A night of triumphs

“Hola, soy Denisse,
hoy sere su enfemera,” read the elaborate script on the top of Denisse
Zuniga-Ibarra’s graduation cap, below a cluster of silk flowers. Or, in
English: “Hello, I’m Denisse, today I’ll
be your nurse.”

Zuniga-Ibarra was one of 835 graduates waiting in line to
enter Sleep Country Amphitheater for Clark College’s 2019 commencement ceremony—and
each one, it seemed, had their own story to tell of perseverance and triumph.

“Graduation, to me, means a new job, a new beginning, making
my parents proud and giving back to my community,” said Zuniga-Ibarra, who was
receiving her Associate in Arts degree in Nursing.

Almost 2,500 degrees and certificates were conferred on
graduates in the 2018-2019 academic year—a record number for the college. It
included the first graduates of the Clark’s new Cuisine Management program, as
well as of the college’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management
(BASAM) degree program.

For the BASAM graduates, the event was bittersweet—one member
of their cohort, Debbie Terry, died before she could receive her degree. Her
classmates held a poster with pictures of her as they waited in the white robes
reserved for bachelor’s-degree graduates. During the ceremony, Terry’s
daughter, Melanie Carter, would be the first person to cross the stage,
receiving her mother’s degree post-humously.

Family featured strongly in many graduates’ stories. For Amanda Rath, this night wasn’t about making her parents proud, but rather, her own four children, aged 3 to 13. All of them would be watching their mother walk across the stage to receive her high school diploma, which she earned through the college’s Transitional Studies department.

“I want to provide something more for my children to see in
the future—something more than just working at a call center,” said the single
mother, who works full-time and is already enrolled to begin the pre-nursing
program at Clark. “I knew that started with pursuing an education.”

Like Rath, Brian Ford Jr. had balanced work, life, and school responsibilities. He was graduating with an Associate in Applied Technology degree in Diesel Technology. “It’s been a long journey—three years,” he said. “I had two kids while I was in school. I worked full-time. But I made it. It’s the biggest accomplishment of my life and I’m so happy to got to this day.”

Once the bagpipes started and the lines of robed figures
filed into the amphitheater, the moments of triumph continued. “Keep going,” Trustee
Chair Jane Jacobsen told the graduates in her remarks during the ceremony. “This
world needs you.”

Jacobsen also pointed out that this ceremony would be the
last one to be presided over by Clark College President Bob Knight, who
announced in January announce that he would be retiring after 13 years as the
college’s president. She thanked him for his service.

Student speaker Soukaina Ouahhabi spoke of the challenges
she had faced as a non-native English speaker studying computer science who
also worked full-time. “Sometimes, I would have to choose which I needed to do
most: eat, sleep or do homework,” she said. “Because I only had time to do one
of them. I’m sure many of you can relate.”

Still, Ouhhabi said, she kept her focus on achieving her
goals. “My desire to reach my goals was stronger than the struggles I faced and
has pushed me to be the strong, smart woman I am today,” she said, to a roar of
applause from her classmates.

There was also applause for the award recipients announced during the ceremony. This included the 2018-2019 Exceptional Faculty Award winners, as well as the 2019-2020 Community College Presidents’ Scholarship, which was given to Esmeralda “Vita” Blanco. Another finalist for the scholarship, Anastasiya Kozlovska, received a $1,000 scholarship as well.

Keynote speaker Julianna Marler, who is a Clark College
alumna, spoke of her journey from being the daughter of Hungarian immigrants to
the first female CEO of the Port of Vancouver USA. “Clark College was a
foundation of my business knowledge,” she said, adding that even some of her
electives, like psychology, wound up being unexpectedly useful in management. “I
wouldn’t have guessed it at the time, but those lessons would turn out to serve
me well.”

As Knight concluded the ceremony, he told the graduates, “We
are excited to think of the ways in which you will change the world. And we are
glad to know that Clark College will always hold a special place in your
hearts.”

More photos can be viewed on our Flickr page.