WHAT STUDENTS SAY:


Caitlin

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PROGRAM
Reconciliation was an amazing experience for me.   It allowed me to realize myself in a way that other programs could not.   I learned to rely on my colearners and myself more for information, rather than just the faculty.   The faculty were very helpful, especially through the reconciliation website and email group, however due to the nature of the program they could only help so much.   With so many students, each doing very different things, they could only really supply guidance, no syllabus or plan to fit us all.   The freedom of this program is the best and worst part.   It forces you to be responsible while also allowing you to answer to no one and move at your own pace.   The fluidity of the program is definitely a strong suit, giving students the ability to change their minds in the middle of a project and shift focus to something else, ultimately making her or him more comfortable with the end result.   I feel that this program allows us to effectively teach ourselves, which will continue to be our mode of education throughout the rest of our lives.   It makes sense.   That said, I would not recommend the program for those who cannot work and be functional without a structure already in place.   For everyone else, it’s an opportunity to do exactly what you always wished there was a class for.



"Reconciliation, I have found, is a dynamic and inspirational course carefully designed with the students in mind. The incredible support and dedication of the faculty to encourage students to have their power, voice, and choice to learn what they want to learn and how they are going to learn it, has created a pathway for students to reconcile many of the patterns and impressions left by today’s school systems. The faculty highly emphasized that it was more important to be out in the field, living what we as individuals or as small groups decided to learn, rather than to be in class each day we met.
    Early in fall quarter I had a thirst for community and I realized that it wasn’t just going to be handed to me. I had to create or find it with my own ingenuity. Which inspired and drove me to take a hold of my learning and my life. I found community on my own within the Writers Guild student group and Eagle’s Ballroom swing dancing. I found this course to be the perfect pathway for me to pursue writing my novel and studying nature and philosophy. Without outside forces dictating what, when and how I was going to learn, I was free to pursue my passions meanwhile maintaining my full health and wellbeing. Allowing me to develop more fully as a whole person rather than just the intellectual portion of self. This allowed for my self and many other students to attend other programs outside of Evergreen, getting hands on experience with much of what we set out to learn. In addition the class allowed students to explore a vast array of topics by allowing for travel to Peru and other place around the world.
    Most importantly, this program allowed me to fully take hold of my life. I could chose when to work and when to build community or take care of myself.  I had an idea of what I wanted to learn from the beginning, and I found that the program and its faculty pushed me to see the bigger picture and to go deeper into my studies. I didn’t just learn what I set out to learn, I began to live it. I began to Praxis all I was learning, I logged hours and hours of experience."
Justin H

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"This program is immensely important to Evergreen. In this program I was able to combine multiple facets of my desired education. It would have taken multiple contracts and internships on top of regular academic work to achieve what I have for 22 credits in two quarters. I was able to combine Adult Basic Education, teaching English as a Second Language, Latin American History, and Dominican Cultural Studies in to one focus. This would have cost a fortune in tuition to do this on my own, and as a result could have forced me to give up my dream. I think this program stands exactly for what The Evergreen State College was created for. I feel the education that I have gained in this program has not only prepared me for the world beyond College, but also equipped me to make a splash when I get there. I hope that Evergreen never restricts a program like this because they are where difference maker’s visions get shaped."
Matt W