“We begin at the beginning.”

With those words, Tanna Engdahl, Spiritual Leader of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, opened the first Penguin Talks: Lunch and Learn session of 2025. The event, titled “Tribal Sovereignty, Cultural Preservation, and Honoring Ancestral Traditions,” invited participants to step into the living history of the Cowlitz people.

From the creation story of how the Cowlitz Tribe came to be, to the structure of their daily life – living in plank houses, hunting and preserving food, racing horses, and their own Salish language – Tanna painted a picture that invited participants to experience the Cowlitz tribe’s enduring spirit.

In the middle of her story, she paused. “And then it all changed.”

Just as she had shared this world with participants, Tanna then showed the profound changes that followed the arrival of Lewis and Clark. The expedition to the West marked the beginning of a difficult era where diseases swept through the tribe, and in the time of treaties, they were pressured to abandon their ancestral land.

However, the Cowlitz Tribe are known as the “Forever People” for good reason.

“We couldn’t comprehend leaving our land…our ancestors,” Tanna explained.

She shared with the audience the deep connection her people have with their ancestors, and how those deep-rooted relationships have supported and carried their people through generations of hardship, injustice, and perseverance.

Her story came full circle with the modern-day fight for recognition—the tribe’s fight to regain their land and become a federally recognized tribe. Tanna left the room with a lasting impression of the Cowlitz Tribe:

“We are a people who never gave up, never retreated…we are strong today because of our ancestors.”

Learn More

Penguin Talks: Clark College Lunch & Learn is a free, three-week series that allows participants to explore impactful local topics and engage with inspiring speakers. Register here.

Upcoming sessions

• May 29 – Build, Strengthen, Sustain Community—Together with Calen Ouellette, CEO of Clark College Foundation
• June 5 – The Role and Future of Community Colleges with Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards

Photos: Clark College/Malena Goerl

Spring is in the air at Clark College! With commencement less than a month away, students and staff members took a well-deserved break to enjoy the sunshine at two events on May 21.

Spring Fest 2025

The lawn near Anderson Fountain was abuzz with excitement as students, staff members, and families played games and connected with fellow Penguins during the annual Spring Fest. Whether they raced one another on inflatable slides and horses, competed in friendly volleyball matches, showed off their airbrushed tattoos, or posed for a caricature artist, fun was had by all throughout the day.

This event, coordinated by the student-led Activities Programming Board (APB), provided students with more than free activities and food – it allowed them to meet new people and connect with friends.

“It’s all about bringing students together,” shared Beheshta Eqbali, an APB Events Coordinator. “This year was one of the most successful Spring Fests because we had it for a longer period on one day instead of on two days, so everyone was here today.”

Between rounds of giant Jenga and Connect 4, students chatted with each other over ice cream, burritos, fresh fruit, and other snacks. Portland magician, Hart Keene, also took the stage, wowing the crowd with card tricks.

Abigail Ng, an APB Coordinator, is graduating this year and personally appreciated the break Spring Fest provided for students. “Spring quarter is an important time for student events – students might be stressed, and some of them might have senioritis, so it’s important to enjoy the sun and take a break.”

With the spring quarter’s final projects wrapping up and commencement less than a month away, this event provided some well-deserved downtime for Clark’s hard-working students.

Bee Campus: Talk & Tour

On the heels of World Bee Day and Spring Fest, Biology Professor Steven Clark led the Bee Campus Talk & Tour workshop, where staff members learned about Washington’s 600 species of native bees and how Clark stays bee-friendly as an official Bee Campus. He shared fun facts and common myths – for example, did you know the average bee’s life span is one year? In Washington, they spend the majority of that time underground!

Staff members then joined Professor Steven on a leisurely stroll to one of the campus’s bee gardens – located just outside of the STEM building – where native plants attract various bees and other insects. From honeybees to sweat bees, participants helped identify different species and observed how much pollen each bee had gathered, putting into practice what they learned in the workshop.

Different species are active at different times of the season, so the bees that are pollinating flowers during spring quarter won’t be the same ones you see buzzing around during the summer. When you’re on campus, take a walk through the bee gardens and see how many kinds of bees you can spot!

Learn More

Students interested in joining Clark’s Activities Programming Board can learn more on the APB webpage.

Want to become involved with or learn more about Clark’s Bee Campus? Email Professor Steven Clark, College Bee Campus Coordinator, at sclark@clark.edu.

Photos: Clark College/Malena Goerl and Carly Rae Zent