Two preschool girls, pictured above, stood on either side of a blue metal rain wheel and spun the wheel, which created a gentle rattle sound reminiscent of rain. The wheel is one of six pieces of musical playground equipment installed recently in a new sound garden nature space within Clark College’s Child and Family Studies preschool.
Pointing to a whale drum near the back fence, Paul Caggianese, a CFS teacher and program supervisor, explained that the drum had been the only musical equipment since it was installed about two decades ago.
“Adding to the whale drum has always been a dream,” said Caggianese, who stood in the preschool’s backyard watching a group of preschoolers play.
Students play on the xylophone and chime flowers. The grey metal drum (the first of the sound equipment) sits at the back by the garden beds and the blue rain wheel is to the right by the fence.
But a lack of funding deterred them.
Michele Volk, director of Child and Family Studies, added, “Every year I meet with the Clark College Foundation to look at our wish list—and they make our wishes and dreams happen.”
Last year, Volk spoke to the foundation about funding for additional outdoor musical equipment, and they worked to make that longtime dream a reality. Now the whale drum is part of a new sound garden, including these additions:
A blue rain wheel that emits a rattling sound much like rain
A xylophone with aluminum keys and two mallets so that children can create a variety of notes
A set of four vibrant chime flowers, each with an attached mallet. Each flower emits four sustained notes to produce enchanting, sustained gong sounds ranging from alto to soprano.
Left to right: Michele Volk and Paul Caggianese in the sound garden. Watch a video interview with Michele and Paul on Clark College’s Instagram channel: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-53o7EywYn/
Generous donors
“The sound garden was a project CFS had wanted to develop for years, but lacked the resources to make it happen,” explained Kathy Chennault, Director of Development, Corporate & Foundation Relations at Clark College Foundation. “The foundation’s
connection with the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation provided the impetus to seriously explore this opportunity.”
The Ella Fitzgerald Foundation provided $5,000 in seed money. Donors via the Clark College Foundation provided the required $5,000 match. With two generous gifts, the initiative moved from concept to reality.
“We felt this was an important project to support as music can have such a profound impact on a young child’s life,” said Randal Rosman, Vice President of Programs at the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation. “Music can help children develop physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively as well as with language development. Music is a way to bring people together, share experiences, and learn about diverse cultures. We hope that this sound garden and the associated programming help to create a sense of community with the kids and adults who interact with it.”
Benefits of music education
A student sings “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” while using the xylophone.
As Volk and Caggianese watched a group of preschoolers enthusiastically making music with the new equipment, they spoke about the benefits of introducing music in early childhood education, including preschoolers playing in a sound garden.
Caggianese said, “The impacts that music has on your ability to do math, look at language and literacy, just all those influences. And then on top of it, (it’s) another method for children to decompress.”
Volk nodded, “The developmental part of it is a real key to impacting them for lifelong love, joy, and a sense of wonder in music.”
Caggianese added, “Music is a bridge between cultures and languages.”
“Music develops the whole child in ways that people don’t always think about,” Volk said.
All around them, busy preschoolers played in their new sound garden. The team at CFS hopes to add more percussion equipment to the sound garden next.
PPI guest speaker at Staff Development Days
Erin Jones shared her story, inspiring hundreds of Clark College employees who gathered in Gaiser Student Center for Staff Development Days on August 14.
Jones, a teacher, speaker, and the author of “Bridge to Heal US: Stories and Strategies for Racial Healing” presented a two-hour Power, Privilege, and Inequity (PPI) address that counted as a college-wide PPI training.
Her engaging presentation was filled with sage insights, including these:
“What you see is not at all my story. What you see is just a small part of who I am.”
“My experiences are not better than yours. They’re just different.”
“All great things start with courage.”
“This journey of healing as a nation is complicated.”
She asked Clark College staff members to consider these two questions:
Why do you do what you do where you do it?
What are you doing to fill your cup right now? What are you doing to feed your soul?
Then she introduced three postures that are useful in her own daily interactions with others.
Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards, Erin Jones, and Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Vanessa Neal.
Posture 1: Practicing Gratitude
Erin writes in a gratitude journal daily—even when she has an overflowing schedule. She said it’s a discipline that has made a difference in her life and her attitude.
