Clark College Theatre continues its 2019-2020 season with the musical Bare by Jon Hartmere and Damon Intrabartolo.
Bare is a coming-of-age rock musical that
features a group of high school seniors at a Catholic boarding school who face
issues of sexuality and personal identity. As they struggle to come to terms
with who they are, and who the world thinks they should be, they seek answers
from their church, their friends, and ultimately, from within themselves.
The cast for Clark College’s production includes *Kloe Catchpole, *Sandra Fachial, Pearson Kunz, *Siniva Lee, *Kaila Ludvigson, *Sebastian Miranda-Givens, Aidan Nolan, **Linda Owsley, **Jared Pengra, *Laurence Sinclair, *Trinity Stegall, *Derek Slade Tucker, *Dea Whitley, **Sammy Williams, and *Natalie Worthy: The director is H. Gene Biby and April Brookins Duvic provides vocal direction. Note: Cast member names marked with a single asterisk are current Clark College students; double asterisks indicate Clark College alumni.
Show Dates: February 21, 22, 28, 29 and March 5-7. All show
times are at 7:30 p.m. in the Decker Theatre, Frost Arts Center, on Clark
College’s main campus.
Ticket Information: Students (with ID) $10; Alumni (with
membership) $10; Senior Citizens $16; General Admission $20. Tickets may be
purchased online at http://www.clarkbookstore.com/site_theatre.asp
or call 360-992-2815. View the entire Clark College Theatre season at www.clark.edu/cc/theatre.
If you need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event, contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (VP), or visit Gaiser Hall room 137, as soon as possible.
Four finalists named in presidential search
Dr. Karin Edwards, Dr. Joaquin Martinez, Dr. Lamata Mitchell, and Dr. Sara Thompson Tweedy
The Clark College Board of Trustees has announced the completion of a major step in selecting the next Clark College President. The trustees selected four finalists Wednesday, December 18, at its monthly public meeting. The board acted on the recommendations made by the search advisory committee that conducted interviews with ten semi-finalists last week.
“It’s a milestone in our search and a moment to celebrate,” said Board Trustee Paul Speer. “The Search Advisory Committee has accomplished its task in finding Clark College four outstanding candidates. I thank them for their excellent and collaborative work.”
The four finalists are: Dr. Karin Edwards, president of the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College; Dr. Joaquín G. Martínez, district vice provost of institutional effectiveness at Miami Dade College; Dr. Lamata D. Mitchell, vice president of instruction and academic operations at Pima Community College; and Dr. Sara Thompson Tweedy, vice president of student access, involvement, and success at SUNY Westchester Community College. Full biographies of all four finalists are available online at www.clark.edu/presidential-search/search/finalists.php.
Clark College received 65 qualified applications as it began its recruitment process in September with the assistance of a national search firm, Gold Hill Associates. The Search Advisory Committee comprised of community leaders, college employees and students then reviewed the applications and narrowed the field to ten semi-finalists. Last week, the committee interviewed all ten candidates and made their recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
“This was a great process to be part of,” said Al Schauer, a committee member and business leader. “I appreciated the robust discussions and ultimately, the strong consensus within the committee that Clark College has four outstanding candidates to choose from.”
“This has been an inclusive search with multiple perspectives represented in the process,” added Eric Merrill, Clark College Foundation Board Chair and member of the President Selection Committee. “This is a critical leadership position for the college and our community. It’s exciting to see high-caliber candidates who want to serve as our next college president.”
The finalists will be invited to the college in January for constituent panel interviews and public forums. It is expected that the Board of Trustees will make its selection by the end of February 2020 and that the new President will begin onboarding in the summer of 2020 in preparation for the 2020-2021 academic year.
Current Interim President Dr. Sandra Fowler-Hill was hired in June 2019 to lead the college through the transition. She was not a candidate for the permanent position. Fowler-Hill stepped in when former college president Bob Knight retired last summer.
“Having an interim president has allowed the college and the community this important time to carefully consider who will lead the college into the next decade,” said Speer. “Dr. Fowler-Hill has provided key leadership at a critical time and will help the onboarding process with our next President.”
Progress continues on Clark’s new president search. In October the Board of Trustees approved the Presidential Profile created by our Search Advisory Committee with input from the college and community. A contracted search firm, Gold Hill Associates, immediately reached out to its national network to cultivate candidates. The position was also posted by Clark’s Human Resources team to nearly 30 diverse job sites, organizations, and networks – locally, regionally, and nationally.
Friday November 15 marked the posting period close with 60 applicants. The Search Advisory Committee is currently evaluating 21 applicant packages advanced to the college by Gold Hill. On completion of this evaluation the Committee will select eight to nine semi-finalists for video interviews. On completion of those video interviews, three or four finalist recommendations are then expected to be presented by the Committee to the Board of Trustees for approval to advance at their December board meeting.
As indicated on our search timeline, finalists will be invited to the College in January for constituent panel interviews and public forums, and follow up evaluation with their college. It is expected that the Board of Trustees will be making their selection by the end of February 2020, and that the new President will begin onboarding in the summer of 2020 in preparation for the 2020-21 academic year.
The Board of Trustees thanks everyone who is supporting this important work for the college, our students and staff, and our community.
Clark College announced today November 14, 2019 that Rashida Willard has accepted the position of Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the college effective immediately.
“Rashida has earned the respect of her peers, our students and the
community as a strong and effective leader,” said Clark College Interim
President Sandra Fowler-Hill who made the appointment. “She has created and
developed structures, spaces and programs to help remove barriers for students
and she’s leading the effort to create a culturally competent campus to help
students succeed. The college is thrilled to make this announcement.”
Willard joined Clark College four years ago as Operations Manager
of Administrative Services. She has taught as an adjunct professor, has served
as Director of Operations and Risk Manager, and for the past 17 months has
served as Interim Associate Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
During that time, she has developed, aligned and integrated new
and existing initiatives and procedures into a cohesive platform to foster a
more inclusive, welcoming and diverse college community.
“I am deeply invested in this work, and am passionate about
creating inclusive, safe and welcoming environments where all students have maximum opportunities to succeed,” Willard said.
“I am eager to move forward in community and collaboration, building on our
team’s momentum of the last several months.”
Willard was
a participant and graduate of the Social Justice Leadership Institute for the
Washington State Community College System in 2017-2018 and was nominated as a
Real Hero by the Learn Here Project in 2018. She is also a part of the
Vancouver Police Chief’s Diversity Advisory Team.
Willard
holds a master’s degree in Business Administration, a bachelor’s degree in
Business Administration, and an associate degree in Organizational Dynamics.
She is currently attending Concordia University, pursuing a doctorate in
Education with a concentration in Professional Leadership, Inquiry and
Transformation. Her current research explores strategies that faculty and staff
employ to create culturally engaging spaces for students of color attending
predominantly white institutions and how campus racial climate affects their
persistence and completion rates. This research will be used to examine and
identify strategies to close the equity gap among students of color in higher
education.
Women’s soccer heads to tournament
Sophomore Hannah Eakins takes a shot on the goal in the Penguins’ win during a September 2019 game against Southwestern Oregon.
The Clark College women’s soccer team concluded their 2019 regular season on Saturday, October 26. With the 3-1 win over Clackamas, the Penguins went undefeated in Southern Region play.
This continues a near-historic winning streak for Penguin women’s soccer: They have now gone 64 league games without a loss, dating back to October 17, 2014. With this win, the team has claimed their fourth NWAC Southern Region title in a row and have earned a bye for the first round of the conference tournament.
The Penguins are set to host the NWAC quarterfinal round at Kim Christensen Field on Clark College’s main campus at noon on Saturday, November 9. They will be host to the winner of the Tacoma Community College vs. Columbia Basin Community College game, to be held on Wednesday, November 6 at 1:00 p.m.
Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley
Clark College takes next step in hiring new president
Community and college representatives selected to screen and recommend finalists for the next Clark College President.
Community and college representatives have come together to form a Presidential Search Advisory Committee at Clark College. Their job will be to screen applicants and recommend presidential candidate finalists to the Clark College Board of Trustees.
The committee met for the first time on October 11 to review the process, participate in implicit bias training ,and discuss the job description for the next president. The composition of the committee is outlined in Clark College policy 610.025. It includes community leaders as well as college students, staff and faculty.
Suzanne Southerland, Professor of Communication Studies
Al Schauer, Founder PointNorth Consulting
Paul Speer, Clark College Board of Trustees Presidential Search Lead
Brian Taylor, Industrial Sales Manager Siemens
Vicki Sovold-Prendergast, Mount Pleasant School District Superintendent
Dr. Siri Wickramaratne, Geography Instructor
Rashida Willard, Clark College Office Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The committee’s work is supported by non-voting members Dr. Preston Pulliams, CEO of Gold Hill Associates, and Stephanie Weldy, Interim Executive Assistant to the Board of Trustees.
“Diverse community involvement is key to a transparent, equitable and inclusive process,” said Paul Speer, search lead and member of the Clark College Board of Trustees. “This is a moment in history for Clark College. Our next president will shape the future of the college supporting our students, community, faculty and staff.”
The Board of Trustees, with assistance
from the committee, has now approved the job description which is posted and
being distributed nationwide. It can be found at https://collegepresidentsearch.com/searches/.
Preston Pulliams of Gold Hill Associates is conducting the candidate search. In early October, he held two open houses and conducted numerous individual interviews to get input on the college’s opportunities, challenges and hopes for a new president over the next decade.
The Search Advisory Committee will meet
again in early November to participate in an equity in hiring workshop.
Candidate applications are due mid November. The Committee will review the
qualifying applications and select semi-finalists by late November.
The Board of Trustees plans to approve finalists in December, providing sufficient time to have the candidates visit Clark College in January for interviews, community and college forums. The Board plans to announce the new president in February 2020.
“It’s the most important work we will
do as a board of trustees,” said Speer.
Clark College celebrates ten years at Columbia Tech
The ribbon is cut on the next 10 years of Clark College at CTC.
Clark College Interim President Sandra Fowler-Hill and ASCC President Evans Kaame celebrate the 10th anniversary of Clark College at Columbia Tech Center with a traditional Vancouver Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting.
Business and community leaders joined Clark College on Monday, October 14 for a Vancouver Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting to celebrate a milestone. Clark College first opened Columbia Tech Center in east Clark County in fall 2009.
Responding to feedback from employers and residents in East Vancouver, the college refreshed its offerings at Columbia Tech Center to be a hub for business and technical education.
“Columbia Tech Center is today a bustling campus on the east side with a wide range of programs available to our students. We are grateful for the community’s support over the years and renew our commitment to serving the community in a way that best meets their needs.”
Clark College Interim President Sandra Fowler-Hill
ASCC President Evans Kaame and Clark College Interim President Sandra Fowler-Hill
The
college has worked to create a series of course offerings this fall that will
allow students to pursue career-oriented higher education in subjects that
include business, information technology, computer support, and project management—all
without having to travel to the college’s main campus near downtown Vancouver.
Most classes are scheduled to run just two days a week (Tuesday and Thursday),
allowing students to plan their studies around work and/or life obligations.
We are committed to offering business classes at Columbia Tech to provide our students viable pathways forward to earning the new skills that they need to be successful–whether that be a single course, a certificate or a degree.”
Professor Adnan Hamideh, Division Chair, Clark College Business Administration Department
Hamideh is also preparing to create a business degree path for office administration, he said. The school already offers accounting, marketing, management and business administration. About 7,000 full-time students take business classes at Clark College he said.
Last month, ECD moved its business classes from a leased space in downtown Vancouver to the Columbia Tech Center, said Kevin Witte, vice president of the program. The move was in part a way to help the college save money, but it also moved students closer to some of the city’s larger employers, including WaferTech.
Witte said participating employers include Boeing Co, and they request specific skills for students to learn, which the college incorporates into its training.
Business leaders take a tour of Clark College’s Mechatronics program at Clark College Columbia Tech Center
Business and community leaders toured the college’s nationally recognized Mechatronics lab. The engineering program focuses on both electrical and mechanical systems. It is a foundational training program for advanced manufacturing. Graduates earn an average of $88,000 as mechatronics engineers and 100 percent of Clark’s graduates are finding jobs in their chosen field.
