In the STEM building’s Collaboratorium on Thursday, May 15, students and professionals drank tea and ate finger sandwiches while chatting at tables festooned with star confetti and paper planets.

The annual Women in STEM Tea, led by Carol Hsu and Tina Barsotti and the members of Clark NERD girls and GEEKs, invited women professionals to talk with students about their industries and navigating STEM fields.

Barsotti explained, “The Women in STEM tea offers students a way to connect with women in STEM professionals in an casual setting.  These professionals inspire our students and bring a sense of community to support and empower the next generation of women in STEM.”

Table leaders, who took time out of their busy schedules to join us, included:

• Danielle Samson—Green Mountain Structural Engineering
• Joelle Brown—Bonneville Power Administration
• Dr. Joanne Hyndman—Salem Pediatric Clinic
• Veronica Vest—Peterson Structural Engineers
• Becca Dunphy—S&F Land Services
• Tina Jenkins—Mechatronics Professor

Balancing work and family

In one conversation between Dr. Joanne Hyndman, a doctor at Salem Pediatric Clinic, and Sopiia, a first-year student from Ukraine, they discussed balancing careers with family.

Sofiia said, “You have to meet people to hear stories, how they changed degrees, balanced families… it’s interesting to see how people deal with it.

Hyndman agreed, and shared that her classmates in medical school sometimes waited until residency to start a family or sometimes hired outside help. “People do it in all sorts of different ways… it definitely takes a village.”

Opportunities in STEM

Conversations with Joelle Brown, of the Bonneville Power Administration, and Becca Dunphy or S&F Land Services, revealed a lack of women in their fields despite efforts to recruit them.

Brown, who attended Clark herself as a transfer student, said “We don’t see a lot of women.” But she had advice: “Have some confidence. It helps if you’ve had a job doing anything or volunteering. Something that shows accountability.”

Dunphy explained that the geomatics and surveying field was struggling to recruit new employees, despite the work being in-demand and family-wage. “There’s a lot of lacking in certain industries… we’ve got a lot of people retiring or of retiring age in surveying.”

The good news? That creates a pathway for new women in STEM to succeed. Dunphy herself returned to school after ten years working for the postal service. Now, she works part-time for a local company while in school. She will become full-time once she graduates.

Thyda Lim, from Worksource, agreed that “it’s never too late” to pursue a new field.

About Clark NERD Girls and GEEKS

Clark NERD Girls and GEEKS is a student-led official Clark College club registered through the Associated Students of Clark College. They are dedicated to breaking down stereotypes of women in STEM and encouraging youth to pursue STEM careers.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

At the Students with Disability luncheon this past Tuesday, May 23, Alyssa Montminy said “When I think about my time as an adult I often think about diagnosis, life stages, and where I was.”

The event—that comes with free lunch for attendees—is part of a series planned by Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to inspire students and faculty by sharing the stories of community members.

Stages of diagnosis

Alyssa described her series of diagnoses—first, the depression that was diagnosed in college, then the postpartum depression she experienced after each of her two boys (Bentley and Finley). While she anticipated having children would be hard, she said “I was woefully underprepared for how severe that situation would be.”

Most recently, “through TikTok I realized I had ADHD. And the boys had it too.” They worked through the formal diagnostic process together. Alyssa shared that women typically get diagnosed later in life, because the research on the condition was all conducted on young white boys like her sons.

As Alyssa’s children grew, she discovered her anxiety was something more and received an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) diagnosis. She learned OCD does not always fit into the stereotypes, and that the compulsive rituals around her anxiety was enough to qualify her for the diagnosis, despite her consistently messy desk.

She said, “It doesn’t get better… there’s not a magic wand. We find ways to overcome. We do get stronger.”

Being brave in self-advocacy

Because stereotypes about mental health don’t always align with reality, Alyssa has found that doing research and hearing the experiences of others can be helpful information in looking for a solution. As she put it, “Sometimes Googling symptoms is a good idea.”

That information can help you be an advocate for yourself. Alyssa has asked for accommodations like cross-stitching during meetings.

“Sometimes it’s really scary,” she said. “Sometimes I tell myself that I have pink hair and people with pink hair are not afraid of standing up for themselves.”

She recommended finding community in your workspace so that you can advocate together, instead of being alone.

Quick Self-Care Tools

Alyssa passed out flyers with self-care tips.