“I practice gratitude every single day.”
“Gratitude changes your brain chemistry. It creates a positive neural network.”
“Gratitude is an equity practice for me.”
“In your team meetings, consider starting with a moment of gratitude.”
Posture 2: Creating a Brave Space
She introduced this posture by saying, “The idea of creating a safe space is a fraud. I want to create a place that is safe enough for you to be brave.”
She asked, “What is brave going to look like for us?”
Then she answered her question like this:
I commit to being vulnerable.
I commit to no shame, blame, or guilt.
When you mess up, ‘fess up.
Be curious. Stay curious.
When she encounters someone who says something that contradicts her own beliefs, she asks herself: “Do I have something to say right now that’s going to make them feel better, or do I want to say something to shame them? Shame shuts us down.”
She led the attentive participants in an arm exercise that can serve as a useful reminder: “Let’s call each other in and up to the best version of ourselves, not down and out to shame.”
Board of Trustee Chair Cristhian Canseco Juárez, right, shares with fellow Trustee Marilee Scarbrough.
Posture 3: Pausing or Breathing Before You Speak
When you find yourself in a challenging space, she suggested that BEFORE you speak or act, it is helpful to pause, take a deep breath, and count backwards from 10 to 1, preferably in a language that is not your native language. That will force you to take your time before you respond.
She reminded people to choose their words carefully: “Your words have the power to build or destroy.”
Members of the Staff Development Days planning committee with Erin Jones. Left to right: Carolyn Stark, Mary Chavez, Andra Spencer, Erin Jones, Donna Larson, Degundrea Harris, Haley Tucker; back row: Sandra Bush. Read more about 2024 Staff Development Days.
Buy her book, “Bridges to Heal US,” for a discounted rate at the Clark College Bookstore.
2024 Staff Development Days
Shelly Williams, back left, of the Fine Arts Division led a jigsaw puzzle competition and spoke about using hobbies to find work-life balance.
Hundreds of Clark College staff spent two days learning together during the tenth annual Staff Development Days on August 13 and 14.
The event, chock full of professional development training, allows staff time to connect with other staff on campus, learn valuable skills, and share department information. Six breakout sessions offered three dozen professional development opportunities focused on a variety of topics. This year’s workshops included a supervisor training series, mini-learning sessions, opportunities for department meetings, and time for individuals to complete Higher Ed Works online training.
In her welcome to staff, Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards quoted educator, Rudine Sims Bishop: “Mirrors allow you to see your own experiences, windows to see others,’ and sliding glass doors to enter other worlds.” Dr. Edwards added: “Over the next two days, there may be many mirrors, windows, and doors for you to explore, learn, and grow.”
Keynote Speaker on Building Community
Clark College Foundation CEO Calen Ouellette, pictured above, presented Tuesday’s keynote, “The Community We Build.” Calen focused on three key terms: Engagement, empowerment, and collaboration, and posed a reflective question for each term.
Engagement: What specific actions can you take to make your colleagues feel more engaged and valued in the workplace?
Empowerment: How can you empower team members to take the initiative and feel confident in their roles?
Collaboration: What steps can you take to foster better collaboration and communication within your team and across teams at Clark?
Departments presenting sessions included Accounting Services; Career Services; Clark College Foundation; Communications and Marketing (pictured above); Counseling and Health Center; Disability Support Services; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Event Services; Facilities Services; Fine Arts; Human Resources; IT-Network Services; Information Technology Services; Payroll; Planning and Effectiveness; Purchasing; Student Affairs; Teaching & Learning Center; Veterans Center of Excellence; and more.
Sessions addressed burnout prevention, conflict management, time block planning, and unlocking the power of data.
Some sessions focused on how best to assist others in our community.
Bellamy Holt from Entry Services taught” Etiquette to a T: Treating Trans Folks with Courtesy.” Bellamy provided vocabulary terms for allies and cis individuals to use and gave examples of how to politely ask for someone’s pronouns, and how to avoid misgendering people.
Tre Sandlin from the Teaching and Learning Center taught “Accessibility: Headings and Alternative Text.” Participants learned how headings enable folks who use assistive technology and how to use them to improve the navigability of their content. Teams of participants viewed images and discussed how to write alt text for different lenses.
