Anne Avery, Class of 1972
Anne Avery went back to The Evergreen State College as an adult student and changed her life
She enrolled at Evergreen to begin a new chapter of her life at the age of thirty-eight. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in 1972, the mother of five went on to earn a certificate to teach high school in the Olympia School District. Later, she graduated with a Master of Public Administration from Evergreen in 1982. The degree became a springboard to successful jobs with the U.S. Department of Labor and the City of Bellevue.
“My Evergreen degrees changed my life,” says Anne. “The first allowed me to spend 10 years teaching at Jefferson and Olympia High Schools. The MPA permitted me to change careers for positions in Washington D.C., Bellevue, and Seattle. I am forever grateful to Evergreen.”
Now Anne is giving back through a significant bequest in her will in memory of Sonya Alexander, a former classmate whose life was also transformed by an Evergreen education. And she hopes other Greeners and friends of the college will also be inspired to join her in supporting the legacy giving program at Evergreen.
Planned gifts like the generous support made by Anne enable future Greeners from all backgrounds to overcome financial hardships and earn college degrees at any stage of life. This means more educators, scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, policy-makers, environmentalists and leaders with the knowledge, skills and tenacity to change the world.