54321 method

This grounding method engages the 5 senses of your body to keep you in the present moment. It is a type of mindfulness that is helpful in stopping anxiety or panic in the moment. The steps are:

1. 5 things you can see: Look around and name 5 things that you see.
2. 4 things you can touch: Touch 4 different textures.
3. 3 things you can hear: Identify 3 different sounds around you.
4. 2 things you can smell: Identify 2 things you can smell around or on you.
5. 1 thing you can taste: Either identify the taste currently in your mouth, or try a drink or food item.

Breathing exercises

Breathing is a quick way to ground yourself, calm down and relax your body and mind. When doing any breathing exercise, focus on breathing from your diaphragm.

1. Flower/bubble breathing: Take a slow deep breath in like you are inhaling the scent of your favorite flower. Hold that for a few moments then slowly blow out the air like you are trying to blow soap bubbles. When you exhale for longer than you inhaled, your body has an automatic relaxation response.
2. Square Breathing: Breathe in for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 4, breathe out for a count of 4 and hold your breath for a count of 4.

Other ways to take care of yourself

1. Journaling: Take just 5-10 minutes a day to write down whatever comes to mind. It doesn’t have to make sense or go together. Just write whatever comes to mind.
2. Find comfort: Drinking warm tea, eating comforting foods or surrounding yourself with comforting items such as blankets can calm your nervous system.
3. Keep a routine: Try to maintain a daily routine that includes waking up and going to bed at the same time every day, eating regular meals and snacks, moving your body and completing daily tasks.
4. Take mindful walks: Movement can help you get rid of stress hormones, clear your mind and focus on the moment.
5. Listen to music: Music can help relieve stress, calm you down or connect you to something that you have been missing.
6. Find community: Connect with others that understand what you are going through. Eat together, go on walks or just share space while you do something comforting.

Next Luncheon

The Queer Student Luncheon will be held June 3, 12–1 p.m.

Clark College Disability Access Center

Location on main campus: Penguin Union Building (PUB) 013
Web: https://www.clark.edu/dac
Main phone: 360-992-2314
Video phone for ASL: 360-991-0901
Email: dac@clark.edu

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

On Thursday, May 8, a line of people waiting for a taste of artisan treats wrapped around McClaskey Culinary Institute and into Gaiser Hall. The annual Baking Capstone, led by Chef Alison Dolder, is one of the biggest culinary events of the year.

Second-year baking students spent weeks testing recipes for their very own pop-up menus. One student created a fairy forest, pastries arranged on stumps, and red button mushrooms sprouting from the table. Another decorated eclairs like dachshunds. Yet another fused Mexican flavors with Viennoiserie, serving elote and concha flavored croissants.

“I learned I’m more capable than I thought I was”

While stressful to take charge of their own pop-ups, meeting the challenge gave students confidence.

Student Andrew Kehler, above, who presented a table bursting with artisan breads in baskets and on bamboo cutting boards, said, “I learned I’m more capable than I thought I was. I was telling my classmates, “It’s freaking me out, it’s kind of scary…everything turned out perfectly fine.”

Katelynn House, above, who showed a variety of creative Viennoiserie, shared, “The first few weeks I was trying things out, practicing. Then, the last couple of weeks I really cracked down. Then today came along, and it was a ride. But I did finish on time, and it’s beautiful.”

Katelynn’s favorite bake? The orange cinnamon rolls.

It was clear how much Chef Melanie Hendry inspired the students. Kehler said, “I chose to do bread for my pop-up because it is one of the activities that most resonated with me in the bakery. Chef Melanie showed a passion for it, and it kind of rubbed off on me… I love that I can take my time with bread. You kind of get to know it more intimately… it is a lot of concentration, knowing what you’re doing… taking your time, being patient with it and working with it.”

Kehler was most proud of the cinnamon sugar monkey bread, which he said was a surprise that came together at the last minute.

Leaving a legacy with a cookbook zine

This year, Chef Melanie collaborated with librarians Andrea Berg and Katy Anastasi on a new idea: a cookbook zine. Over several months, the librarians hosted workshops guiding students to design uniquely colorful pages. Captivated, the students spent hours in the library gluing, cutting, and drawing pages with pop-up recipes, stories, jokes, and coloring pages.

The zine—titled “Eat the Pastriarchy”—inspired sprawling conversations about collaboration, legacy, creativity, and privacy.

A copy of the zine will be archived in the zine collection in Cannell Library, so anyone can sneak a peek at the students’ baking secrets.

Berg shared, “The library was excited to support and excited to feature the cookbook zine in our zine library as another way for these bakers to have a lasting legacy at Clark. We had so much fun working with the baking students, they were so creative and supportive of each other and were excited about the zine project as a way to celebrate their own work and inspire future generations of Clark bakers.”

When the librarians brought the finished zines to the capstone, the students immediately circled to rifle through the pages and see their work in print, giggling and showing their friends and family.

About Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute

At the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at Clark College, we are building on nearly 60 years of excellence in culinary education to offer programs that prepare students to meet the growing demand for culinary and hospitality professionals. Our programs emphasize the mastery of the fundamentals as well as management and critical thinking skills to prepare students for a range of career opportunities.

Working in a new state-of-the-art facility, students gain real-world experience in high-volume food production, service, and retail settings. The Culinary Institute also creates a community space on campus that highlights the growing influence of food on our culture while giving students valuable hands-on experience in a production kitchen, retail bakery, food kiosks, and a full-service dining room.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

On a sunny spring evening this past Friday, May 2, Clark art students, faculty, and Foundation staff gathered at Art at the Cave for the opening of “The Day After Tomorrow: Art and Mentorship at Clark College”. It’s a benefit exhibition supporting the College via the Foundation through the sales of exhibited works.

The exhibit, organized by the Foundation, the Art Department, and Art at the Cave under the Arts@Clark initiative, explores the relationship between mentors and mentees.

How Faculty and Students Worked Together

Faculty and student artists were paired to work in parallel over the past several weeks. The gallery then displayed the art side by side in the gallery. For most of the students, this was the very first gallery exhibition of their work.

Gabe Parque, one of the faculty members, said, “I like to see what the students are interested in then guide them… Alex is very good at taking my advice or not.”

Alex Frederickson, Gabe’s student mentee, laughed at the observation and said that of all the faculty members they’ve worked with, Gabe’s instructional style works the best for her.

Another faculty mentor, Kendra Larson, shared that her collaboration with student Hana Lowenthal involved ‘a lot of texting.’ She noted that they share a similar creative process—producing a large volume of work, then selecting the best pieces to exhibit.

How Arts@Clark Made it Happen

Ruth Wikler, Clark College Foundation’s inaugural Director of Arts Programming, Partnerships, & Philanthropy, worked with gallery owner Anne John to design the event. She said, “Through my role at Clark College Foundation, I have the privilege of helping bridge College and Community through the arts in ways that are both innovative and inspiring… This effort has been more than a year in the making, and it has come to fruition through a unique collaboration.”

She added, “The exhibit’s focus on mentorship—pairing faculty with students—beautifully reflects Clark’s mission and the transformational power of arts education. Witnessing the impact of this work come to life at Friday’s opening was an unforgettable moment of shared joy and pride.”

Organizers shared, however, that the show is only “the first of many collaborations between Clark College Arts programs, Clark College Foundation, and the community of Southwest Washington under the new Arts@Clark initiative.”

About Arts@Clark

Arts@Clark is a new initiative that unites Clark College’s arts programs, the Clark College Foundation, and the Southwest Washington community through the arts. Stay tuned for exciting events coming in summer and fall 2025.

About Art at the Cave

Art at the Cave is a gallery owned by artist Anne John. Located in downtown Vancouver just steps from the library, the gallery is community-centered and beyond rotating gallery exhibits, hosts a variety of arts programming, including a poetry open mic, collage nights, meditation sessions, and more.

Art at the Cave partners with a nonprofit each year to put on an exhibition and donate part of the profits. This year, that beneficiary was the Foundation.

Come Visit the Exhibit Through May 31

The exhibit will be on display through the rest of May.

Art at the Cave
108 E Evergreen Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98660
https://artatthecave.com/

Gallery hours:
Tuesday – Thursday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Friday – Saturday from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

Clark College presented its annual State of the College address in a new video format featuring messages from Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards, members of the Executive Cabinet, and ASCC President Gurraj Singh Dhami. The address highlights key achievements across the college and reinforces Clark’s commitment to student success.

Looking ahead, Clark College remains steadfast in its mission to advance education and equity while nurturing student success and driving economic growth in Southwest Washington.

President Edwards said, “In light of the current challenges facing higher education, we must remain true to our mission, values, students, and the community we serve.”

Watch the State of the College Video

2024 Highlights

Enrollment

• Increased by 1,000 students in 2024 and approaching pre-pandemic enrollment
• Our five Bachelor of Applied Science programs have greatly exceeded predicted enrollment.
• 23% of Clark students are high school students enrolled in Running Start
• More than 55% of our students plan to transfer to a four-year college, with the majority heading to Washington State University Vancouver.

