re happy you’re here.
Sincerely,
John Carmichael, Class of 1987 President, The Evergreen State College
Welcome to Your Orientation!
New Student Orientation supports you and your families through the process of finding your path and becoming successful lifelong members of the Evergreen community. A team of dedicated staff, faculty, and students is here to help you on your journey. Our goal is to support you in navigating Evergreen, thriving in college, thriving in community, and getting a better understanding of the academic experience here.
Have a question? Find a person in a green geoduck guide shirt to ask any questions, get connected to resources, and find what you are looking for.
New Greener Required Session Checklist
Time and location of all required sessions are highlighted in red and can be found on the back of your name tag.
New Resident Community Meeting (Housing residents only)
Welcome to Your Orientation
Greener Welcome Fest
Thriving in Community Session
Faculty-Student Workshops
Academics Address
Faculty-Student Seminar
Packing List – Be sure to bring the supplies you will need to feel prepared and ready to engage:
Orientation bag which includes this Guide, notebook, and pen
Nametag lanyard
Refillable water bottle
Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing
Sunscreen (in the event of sun)
Money for the Greener Bookstore swag
Snacks
Accessibility and Accommodation
We strive to host inclusive, accessible Orientation events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully by:
• providing open captioning for all required sessions
• asking all attendees to refrain from wearing strong fragrances
• indicating events that include:
Prolonged Weather Exposure
Amplified Sound Large Crowds
To request accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Access Services for Students with Disabilities as soon as possible before the events you are attending. Call (360) 867-6348 or TTY (360) 867-6834.
Photography/Videography Notice
College staff will be taking photos and videos of Welcome Week events and activities. These photos and videos may be shared online and in-print for promotional materials. If you do not wish to be the primary subject of the photos and videos, you may request an alternative nametag lanyard that will signal your preference to college staff.
CAMPUS FOOD OPTIONS DURING ORIENTATION
Wednesday, September 25 through Sunday, September 29
The Greenery (CAB 1st Floor)
Breakfast 8 a.m.–9 a.m.
Lunch 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Dinner 5 p.m.–7 p.m.
Bookstore (CAB 2nd Floor)
Regular Hours: M-Th 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Additional Welcome Week Hours
September 21: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
September 27: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
September 28: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Coupon good for 20% off one imprinted (Evergreen logo) item at the Bookstore!
Imprinted items only. Sale items not included. Expires Oct. 4, 2024. Order online for free in-store pickup! evergreen-greener-bookstore.com
Check into Housing and Orientation and get yourself settled into your new campus home!
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. LUNCH BREAK
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Parent and Family Orientation (Purce Hall 4)
For family and friends: President John Carmichael and executive leaders warmly welcome you to Evergreen. Learn the ways Evergreen supports new students in their transition to college and how we can work together to ensure student success.
3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. New Resident Community Meeting (Red Square)
New residents only: This required session for New Residents to discuss community expectations and agreements.
5 p.m. – 7 p.m. DINNER BREAK
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
New Student Orientation
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Orientation Check-in (Evans Hall Entrance)
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Resource Fair (Evans Hall Lobby)
Connect with the departments that will be key to your success at Evergreen.
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Veterans and Dependents Reception (Evans Hall 1009)
Join our Veterans Resource Center staff for a welcome reception for new veteran and dependent students.
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. LUNCH BREAK
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Welcome to Your Orientation (Red Square)
For new students: Welcome to Evergreen Orientation! This required session is to understand your Orientation experience, get to know your Orientation leaders and fellow new students with PlayFair! This interactive activity includes movement, music, and being outside.
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Parent and Family Orientation (Purce Hall 4)
For family and friends: President John Carmichael and executive leaders warmly welcome you to Evergreen. Learn the ways Evergreen supports new students in their transition to college and how we can work together to ensure student success.
A fun and friendly welcome from President John Carmichael and friends as we raise the Dig Deep flag, learn the Geoduck Fight Song, and say farewell to family and friends.
5 p.m. – 7 p.m. DINNER BREAK
6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Sunset Beach Walk (Meet at CRC Amphitheater)
Join members of The Outdoor Program for a sunset walk to the beach on our campus trails. Bring flashlight (if you have one), water, shoes for walking, and an extra layer. The trail is approximately a 2.5 mile loop, with some slight uphill on the way back.
7 p.m. – 10 p.m. CAB Night (CAB)
Come meet some of the student organizations on campus, find your people, get your bike tuned up for Fall, visit the video and board game lounges, get the student-produced Disorientation Manual, and much more!
Amplified Sound Large Crowds Prolonged Weather Exposure
Required Session Meal Break
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
New Student Orientation
9 a.m. – 11 p.m. Thriving in Community Session (Purce Hall 1)
Join your Dean of Students Holly Joseph to learn about how we come together to support our vibrant Evergreen community. Hear from campus leaders in wellness, activities, student support, equity, and belonging.
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Thriving in College Resource Workshop (select from list below)
Get to know Evergreen’s Learning Resources (Purce Hall 2)
Curious about how the Library can help you succeed? This workshop introduces how to access and make the most of Evergreen’s learning support services.
What’s Advising Got to Do with It? (Purce Hall 3)
Come find out how our advising offices can support you on the many stages of your Evergreen journey, from the time you’re accepted until you graduate, and even beyond!
Financial Services for Students (Purce Hall 4)
Learn more about managing your financial aid award, staying on top of billing, and options for work study employment on campus.
We Didn’t Start the Fire...but We Can Put It Out! (Meet at House of Welcome)
Join the Environmental Health and Safety team for a hands-on lesson in how to use a fire extinguisher!
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Soccer Game Sign-making (CRC Amphitheater)
Join the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) to make signs for the double-header soccer games against Evergreen’s rival Northwest University!
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. LUNCH BREAK
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Evergreen Women’s Soccer Game (Geoduck Pitch) Game 1 of the double-header against Northwest University!
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Faculty-Student Workshops (see nametag for location)
Engage in Evergreen’s unique models of teaching and learning with a small group of students and faculty. Come prepared for experiential learning indoors and outdoors. This session is required for all new students.
3 p.m. – 4 p.m. Academics Open House (Red Square)
Meet faculty from different academic areas and learn more about upcoming classes while enjoying tasty treats.
3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Evergreen Men’s Soccer Game (Geoduck Pitch) Game 2 of the double-header against Northwest University!
4 p.m. – 5 p.m. Find Your Class Tour (Meet at Clock Tower)
Nervous about finding your class on the first day? Understandable! Find your way around campus with your program schedule in hand and a helpful guide to make sure you know where you are going!
5 p.m. – 7 p.m. DINNER BREAK
7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Rocky Horror Picture Show (Purce Hall 1)
Get into character for “the last run” of this cult film classic. Popcorn, photobooth, and guides on hand!
Watch for your required Red Check sessions! You will need to show your nametag at the door.
Connect with the departments that will be key to your success at Evergreen.
10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Academics Address with Dr. Noah Coburn (Purce Hall)
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Pressing Problems: What Afghanistan Teaches Us About Elections and Democracy
Evergreen’s new Provost will discuss and dig deeper into this year’s Common Read and learning approaches at Evergreen.
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Saturday Orientation Faculty-Student Workshops (See nametag for location)
OR
Engage in Evergreen’s unique models of teaching and learning with a small group of students and faculty. Come prepared for experiential learning indoors and outdoors. This session is required for all Saturday Orientation students.
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Continuing Orientation Students Seminar (See nametag for location)
Practice the art of seminar with faculty. Learn how to effectively seminar on the morning’s Academics Address and be ready for your first week of classes! This session is required for students who have been attending Orientation throughout the week.