Valentina Pishchanskaya-Cayanan from the Counseling & Health Center presented “Understanding the Ukrainian Student Experience.” She emigrated from Ukraine as a child and still has family in Ukraine. She shared a deeper understanding of the Ukrainian culture, various challenges that new arrivals from Ukraine are experiencing, and how folks can best support our Ukrainian students.
There was time for fun and relaxation, too.
Courtney Braddock from Accounting Services taught a lively line dance workshop to get staffers’ minds and bodies moving to a variety of music.
Jenny Shadley from Communications/Marketing led a “Creative Mindfulness” workshop to encourage participants to experiment using creative practices to be more present. After a guided meditation and a creative prompt, participants had an opportunity to take a short walk on campus and either take a photo or write a poem.
Shelley Williams from the Fine Arts division led two hands-on jigsaw puzzle competitions. While teams worked together to complete a puzzle, Shelly shared about how engaging in hobbies can help employees find a healthy work-life balance. The winning team received Symphony chocolate bars.
Many thanks to the staff who organized Staff Development Days: Andra Spencer, Vanessa Bural, Alyssa Montminy, Carolyn Stark, De’Gundrea Harris, Donna Larson, Haley Tucker, Lindsey Schuhmacher, Maggie Li, Michelle Golder, Sandra Bush, and Wendé Fisher.
Students from the McClaskey Culinary Institute with lunch boxes they prepared.
Thanks also to instructors, staff, and students from McClaskey Culinary Institute for providing delicious box lunches on both days and to the bookstore for providing free ice cream treats.
“The members of our planning team are so pleased with this year’s Staff Development Days,” said Andra Spencer, who works in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “We saw the excitedness of staff members connecting across departments. When we gathered together in Gaiser Student Center, the energy was palpable. What a positive start to our 2024-2025 academic year.” Continue Your Professional Development Journey
For those who want to continue their learning journey, attendees can reflect on their conference experience and share feedback with the Staff Development Days planning team. Here’s how you can stay engaged:
Review session materials: Access presentation slides and other valuable resources from the conference: Presenter Files
Share your feedback: Your thoughts are crucial for improving future professional development events. Please fill out our feedback survey: https://bit.ly/SDD-24-feedback
“We hope these resources will help you build on the insights gained and continue your professional journey.” —Staff Development Days planning team
Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish
McClaskey Culinary Garden
James “Sonny” Demartini, a cuisine instructor at Clark College tends to the garden outside of the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute.
The culinary garden at Clark College is seeking volunteers who enjoy gardening and can volunteer even an hour a week.
On a warm July afternoon, James “Sonny” Demartini, a cuisine instructor at Clark College, spread the broad leaves of a kohlrabi plant to examine a purple turnip-looking vegetable growing at ground level to determine when it would be ready to harvest (pictured below). Pointing to yellow marigold flowers planted nearby, he explained that the flower’s strong scent repels flies, aphids, and other insects that eat the plants.
Then he tore the tip of a green leaf from a Florentino cauliflower, popped it into his mouth, chewed, and smiled.
“What flavor! That’s what I’m talking about!” he exclaimed.
Chef Demartini was instrumental in creating the culinary garden just outside the college’s Tod and Maxine McClaskey Institute. Now in its third year, the garden is prolific. During the summer, culinary students harvest herbs, vegetables, and fruit from the garden and use the produce in their cuisine and baking classes to create food for the college community. On this day, students harvested lemon verbena from the garden and added it to the panna cotta dessert served in the student-run restaurant.
In addition to kohlrabi, fennel bulb, Swiss chard, baby carrots, leeks, and a variety of edible flowers are ready to harvest. At this time of year, when the garden is prolific, Chef Demartini says the culinary garden could use more hands to help with weeding and watering.
“We could use more volunteers,” he said. “Even if someone can volunteer for an hour or two a week, that would be helpful.”
Recent cuisine graduates James and Amanda toured the Culinary Vegetable Institute and Chef’s Garden in Huron, Ohio with Chef Sonny in June 2024.
Inspired by Ohio garden
In creating Clark’s culinary garden, Chef Demartini was inspired by Chef’s Garden and its Culinary Vegetable Institute, a 300-acre family farm in Huron, Ohio. He first visited the farm 14 years ago when he was a culinary student. He and two recent Clark Cuisine graduates, James and Amanda, had the opportunity to tour the farm June 17-19. They toured enormous greenhouses growing microgreens and experimental herbs, and they enjoyed tasting the farm’s bounty. They also volunteered in the farm’s test kitchen and prepared food for the farm’s workers and for a wedding event.
Chef Demartini experienced a full-circle moment when his mentor and old friend, farmer Lee Jones, came by to say hello, wearing his trademark denim overalls and red bowtie. The Jones family represents four generations on the farm.
“It was a prescient moment for me,” said Chef Demartini. “When I was a culinary student, Farmer Lee impressed upon me the importance of ‘taking care of the soil’ and ‘eating with the season.’ My interactions with Farmer Lee shaped who I am now, as both a chef and a person. Fast forward fourteen years, and Farmer Lee is seeing the seeds that he sowed in me, with the next generation of culinarians under my wing. It was an incredible moment!”
What’s planted in Clark’s garden
Previously, the concrete planters just outside McClaskey Culinary Institute contained low-maintenance shrubs that didn’t flower or provide food for humans or insects. Three years later, this garden has created a welcoming entrance to Gaiser Hall. People stop to admire the garden.
Now the concrete planters are bursting with vegetables and fragrant herbs, including sage, lemon verbena, mint, rosemary, sorrel, lovage, parsley, and chives. Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators flit from flower to flower collecting nectar and pollen.
Edible wildflowers do double duty by attracting pollinators.
Trellises support grapevines and hops.
Fruit trees include plum, quince, fig, and five varieties of espalier apple and pear trees.
A dozen varieties of sunflowers provide edible petals and seeds for recipes.
Nasturtiums provide edible petals, garnish, and an infusion for oils and vinegars.
The seeds of Clark’s culinary garden
The culinary space at Clark College was renovated in 2017 with a grant from the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Foundation. Although blueprints included culinary gardens wrapping around three sides of the building, there was no funding for a garden.
Chef Demartini, a lifelong gardener, and Fay Shorten, a stockroom attendant in the college’s food services department, were determined that a lack of funding would not become a barrier for creating a kitchen garden for their students.
They spent about $8,000 in grant money. Galvanized stock tanks were repurposed into raised beds. Some plants and seeds were donated, but they purchased others.
Demartini, Shorten and volunteers cleared unused space outside the building and created gardens including herbs, vegetables, berries, and fruit trees.
The college’s grounds crew revamped an existing irrigation system.
Composting organic kitchen scraps: Every day the culinary classes create a mountain of food scraps—from eggshells to carrot tops. Instead of throwing them into the garbage, all organic food scraps are converted into nutrient-rich compost. Demartini converted an industrial woodchipper into a mulcher that chops food waste into rich, organic matter that immediately can be added to the soil.
Volunteers help amend the soil, plant, weed, water, and harvest—but more volunteers are needed.
Volunteer in the culinary garden
Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Monday through Thursday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Contact: Chef Sonny Demartini at jdemartini@clark.edu
Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish
Getting to Know Clark’s new VPI, Dr. William “Terry” Brown
Left to right: Vice President of Operations Sabra Sand, President Dr. Karin Edwards, and Vice President of Instruction Dr. William “Terry” Brown.
Clark College named Dr. William “Terry” Brown, a college administrator from Connecticut to serve as its Vice President of Instruction. Dr. Brown started on July 8, the first day of summer term.
Dr. Brown is new to the Vancouver area. To transport their enormous Rhodesian Ridgeback dog “Chief,” Dr. Brown and his family drove more than 3,000 miles from Northford, Connecticut during the July heat wave. Despite the long journey and cross-country move, Dr. Brown has jumped feet-first into his role, meeting with leaders across the college, meeting a visiting delegation from Joyo, Japan, and touring the college’s new Boschma Farms facility during his first week on the job.
As the senior academic officer of the college, Dr. Brown is responsible for the comprehensive academic landscape for all program development and assessment, in addition to leading a dynamic educational environment and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation for the college. Dr. Brown also will serve on the college’s Executive Cabinet, a leadership team led by the college’s president, Dr. Karin Edwards.
President Edwards said, “I am excited to welcome Dr. Brown to Clark College. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in teaching and leadership in higher education, in addition to a demonstrated commitment to equitable student success.”
Dr. Brown will oversee the college’s 650+ faculty members and over 100 academic and workforce programs including five bachelor of applied science degrees. The areas under the guidance of the VPI encompass five academic divisions, non-credit and workforce training, Library Services, eLearning, Faculty development/Teaching and Learning Center, Adult/Basic Education/ESL and Adult Literacy, outcomes assessment, accreditation, Guided Pathways, and academic support services.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be at Clark College,” said Dr. Brown. “Education is still the lynchpin for personal growth and economic success for our students and communities, and Clark College is at the forefront of making sure that anyone in our community has the opportunity to transform their lives and fortunes.” He added, “I look forward to joining the faculty, staff, and administrators at Clark in the impactful work we do for our students and communities.”
Dr. Brown was hired after a nationwide search that included extensive interviews with a hiring committee, college leadership, and an open forum with the college community.
Dr. Brown, far left, with Jodi Shulnak and Kristen Fowler from International Programs.
Professional Experience
He has invested more than 30 years working in higher education, in both teaching and leading in colleges in Connecticut, Delaware, Tennessee, and now Washington State.
Previously, Dr. Brown was the Associate Vice President for Strategic Operations and Partnership Development at Connecticut State Community College, New Britain, Connecticut. Before that, he was the Chief Executive Officer for Gateway Community College in New Haven, Connecticut.
Dr. Brown’s career in higher education also includes administrative positions at Naugatuck Valley Community College, Waterbury, Connecticut, at Housatonic Community College, Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Nashville State Community College, Nashville, Tennessee.
Earlier, Dr. Brown was a full-time faculty member at a community college in Connecticut, and an adjunct faculty member at two colleges in Delaware and another in Connecticut.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Florida, and a master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Delaware. He finished his professional training at Yale School of Medicine, completing predoctoral fellowships at Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale Psychiatric Institute (now Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital), and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center.
A recognized higher education leader, Dr. Brown was named to the 100 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut by the Connecticut chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for 2021. He was a member of the Class of 2023-2024 cohort of American Association of State Colleges and Universities Millennium Leadership Initiative.
Q & A: Fun facts about Dr. Brown
Dr. Brown with a stuffed penguin at Boschma Farms.
Q: Tell us about your family.
A: My wife, Yulonda Brown (née Candelario), is a certified surgical technologist who is excited about all the fishing opportunities in Vancouver and the Pacific Northwest. She also is looking forward to an opportunity to visit Alaska. Our son, Zion, is a liberal arts college student with a deep interest in history, aviation, and photography, and he will be starting at Clark in the fall. Our Rhodesian Ridgeback, “Chief” enjoys long hikes, followed by a longer nap.
Q: We hear you’re an avid cook.
A: I do love to cook, particularly several regional styles of barbecue. I learn to cook anything I love to eat. I cook southern Soul Food, Southeast Asian, Italian, Creole/Cajun. Lately, I’ve taken to grinding my own meat for burgers and homemade sausages and making sourdough bread and pizza dough from scratch.
Q: What other hobbies or sports do you enjoy?
A: Hiking, SCUBA diving and snorkeling, travel. In my younger days, I was a pretty good volleyball player. I could play any position but loved being on backline defense or middle blocker.
Q: Favorite music/genre?
A: Soul and R&B from the late-80s and 90s: Boyz II Men, New Edition, Jodeci, and Dru Hill are some of my favorite artists.
Q: Music/musician on your playlist?
A: I have a huge celebrity crush on Cardi B. Her attitude and honesty are captivating!
Q: Favorite book you read recently?
A: “Martin Luther King, Jr., on Leadership: Inspiration and Wisdom for Challenging Times” by Donald T. Phillips (2000)
Q: Favorite binge-watching?
A: Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day every year, I binge-watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies from “Captain America: The First Avenger” to “Avengers: Endgame” (with “Deadpool” thrown in, just for fun!).