Program Milestones

• Bachelor of Applied Science in Teacher Education (BASTE) program celebrated the graduation of its first cohort in spring 2024.
• Medical Assisting program earned accreditation in 2024.
• On-campus student activities signaled the rebound of a vibrant student life, with the Associated Students of Clark College (ASCC) reporting a 54% increase in participation from 2023.

New Programs for In-demand Fields

Working with community employers and listening to our students, Clark has developed programs that are key for the growth and economic vitality of Southwest Washington. New academic and workforce program developments include new bachelor programs, healthcare pathways, and technology.

Three new programs and one new campus launching this fall include:

• Surgical Technology — Students can begin taking foundational classes in spring and summer terms.
• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science — Clark’s first Bachelor of Science degree.
• The Advanced Manufacturing program will be housed in our new Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) at our Boschma Farms campus in Ridgefield. The program is undergoing final approval.
• The AMC building will have a soft launch on April 7 and an official opening in fall term.

Supporting Success for Students

Clark College recognizes that our students need more than access to higher education. We also support our students through essential programs and wraparound services.

• 35% of Clark students are from low-income backgrounds
• 47% are the first in their family to attend college

To further support our students

• Clark launched a new Basic Needs Hub in 2024.
• Clark’s Penguin Pantry distributed over 54,000 pounds of food to 800 students’ families in 2024.

Other Initiatives outlined in the State of the College

Investments in improvements in technology provided data-driven decision-making and included a new, automated solution for identifying fraud, and the completion of a multi-year project for evaluating software accessibility.

Student financial aid support: Clark’s Financial Aid office distributed more than $31 million in federal aid to Clark students despite federal delays related to the FAFSA last year.

Stable college finances: In 2024 Clark earned more revenue and spent less than expected, contributing to an increase of $1.8 million in the available fund balance which allowed for funding 6 new positions, increasing the instructional adjunct budget, and adding funding for tutoring and security improvements.

Clark College Foundation celebrated 50 years of supporting Clark’s success. Clark College Foundation has contributed $90 million to Clark initiatives since its inception and rolled out two new funds to support student success and college innovation.

Clark’s accreditation renewal is happening this fall. More than a requirement for federal financial aid, accreditation is a rigorous evaluation of quality and continuous improvement, ensuring that our college fulfills its mission and meets the highest standards to deliver exceptional educational opportunities to our students.

Community invitation: President Edwards invited the community to visit our lovely campus with wildflowers in the bee gardens, cherry trees in the Japanese Friendship Garden, and a robust offering of arts, theater, athletics, and community events.

Thank You: On behalf of Clark College, President Edwards expressed gratitude to the board of trustees, students, faculty, staff, community partners, and legislative representatives for their contributions to the college’s mission to ensure that education remains equitable and accessible to all who seek to learn and grow. Through education, empowerment, and opportunity, Clark College continues to elevate individuals in achieving their personal and professional goals.

Zach Lattin, Clark College’s IT accessibility coordinator, engaged the audience with his thought-provoking presentation (including playing his guitar!) at the winter Students with Disabilities Luncheon on March 6. Hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the free, public event provided both meaningful conversation and a delicious free lunch. This time, students from the small-group communications class served the food.

Lattin, who tests software for accessibility standards and teaches students how to use assistive devices, spoke plainly about the advances and challenges of making a college education accessible for all.  

Drawing from his own experiences navigating accessibility challenges as a student at the University of Washington, Lattin emphasized the importance of equitable access in higher education.

He said, “I didn’t always have access at UW.”

Pushing Back on Inspiration Porn

Lattin discussed how historically, the stories of people with disabilities have been used for “inspiration porn”—a term coined by disability activists Stella Young and Lydia X. Brown.  

The three types of “inspiration” stories identified as “inspiration porn” include:

• Disabled person does something extraordinary, and it’s presented as inspiring because the person is disabled, not because 99% of the general population could not have achieved it.
• Disabled person does something mundane, and it’s presented as inspiring because it’s assumed disabled people are incapable of doing anything at all.
• Disabled person does something not overtly negative to disabled person, and it’s presented as inspiring because it’s supposedly magnanimous and saint-like to be nice to someone with a disability.

He said, “It’s about framing how our stories are told… If a story of yours is being framed in one of those three ways, feel free to push back on it.”