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. LUNCH – End of Welcome Week Celebration! (Red Square)
You made it through Welcome Week and are one step closer to your first day of class! Come celebrate on Red Square with free lunch.
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Party in the Pool (CRC)
Come wind down from Welcome Week, with some pool time! Open swim includes access to
FIVE FOCI AND SIX EXPECTATIONS
Faculty-Student Workshop
The Five Foci
The Five Foci are a component of the Evergreen learning experience that are designed as the pathway to successfully meet the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate. These Foci are also helpful to keep in mind when crafting your evaluations and Academic Statement.
1. Interdisciplinary Study: Pull together ideas and concepts from many subject areas, enabling you to tackle real-world issues in all their complexity.
2. Collaborative Learning: Develop knowledge and skills through shared learning, rather than in isolation and in competition with others.
3. Learning Across Significant Differences: Recognize, respect, and bridge differences – develop critical thinking skills in a diverse world.
4. Personal Engagement: Develop your capacity to judge, speak, and act on the basis of your own reasoned beliefs.
5. Linking Theory with Practical Applications: Understand abstract theories by applying them to projects and activities and put them into practice in real-world situations.
The Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate
Evergreen has developed a set of Six Expectations that frame our approach to college education. They should guide your academic work and be used to evaluate your ongoing learning and development throughout your education. Keep all six in mind as you write reflectively and critically about your progress in your Self-Evaluations and Academic Statement.
1. Articulate and assume responsibility for your own work. What have you focused on and what have you learned? Summarize the big ideas as well as the details.
2. Participate collaboratively and responsibly in our diverse society. In what ways have you worked with others and helped to cultivate an inclusive and collaborative community?
3. Communicate creatively and effectively. How have you demonstrated this in your academic and community work?
LEARNING AT EVERGREEN
Faculty-Student Workshop
Learning Communities
A learning community is a small group or cohort of students who share common academic goals and work collaboratively in the classroom (and community) with one or more professors.
– from Long Island University on Learning Communities
“When everyone in the classroom, teacher and students, recognizes that they are responsible for creating a learning community together, learning is at its most meaningful and useful.”
– bell hooks, Critical Thinking: Practical Wisdom
Seminar
Seminars are integral to most academic programs at Evergreen. Seminars are forums in which issues are raised and explored, but not necessarily resolved; they require you to think, to practice the skills of analysis, and by doing so, possibly leave you with more and better ideas than the ones with which you came. Seminars are the intellectual heart of the college. They serve as a means for groups of students to obtain a set of common experiences, usually based on a text, piece of art, film, etc. and then go beyond the sharing of facts to probe into the depths of the subject matter at hand.
Interdisciplinary Work
Interdisciplinary work explores multiple areas of study and how they intersect with one another. Drawing connections across different branches of knowledge and knowledge systems helps us understand the complexity of the world and address real world issues more holistically.
When you are working within one field, none of the large framing questions are usually disputed or in question, whereas when you keep passing back and forth across different fields, you have to keep tripping over the threshold of the assumptions in any one field. You are more likely to see the perils in them or weaknesses in them as well as strengths, and see some of the larger framing questions.
Liberal Arts at Evergreen
“Not fragmentation, but integration; not competition, but collaboration; not specialization, but openness and multiplicity; not divorce of knowledge from moral concern, but their reunion.”
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU READ: READING FOR UNDERSTANDING Faculty-Student Workshop
A few questions to help you develop and deepen your reflexes as a reader.
Notice your thinking (including when you are “off task”)
• What are you thinking about as you read? (When’s lunch...?)
• What is your mind telling you while you are reading this text? (This book is great/hard/weird!)
• What did you notice about this text? (No detail is too small...)
Focus on reading
• Where did you begin to get confused or to lose focus?
• What part of the text caused you trouble?
• Was there a particular word or sentence that got in your way?
Focus on solving reading problems
• What did you do to refocus your attention or clear up confusion?
• How could you put the section into your own words?
• Where do you think this section is going?
• What do you know that might help you figure out the section?
Focus on context
• What do you know about the author of this text?
• What do you know about when and where it was written?
• What claims does this text make? What evidence does it present?
• Whose voice is represented? Whose voice is missing?
ANNOTATING TEXT
– adapted from Schoenbach, et al, Reading for Understanding (West Ed 2012)
"To annotate” is to mark on the pages you read to remind yourself of words or phrases that caught your attention, or record your thoughts in the margins. You may have been told not to write in books, reading with a pencil can help to sharpen our engagement with the text, especially if it is new or unfamiliar."
Before reading
• Procure good writing equipment (pencil, pen, post-its, notebook, etc.)
• Have a dictionary nearby (use your phone if you need to)
• Read the title and any other text on the cover or dustjacket
• E xamine the table of contents
• E xamine the print (italics, font size, etc.)
• E xamine the way the text is set up (chapters, section titles, endnotes,index, etc.)
As you examine these features, write questions, and make predictions and/or connections near these parts of the text and/or in your notebook.
During reading (Mark in the text)
• Key ideas, key terms, key words
• Dates, names, and places
• Vocabulary (be sure to look these words up)
• Interesting turns of phrase
• Passages that confused you
• Endnotes that were particularly interesting or useful
After reading
(Write in the margins)
• Summarize the main ideas in your own words
• Formulate opinions (including objections or doubts)
• A sk questions
• Analyze the author’s craft: how do they do things with words?
• Write reflections/reactions/comments
• Look for patterns/repetitions
• Reread your annotations—and perhaps even annotate them
• Reread sections you enjoyed or were puzzled by—try to figure out something new the second time through
• E xamine patterns/repetitions—determine possible meanings
• Make connections to examples not included in the book – adapted from Carol Porter-O’Donnell, “Beyond the Yellow Highlighter,” English Journal 93:5 (2004)
AFTER ORIENTATION – Getting ready for your first quarter!
Get your geoducks in a row: tips for new students
GET FAMILIAR ONLINE: Log-in to my.evergreen.edu. Make sure your personal information profile is correct, find your first meeting location on Schedule Evergreen, tour your program Canvas site, and send an email to your faculty via Outlook to introduce yourself.
BE ON TIME: Especially to your first class meeting to secure your spot. If you can’t attend, email your faculty ASAP.
MAKE A FRIEND: Everyone is nervous! Lean into the awkward get-to-know-you stage to find a classmate to talk to and discuss homework assignments and resources.
FIGURE OUT TRANSPORTATION: DID YOU PAY FOR PARKING? Get your parking permit during your first week! Riding the bus in Olympia is free!
EMAIL YOUR FACULTY: Do you know you will be absent at some point in the quarter for athletic games, holidays of faith or conscience observance, or other commitments? Let your faculty know in writing!
FALL 2024 DEADLINES TO KNOW
• Tuition Due Date: October 4th
• Withdrawal Deadline: October 4th
• Registration for Winter Quarter Opens: December 4th
To learn more about your first quarter and find resources, go to: evergreen.edu/incoming-students/handbook
Wednesday, October 2
12 – 2 p.m. • Red Square • Evergreen Olympia
All Evergreen students, staff, and faculty are welcome to this celebratory kick off to the academic year for Greeners, by Greeners.
FREE LUNCH
Join us and enjoy free lunch while supplies last
STUDENT ACTIVITIES FAIR
Learn about student clubs and find out how to get involved
RESOURCE FAIR
Connect with Evergreen campus departments
YOUR ACADEMIC PLAN
Degree Planning Guide
DEGREE PLANNING GUIDE
Use this worksheet to draft a plan for your time at Evergreen. Include subjects you’re interested in studying, study abroad ideas, advanced research, and other experiences you want to tackle. Aim for breadth in the beginning (explore and discover) and later add depth to prepare you for your goals after you graduate (focus and apply what you have learned). Whether you are just starting or transferring in with some credit, this chart will help guide you to graduation.
FALLWINTER
YEAR 1 EXPLORE
Discover new subjects, gain breadth
YEAR 2 REFINE
Focus your interests, identify area of emphasis
YEAR 3 DIG DEEP
Add depth, and gain practical/field experience
YEAR 4
FOCUS
Apply what you have learned, capstone experience, internships
Capstone Experience
Synthesize your knowledge and skills in an applied research or practical environment. While not required, many students find their capstone experience to be key in preparing for future career or graduate school opportunities. See page 34 for more information. List some possible capstone ideas:
YOUR ACADEMIC PLAN
Degree Planning Guide
Area of Emphasis (optional): If you earn 40-50 credits in a specific field, you can state that it’s your Area of Emphasis (see page 35). It’s not required, but your Academic Statement can describe what that area means to you and how you developed it over your time at Evergreen.
#1.
#2.
SPRINGSUMMER
Degree Requirements See page 35 for details.
BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA) 180 CREDITS + ACADEMIC STATEMENT
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BS)* 180 CREDITS
(72 in math, science, or computer science / 48 upper division)
*Upper division science credits will have an asterisk next to the equivalency on your evaluation. Ask Registration for a science review to verify the number of science credits you have.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR FIRST QUARTER
Degree Planning Guide
PROGRAM/COURSE WORKSHEET
Use this worksheet to gather the relevant facts from the syllabus and the community agreement. It will help you reflect on all your upcoming commitments.
DO I UNDERSTAND THE CREDIT POLICY, PARTICULARLY AROUND ATTENDANCE OR ASSIGNMENTS?
WHAT DO I NEED TO DISCUSS FURTHER ABOUT THE PROGRAM/COURSE EXPECTATIONS IN THE SYLLABUS?
RESOURCES
CHECK-IN WITH YOURSELF – WHAT SUPPORT DO YOU NEED?
Student Wellness Services
Student Wellness Services provides basic medical and mental health care services to currently enrolled students. Medical and mental health practitioners here to support you as you transition into this new stage of life and connect you with community resources.
Student Activities
The Student Activities Office is here to help you get plugged into campus! This is where you can learn how to start a club, join a governance group, and learn about campus meetings, events, and workshops.
Basic Needs Advocacy and Resource Center
BNARC has a shelf-stable food pantry, gender-affirming clothing closet, hygiene items, and more immediate resources accessible for students.
BIPOC & LGBTQ+ Intersectional Support Services (BLISS)
BLISS provides support centered around our BIPOC and LGBTQ+ student body to dismantle barriers that have historically impacted underserved students in higher education. Here, they will help you find and build community at Evergreen, connect you with resources on and off campus, and find space for discovering your identity.
Access Services for Students with Disabilities
Access Services recognizes disability as an aspect of diversity that is integral to society and to our campus community. Access staff work with admitted Evergreen students to ensure equal access to academic programs and services.
Student Emergency Fund
The Emergency Fund is available to students with an unexpected financial crisis that would cause the student to not complete the quarter or continue their education.
Academic and Career Advising
The advisors at Academic and Career Advising are here to help you understand your options, plan your academic path, and succeed as a learner. They’re a great resource for getting started at Evergreen and for making sure you stay on track to achieve your goals!
Student Emergency Fund
The Emergency Fund provides micro-grants to students facing an unexpected financial crisis. You don’t have to choose between continuing your studies and tending to life’s emergencies.
To learn more and apply, contact the Financial Aid Office: Phone: (360) 867-6205, finaid@evergreen.edu
Supported by donations collected and managed by The Evergreen State College Foundation
Campus FOOD BANK
The Evergreen Campus Food Bank is a satellite food bank of the Thurston County Food Bank and a regular opportunity for students to access necessary resources. 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the every month