The college has also expanded the range of class offerings serving Running Start students, a popular state program that allows high school students to earn college credit, tuition-free, while still in high school. The expanded offerings provide more opportunities for families with children attending high schools in the eastern portion of the college’s service district, which covers Camas, Washougal, and parts of the Columbia Gorge.
ASCC President Evans Kaame spoke to the business leaders and elected officials thanking them for their support of Clark College students over the years.
“Because you care, students at Clark have opportunities to succeed. Our students are better prepared to go out and do great things.”
ASCC President Evans Kaame
ASCC President Evans Kaame and Vancouver Chamber of Commerce staff
Emergency preparedness training Oct. 17
Former Student Affairs Administrative Assistant Susan Muir, left, and Student Life Program Supervisor Sami Lelo show off their emergency preparedness at a 2013 evacuation drill.
In the event of a major emergency, it is very possible that we will be our own first responders.
Are you prepared? It does not have to be as overwhelming as
you may think. Learn what you need, why you need it, and how not to spend a lot
of money on it. You may already have many of the items; now learn how to pull
them all together.
The Emergency Management Planning Committee (EMPC) will be sponsoring a no-cost Emergency Preparedness Training on October 17, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. in PUB 258C. Any Clark College employee is welcome to attend.
The presentation itself will go from about 1:00 – 2:30, with an opportunity to find out more and mingle from 2:30 – 3:00.
Information to be covered includes:
Why do you need an emergency kit?
What are the top 5 priorities?
How do you start?
Where can you get some help?
What is the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and how can I join?
Also, there will be an opportunity for you to make your own emergency response kit, try out some emergency food “rations” and a raffle to win your own emergency preparedness backpack and supplies.
Jodi Blackwood, Clark County CERT Volunteer Program Manager, is delivering this workshop. She is responsible for coordinating, planning, organizing, and supporting the program’s development through-out the county. In addition, she speaks to neighborhood associations, business groups, and community organizations and clubs about the importance of emergency preparedness.
Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley
Presidential search open houses
Clark College reached out for community and college input on the selection of the next college President this past week. The search firm, Gold Hill Associates, held an open house as one source of input on what the job profile should include. The profile will be used as the job description during the recruitment process, which begins formally later this month.
There is no formal presentation. “We want this to be a conversation around the priorities of the community and the college,” said Clark College Trustee Paul Speer. “Specifically, we have three questions. (1) What do people see as the biggest opportunities for Clark College over the next decade? (2) What do people see as the biggest challenges for Clark over the next decade? (3) What do people think are the most important qualifications for our new president?”
Clark College will soon announce the formation of it’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee comprised of college students, staff, faculty and community leaders who, with an equity lens, will assist in the search process. They attended equity training sessions Friday, October 11th as their first order of business. They will help formalize the job description to be released later this month.
The Board of Trustees are responsible for the hiring of the next college president. They anticipate a final decision by February 2020. For more information about the process please go to www.clark.edu/presidential-search.
All
interested candidates should contact Gold Hill Associates for questions
regarding the application process or inquiries.
Chippi Bello, far right top, with the cohort of Social Justice Leaders from Washington State.
Left to right: Hanan Al-Zubaidy, Kayla Escott, and Chippi Bello
Congratulations to Hanan Al-Zubaidy, Chippi Bello, and Kayla Escott, Clark College’s three representatives at the Social Justice Leadership Institute this year. They have demonstrated a commitment to making our college a more inclusive and social justice-minded place.
This is a yearlong program to foster leadership identity among historically underrepresented groups. It allows leaders to develop a network of colleagues system wide. It also helps develop a pipeline of employees able to move into higher leadership positions.
Clark’s representatives attended at three-day retreat in August to kick off the program. They’ll attend five workshops during the academic year and will graduate from the program in June. As part of the curriculum, they’ll attend the Faculty and Staff of Color Conference (FSOCC) to be held in Spokane next month.
Clark College Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion supports this program. It helps to develop and implement comprehensive professional development to improve employee intercultural and multicultural competencies as part of the college’s strategic goals.