Understanding Models of Disability

Lattin discussed the issues with the charity model of disability and the medical model of disability, and talked about why we should push toward the social model of disability.

• In the charity model, people with disabilities are treated as objects of charity and pity.
• In the medical model, people with disabilities are viewed as sick with a need to be cured.
• Meanwhile, the social model focuses on how systemic and environmental issues create the primary barrier to success for people who are disabled.

On the social model, he said, “I personally believe this is what we should be moving towards.”

Lattin added, “I personally do not view my blindness as something to be cured. I see it as a lifestyle, a way that I exist, and part of my identity.”

Challenging Assumptions

To illustrate the importance of social models of disability, Lattin shared a story about his team testing the accessibility of automotive software in Clark’s mechanic shop. He asked the luncheon attendees what percent of the software they thought was accessible.

The guesses were similar: “None! Five percent!”

Surprisingly, Lattin said, the software was 95% accessible. “This tells me that the barriers to access for automotive are not technology—it’s other barriers.” It challenged even his own assumptions.

He used to have techno-utopian attitudes, believing that technology would solve access problems. But now he believes “we need to be doing more than solving problems with technology… We need to address systemic barriers.”

Ending on a High Note

Lattin gave a mini concert, playing his guitar and singing an original song. Laughing, Lattin explained the song was written for two folks on a bus who, speaking in Spanish, thought he couldn’t understand them when they said demeaning things about his disability. When they both arrived at the courthouse, they found out that Lattin would be their translator.

Further Reading

Lattin suggested multiple texts for further reading, including:

• “Disabled people are not your feel-good back-pats” by Lydia X. Z. Brown
• Models of Disability Tip Sheet from Mobility International

Connect with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI):

• In-person: Diversity Center, Gaiser Hall 214
• Phone: 360-992-2292
• Email: diversity@clark.edu
• Website: www.clark.edu/cc/diversity

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

Mia Beightol earned NWAC Runner of the Year after finishing first in her 3K run at the Fall 2024 Women’s Cross-Country Championships. She finished the run with a time of 18:18:4, winning by over 14 seconds.

Beightol’s win helped catapult the entire Penguins women’s cross-country team to second place at the championships overall. She was also the Southern Regional Champion with a time of 18:35.6.

She was recognized with a championship ring at the Clark Board of Trustees’ meeting on February 26. Clark President Dr. Karin Edwards presented her the ring as an audience full of supporters and her parents watched over Zoom.

While Beightol herself was humble, the women’s cross-country coach Owen Frasier—who also received the 2024 NWAC Southern Region Men’s Coach of the Year—made sure the trustees understood what an accomplishment this was.

With emotion in his voice, he shared with the trustees that Beightol was not only an excellent athlete but academically accomplished, with a 3.7 GPA. He also shared that his own daughter looks up to Beightol for being a great, kind person.

This is the second year in a row that Clark College won the honor of NWAC Runner of the Year, the 2023 honoree was Sydnee Boothby.

Congratulations, Mia Beightol!

About NWAC

The Northwest Athletic Conference is the parent organization for thirty-six (36) community colleges located in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, Canada. It is the mission of the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) to foster athletic participation in an environment that supports equitable opportunities for student-athletes consistent with the educational objectives of member colleges. (From NWAC’s website)

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

Getting the beautiful native wildflowers that bloom across campus in spring requires the help of many hands to spread seeds.

Despite rescheduling due to snowy weather, volunteers from throughout Clark College donned boots, gloves, and warm clothing to sow wildflower seeds in the cold at several bee garden locations on campus on February 19 and 20. Even the softball team organized to come out.

They sowed a variety of native seeds including yarrow, camas, lupine, Oregon sunshine, Clarkia, checker mallow, blue-eyed Mary, western burnet, and desert parsley. The gardens receiving fresh seeds this year are the ones that required re-tilling. Most of the time, the wildflowers will self-seed, leaving seeds on the ground to grow the following year.

Steven Clark, Bee Campus Project Manager, said “I love having volunteers because while bees are wonderfully self-sufficient, this is our opportunity to help them to be happy in our gardens. We broadcast the seeds by hand and it’s a fun activity to do here and to do in your own yard.”

Enjoy strolls across campus and see the Bee Campus gardens from late May to early July, peaking in June, following the flowering of the Shirofugen cherry trees in April.

Map of Bee Campus gardens

Certified Bee Campus

In April 2023, Clark College earned certification as a Bee Campus affiliate, becoming the fifth college in Washington to earn that distinction. A Bee Campus USA affiliate is a college campus that includes a bee habitat.

In the spring of 2023, students, staff, visitors, and, importantly, bees, saw native flowers sprouting up in gardens across campus. These flowers and natural areas where bees can make nests and lay eggs are helping Clark establish this bee habitat. Clark College—and other Bee Campus USA affiliates—show that the built environment (such as campuses, neighborhoods, city parks, and even roadsides) can feature a thoughtful design that allows bees to thrive in shared areas.

Learn more at Clark’s Bee Campus webpage here.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

The large, blooming gardens of native wildflowers that pop up each spring on Clark’s campus don’t happen by accident, but through careful maintenance by Bee Campus Project Manager Steven Clark, the Bee Committee, and the help of our community.

We need volunteers to sow wildflower seeds at several bee garden locations on campus on Thursday, February 13 and Friday, February 14. Consider it your Valentine’s gift to native bees and other pollinators.

Although the flowers from last year scattered their own seed, a couple gardens this year need re-tilling, which means we need to plant fresh seeds in a few spots. The seeds are sown now, in the winter months, so they can take root in the soil and grow.

If you wish to volunteer, wear shoes and clothes appropriate for muddy, chilly conditions and prepare to walk over uneven terrain.

• Thursday, February 13: Meet at the Japanese Garden fountain at 1:00 pm (https://maps.app.goo.gl/gWvN3oRPdQpbZ8QK8)
• Friday, February 14: Meet in front of Hanna Hall on the north side at 1:00 pm (https://maps.app.goo.gl/d29CJEfDQQEQ63uZ9)

Clark who coordinates the college’s Bee Campus initiative has led the college in planting native wildflowers, to make the campus more attractive to bees and other pollinators. These flowers and natural areas where bees can make nests and lay eggs are helping Clark establish this bee habitat.

Pollinators—including mason bees, bumblebees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, and hummingbirds are essential for the planet. They are responsible for the reproduction of almost 90% of the world’s flowering plant species and 30% of our food.

Depending on the weather, look out for flowers to start popping up in April with full bloom in mid-May.

About Bee Campus

In April 2023, Clark College earned certification as a Bee Campus affiliate, becoming the fifth college in Washington to earn that distinction. Clark joined 165 other college campuses and 179 cities across the country united to make their landscape attractive to pollinators.

Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA are initiatives of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, a Portland-based nonprofit. Bee City USA’s mission is to galvanize communities and college campuses to sustain pollinators by providing healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants that are free of pesticides.

A Bee Campus USA affiliate is a college campus that includes a bee habitat. Clark College—and other Bee Campus USA affiliates—show that the built environment (such as campuses, neighborhoods, city parks, and even roadsides) can feature a thoughtful design that allows bees to thrive in shared areas.

Learn more:

• Clark College’s Bee Campus USA initiative
• Bee Campus USA
• Four simple ways to help pollinators

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

The NERD Girls and GEEKs, an ASCC student program, hosted an “experiment social” on Tuesday, January 28 in the STEM Building Collaboratorium, inviting the Clark STEM community to come together to hang out and explore by doing hands-on science experiments. The student-led club is directed by professors Tina Barsotti and Carol Hsu.

At the social, attendees created stress balls, made wildflower seed paper, and “elephant toothpaste,” (using dish soap to trap oxygen gas bubbles and create a foam that looks like toothpaste). Some projects were more successful than others, but the students kept trying and approached the experiments in different ways to achieve better results.

Professor Barsotti said, “The best part of the social experiment was how it brought students together for hands-on experimentation—proving that failure is just part of the journey in science and engineering. One student thought they had made a mistake when making their stress ball, but upon completion, they realized it was exactly what they intended.”

According to its mission statement, the student program “strives to provide opportunities for diverse learners to achieve their educational goals by promoting social connectedness through peer support, volunteering, professional interaction, and mentoring. By providing these opportunities, the program encourages students to continue their path in the STEM fields.”

This mission can be summarized by one student’s answer to the question: “What do you like about the club?” The student smiled, pointed at her friend, and said, “Well, I met her.”

Clark NERD Girls and GEEKs hosts events throughout the year. Last December, they hosted the Second Annual Free Holiday Market that gives students and their families an opportunity to shop for holiday gifts for their families and themselves—for free. Read more about that here.

Learn more

NERD Girls posts about upcoming events on its Instagram. You can also reach out to Tina Barsotti and Carol Hsu for more information.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent