Clark College’s Veterans Center of Excellence (VCOE) was able to attend the city of Vancouver Veterans Day Parade. We were humbled by the community support of over 78 local organizations that walked in the parade on behalf of the veteran community.

During the parade, the Community Military Appreciation Committee (CMAC) hosted an Open House at Pearson Air Museum, where our Clark College Veterans Club hosted a face painting table. Our veteran students volunteered their time and connected with the community as well as local organizations, offering resources to veterans. The amount of community support was overwhelming, even in the drizzling rain. It was a great event for us and our students to be a part of.

Later that week, the VCOE held its second annual Career and Resource Fair on November 13, 2024.

Gaiser Student Center was filled with 48 tables of participating agencies, nonprofits, and businesses that provided veterans and veteran students with information about employment, internship opportunities, and community resources. Although geared toward the military-connected community, the event was also open to the rest of the college and community.

“We are so excited with our continuing partnerships and new opportunities we were able to host for our student and community participants,” said Donna Larson, Associate Director of the Veterans Center of Excellence.

Fair partner highlights

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s office attended to connect our students and veterans with the correct federal agencies. We are grateful for the partnership and support we have from the congresswoman.

Goodwill Job Connection interviewed a few veteran students for current job opportunities for immediate hire. Washington Department of Veteran Affairs (WDVA) made meaningful connections for future opportunities.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Portland VA Medical Center’s nursing department connected with our surgical education department to discuss creating a pipeline for jobs for Clark students moving forward.

Fair by the numbers 

• 48 tables offering resources 
• 75+ attendees 
• Backpacks with school supplies distributed to students 

We look forward to partnering on different job fair events moving forward for the veteran community.

Upcoming VCOE events

• December 2, 2024: The Veterans Club Roundtable
• March 4, 2025: Women’s Round Table Community event in partnership with CCVAC for women veterans.

About the VCOE

Located in the Penguin Union Building (PUB) 015, the VCOE is Clark’s hub for flexible and comprehensive support of all active duty, veteran, and military-affiliated students. The center helps students understand their benefits, discover resources, and connect with other military-affiliated students. The VCOE also has a hang-out space and study area with snacks, coffee, computers, printers, TV, and more.

Photos provided by Monica Patton.

The Clark College Veterans Center of Excellence welcomed student veterans and potential students during its spring open house on April 22.

The Clark College veteran is any military-affiliated student at Clark: veterans, active duty, or military dependent (spouse or child).

Often when students enroll at Clark College, they aren’t aware of the assistance they can receive at the veterans center. Even students who are not veterans themselves but have a parent or spouse who is or was a veteran may qualify for Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits.

VCOE staff can connect student veterans to agencies, programs, and support. Fostering a sense of belonging and space here at Clark is important, and the Veterans Club for students is starting up again.

We were excited to have a great turnout from our current VCOE students, college staff, the Clark College Foundation, and our VCOE advisor board members. We are working on creating a video with the Digital Media Arts 215 class, and we were so encouraged when half the class came to the open house to hang out and get to know our staff, and see our space.

Our veteran staff at the center can help military-affiliated students with their educational journey. We have an academic advisor, VA certifying official, veteran workstudy employees, and more. We offer free tutoring for math and English. We have programs for student success focusing on the whole health of the veteran. That includes help with books and calculators; offering useful workshops; providing a study area with computers and printers; lounge and games for relaxation; networking with other veterans and more.

Clark College Veterans Center of Excellence

• In person: Penguin Union Building, PUB 015
• Phone: 360-992-2073 or 360-992-2864
• Email: veterans@clark.edu
• Website: https://www.clark.edu/campus-life/student-support/vrc/
• Let’s be social: Instagram | Facebook

The Veterans Center of Excellence at Clark College (VCOE) hosted an informational session with Lt. Col. Natasha Waggoner, Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructor from the University of Portland on February 5. More than a dozen Clark students participated in this opportunity to learn about the AFROTC program and options available to them.  

The AFROTC program at University of Portland has consortium agreements with Clark College and more than a dozen other colleges in the Portland-Vancouver metro area that allow students at those institutions to participate in the University of Portland’s AFROTC program at no additional cost to the student. Students who participate in AFROTC must attend weekly AFROTC classes at the University of Portland. 

The Air Force is interested in recruiting cybersecurity professionals. Professor Dwight Hughes, the director of Clark College’s Cybersecurity Bachelor of Applied Science program, joined Lt. Col. Waggoner in talking with students about opportunities for collaboration between the college’s Cybersecurity program and AFROTC, including career development, military job opportunities and Air Force ROTC guest speakers in cybersecurity classes. 

Full-time students may be eligible to join the AFROTC program at University of Portland, whether they are enrolled in a bachelor’s program at Clark or completing a bachelor’s degree at another college where AFROTC has an agreement.  

About AFROTC 

Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC): 

• Must be a full-time college student pursuing a bachelor’s degree 
• Eligibility is determined by Air Force ROTC 
• Opportunity to become an Air Force officer after completing a bachelor’s degree 
• Designed to prepare the student for active duty as an officer with increased responsibility year after year 
• AFROTC offers numerous programs and scholarship opportunities leading to an academic degree and a commission in the Air Force as a second lieutenant 

Learn more about AFROTC at University of Portland: 

• Web: www.up.edu/afrotc/
• Email: rotc695@up.edu 
• Phone: 503-943-7216 

About the Veterans Center of Excellence 

The Clark College Veterans Center of Excellence coordinates comprehensive support services for veteran students. These support services address academic, financial, physical, and social needs for student veterans and include math, science, and English tutors; textbook and calculator loans; textbook purchase; quiet study space; computer lab with printers; practical workshops; break area with comfortable furniture, piano, air hockey table, TV screen and more. To learn more, click here or visit PUB 015. 

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley