Six outstanding faculty members recognized at 2021 Commencement      

Six outstanding members of Clark College’s faculty have been recognized for their contributions to the college with a 2021 Clark College Exceptional Faculty Award.

These awards are presented annually to full-time and part-time faculty members. Nominations can be submitted by Clark College students, faculty, classified employees, administrators, alumni, Board members, and Foundation directors. Traditionally, they are announced during Commencement. This year, Commencement was held on June 17 on Christensen Soccer Field.

The awards are made possible through an endowed trust fund established by the Washington State Legislature and the Clark College Exceptional Faculty Endowment Fund, which was established in 1993. That fund provides recognition of exemplary work performance, positive impact on students, professional commitment, and other contributions to the college.

Below are this year’s Exceptional Faculty members, along with quotes from their nominators:

Kayoko Barnhill, mathematics 

“I have been taking Math for Elementary Education courses, and her course is very tailored not just to learning the materials, but learning how to teach each others in class. I have struggled with math my whole life, and her course gave me confidence that not only could I learn it, but I could gain deeper understanding and effectively teach it.” 

Tony Chennault, biology  

“He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He encouraged me to keep going, he told me I could do it when I didn’t think I could do it myself. He teaches in a way that you understand, even if it’s not your strongest subject. He is so inspiring, motivating, and encouraging.” 

Nami Inoue, Japanese  

“When I first began at Clark College, I had a very negative outlook on school based on my previous high school experiences. I decided to take some classes for fun and try out a college environment. Inoue Sensei’s passion for teaching and love for her students was so warm compared to any teacher I’ve had before. She helped me rediscover the love I have for learning and school.” 

Michelle Mallory, early childhood education 

“To know Michelle is to love Michelle! She is a fierce defender of the learner and believes strongly in meeting the learner where they are at and with respect, dignity and recognition of the learner’s culture and style of learning.” 

Joshua Patrick, English 

“Professor Patrick has taught me that I should never be ashamed to voice my opinion. He made me feel smart, validated, and taught me how to communicate my thoughts and opinions to others in an effective way to make them listen. He also engraved some very useful critical-thinking skills into my brain that I think will be very helpful throughout the rest of my college experience—but most importantly, I’ll be able to apply these skills to my daily life.” 

Kristi Taylor, dental hygiene 

“Kristi has been incredibly supportive in a time of great financial uncertainty and worked on behalf of all her students to help us figure out a plan, or make contact with those who could offer us answers and help. She worked to provide all of us with an avenue for covid vaccination if we desired it. She works tirelessly on our behalf and still manages to answer emails in less than an hour. She’s basically Wonder Woman!”