Jessica Richardson

Summer is in full swing here in Olympia! We have had gorgeous, sunny weather and long days so we can get out to enjoy the outdoors. I spent my summer vacation this year getting married to the man of my dreams! I now have a new last name so don’t be confused if you see it on the website soon. After our wedding we headed down to southern California to check out the amusement parks and take some much needed rest time. My favorite destination of the trip would have to be Universal Studios. We loved it there! So many fun rides and movie sets to check out. Overall, this has been the best summer of my entire life!

Now, I’m back to work, ready to take on another wonderful academic year. I’m getting excited to begin meeting all the high school graduates of 2009 who are coming to visit Evergreen, and to welcome the new class of freshmen to campus in September. The Admissions Office has added new counselors who are ready and eager to help with the entire admissions process. Hopefully you can meet one of them when they fly around the country to visit high schools in your area. Also, remember to give me a call or send an e-mail if you’d like to see this amazing campus with your own eyes. I’m here to make your dream visit happen!

Posted by Jessica at 09:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the exciting benefits of working at Evergreen is that I have the awesome opportunity to visit different places all over the country. Last year, I was able to go to Denver, Colorado for a conference (that was really fun!). Last week I visited beautiful Spokane, Washington. A number of my Evergreen colleagues and myself were able to get together with other professional admissions counselors from colleges and universities around the Northwest. This annual conference is a great time for us to connect and reflect about the previous year’s work. It’s also a great place to learn new ideas and techniques that will make us better at serving students, which is the primary goal of all admissions professionals. I had a wonderful trip with lots of laughs and I met some really great new people. There was also plenty of learning during the classroom-type sessions, as well as an opportunity to check out the Lilac City for a couple days. I took some photos so you can see that the other side of Washington State is just as beautiful as this one.

This was our view from dinner the first night we stayed in Spokane. The river was raging!

An art piece from the Spokane Art Museum. We were lucky enough to be able to view all the galleries, and there was really unique and exciting stuff for us to check out. Oh yeah - we also saw a piece on display from one of our faculty here at Evergreen... Impressive work!!

Posted by Jessica at 08:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today I was reminded of yet another reason I love springtime so much… This week, our campus’ Organic Farm announced that they will begin selling tomato starts again. I’m very excited to buy another one of these and get some fresh, organic tomatoes growing in my yard at home. Being able to walk just outside my front door for fresh produce whenever I want is such a luxury! I love that I work at a place with its own farmer’s market for me to utilize. Every Tuesday and Thursday they are out in front of the College Activities Building selling produce, flowers, eggs, veggies and all kinds of other good stuff for us to enjoy. The students who learn about sustainable farming here also learn about the business aspect of the entire process which really sets our program apart from many others. It truly is integrated learning at its best! If you’d like more information on our Organic Farm, check out this website: http://www.evergreen.edu/cell/organicfarm.htm.

Posted by Jessica at 01:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I find it hard to believe that it’s almost May! For our seniors, that means graduation is just over one month away. I love this time of the year. I think that springtime just brings out the happier side in most of us. After a long winter, we can begin to see the signs of summer creeping in. I tend to think of our graduation ceremony as the official beginning to the beautiful summer around here. It’s a perfect celebration honoring our students, this amazing college and the entire surrounding community. I know that seniors are beginning to pick graduation speakers and have already been making plans for families to fly-in from all around the country to witness this defining moment. I am one of the lucky ones because I get to be a witness to all of it. Personally, I feel more connected with this group of graduating seniors than any other class before. Some of my hardest working and exciting student ambassadors will be heading off for new adventures after next month. While I am definitely sad to lose them here, I know they will do amazing things in the world. The education and opportunities they have engaged in here at Evergreen have prepared them well, and for that, I couldn’t be more proud of their accomplishments.

Picture taken during Super Saturday, a festival held each year on campus the day after graduation.

Posted by Jessica at 03:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As I have mentioned before, this is one of our busiest times here in the Admissions Office. I have been tasked with the duty of presenting many of our daily information sessions, and I find this part of my job so fun! I have the opportunity to meet with students and families from across the country. Just today, I met families from New York, Minnesota, Idaho, and California… and that’s not even including the Washingtonians who come from all across the state to visit too. It’s enlightening for me to see such a wide diversity range in the people traveling such great distances to see this amazing college. It is a constant reminder of how unique and appealing an Evergreen education is to so many people. Our national reputation is growing and growing, and that is reflected in our eclectic student body.

You have come to the right place to check out what some of our students are doing here on campus. I encourage you to read the blogs our students keep on this web site (and feel free to comment; they love the questions!). I’m sure that you will be able to relate at least one of these Greeners. Their stories inspire me to stay focused, even when it feels like there’s so much to do around here. I hope that someday I will be able to share in your experiences here at Evergreen – I know you will do great things here too!

Posted by Jessica at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Spring Break is quickly approaching for our students on campus. The sun is shining (and the rain is falling) and flowers are poking up all over the campus. Students are running around trying to complete final projects and planning fun and exciting trips. Some of the students I work with are traveling to San Francisco, California, Orlando, Florida, and even China. I’m so jealous. For all of the college staff, there is no break. We work all the way through the change of quarters. This is great news if you want to come and visit during your Spring Break from high school or community college. We are continuing to host visitors all through March and April (typically a couple of our busiest months). Be sure to contact us if you’d like to reserve your spot. You can check out all our visit options at www.evergreen.edu/visit.

Posted by Jessica at 02:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The March 1st priority deadline is fast approaching and hopeful new Evergreen students are scrambling to get all their information to us on time. This is an exciting time in the Admissions Office as we get to make dreams come true for many students who wish to become a part of this awesome campus community. I find it most rewarding to read personal statements and hear about the amazing things our applicants have done and wish to do in their lifetimes. It’s inspiring to me, and each year it rejuvenates my love of this work. I’m excited to see what these students will accomplish here at Evergreen – the possibilities are seemingly endless!

For those of you who may still be deciding to apply, I would urge you to get your application in as soon as possible. The most important reason to apply now is that we give out Scholastic Achievement Awards to students who apply by the priority deadline. I always say – Free money is good money! You wouldn’t want to miss out on a scholarship opportunity simply because you applied too late.

Feel free to contact the Admissions Office if you still have questions about your application. We are happy to help!

Posted by Jessica at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)