Tara Cardinal & the Byron Youtz Scholarship

The Byron Youtz Memorial Endowed Scholarship was awarded in 2007 to Tara Cardinal, a student in public health.

The scholarship allowed her to research maternal health while observing and interviewing midwives in the Netherlands for five weeks last year through an independent learning contract in maternal health across cultures. With the guidance of faculty sponsor Cynthia Kennedy, Tara chose the Netherlands because of its progressive approach to birth. Thirty-five percent of the country’s births occur at home, and the cesarean rate is half that of the U.S.

“I want to be able to give the best care possible,” says Tara, who graduated in winter 2008 and is applying to graduate schools in midwifery.

Tara left home at age 13, raised her brother and earned her GED before coming to Evergreen at age 23. A transfer student from Centralia Community College, Tara’s academic career at Evergreen included science, women’s health and environmental justice. “I want to work with women and children on their journeys, empower them, and help them get access to quality services,” she adds. “The scholarship allowed me
to realize a midwife’s dream – to be able to go to the Netherlands. I feel honored and privileged.”

“My children and I agreed that a scholarship would be by far the most appropriate use of a contribution” – Bernice Youtz

The scholarship Tara received is in memory of Byron Youtz, one of Evergreen’s founding faculty members. He came to the college because of his commitment to a quality, affordable liberal arts education for students after teaching stints at the American University in Beirut, Reed College and the State University of New York at Old Westbury, where he served as provost. His wife Bernice established the Byron Youtz Memorial Endowed Scholarship in 1992 after her husband’s passing.

“My children and I agreed that a scholarship would be by far the most appropriate use of a contribution,” says Bernice. “I was also asked if this should be a scholarship for a science student, and I said, no. Even though Byron was a physicist, he had a profound interest in the humanities, and his great joy in teaching at Evergreen was the interdisciplinary path. He eagerly enjoyed working with colleagues in literature, history and the arts.” Their daughter, Margaret Wolcott, graduated from Evergreen in 1978 and son Greg also attended the college.

In addition to the scholarship, the Youtz legacy at Evergreen is continuing with Byron and Bernice’s granddaughter, Katherine, who as a toddler unveiled the North Star plaque on Red Square, which is dedicated to Byron. “Evergreen is grandpa’s school,” says Katherine, who is considering a focus in international relations.