Q: Favorite cities to visit?
A:I always look forward to a chance to visit Washington, D.C. and New Orleans, Louisianna.
Q: What is an interesting place you visited?
A: A trip to the Hawai’i had been a dream of mine since I was a teenager, and we visited Oahu and the Big Island in June of 2021. From visiting Pearl Harbor and hiking Diamond Head, to hunting wild cattle, to seeing sea turtles on black sand beaches and being in the water with manta rays, it was the trip of a lifetime.
Q: Favorite sports teams?
A: Florida Gators, Dallas Cowboys (I met Tony Dorsett when I was 6 or 7 years old, and I have been Cowboys fan ever since).
Q: What are you looking forward to exploring in the area?
A: All the outdoor activities – hiking and fishing especially—and getting the chance to visit Portland, Seattle, and eventually, Alaska.
Q: What was a memorable sight during your cross-country drive to start your new position at Clark College?
A: Driving through the Columbia River Gorge and seeing Mount Hood rising up in the distance was quite a sight. (Editor’s note: Mount Hood is the highest point in Oregon at 11,249 feet, almost five times higher than Mount Frissell at 2,380 feet, the highest point in Connecticut.)
Q: How did your family drive across the country from Northford, Connecticut to Vancouver, Washington during a July heat wave with your enormous Rhodesian Ridgeback, Chief, riding in the backseat?
A: Slowly, over 11 days, with lots of breaks for walks! We drove an average of four to six hours per day—so not long, grueling hours driving. We stayed in dog-friendly hotels and provided ample opportunities for all of us to stretch our legs.
Q: What are you enthusiastic about at Clark College?
A: I am extremely excited about Clark College’s commitment to equity and social justice. Access to education is a civil right, and higher education is still the gateway to opportunity and success for so many members of our community. It is a privilege to be invited to serve here.
Q: How do you prefer people to connect with you?
A: I enjoy meeting people face-to-face whenever possible, but just connecting is the important thing. Anyone is welcome to stop by and say hello, but I need to explore Clark and get to know the campus, so I’m happy to visit you in your space.
Joyo Sister City Campus Tour
Clark College hosted a delegation of ten visitors from Joyo City, Japan, Vancouver’s sister city, on July 11.
The visitors were welcomed to the college’s International Programs office by Clark President Dr. Karin Edwards, followed by a greeting from Jody Shulnak, associate director of International Programs. Michiyo Okuhara, Clark College Japanese language professor, translated the greetings.
Board of Trustees members Marilee Scarbrough and Suzanne Donaldson introduced themselves to the Japanese delegation. Then came introductions from other college leadership including Sabra Sand, Vice President of Operations; Dr. Michele Cruse, Vice President of Student Affairs; Dr. Brad Avakian, Vice President of Human Resources; Dr. William “Terry” Brown, Vice President of Instruction; and Calen Ouellette, Chief Executive Officer at Clark College Foundation.
Clark College Foundation, Clark College, Vancouver mayor and city councilors, the Vancouver Rotary president, and area business leaders visited Joyo, Japan during the week of March 13, 2023. Calen Ouellette joined Dr. Edwards and other local leaders on the Joyo trip to celebrate the connection between the two regions.
Clark College Foundation CEO Calen Ouellette said, “It was a pleasure to reciprocate the hospitality of our friends from Joyo and to welcome them to our campus.”
After gifts were exchanged and refreshments, two student ambassadors led the group on a brief walking tour of the campus, including.
Group photo while standing on the steps on the south side of Gaiser Hall
Hannah Hall 105 to see Michiyo Okuhara’s Japanese classroom
More than 100 Shirofugen cherry trees in the Royce Pollard Japanese Friendship Garden
The Clark College Bookstore, where delegates did a little shopping
A Bee Campus tour by Steven Clark, biology professor, in front of the STEM Building
Next, the Joyo visitors hopped on C-Tran’s bus sporting Clark College campus photos. They rode to Ridgefield, where they toured the new Advanced Manufacturing Center at Clark College at Boschma Farms, which is expected to open Fall 2025. This was the largest tour to the center so far.
During the delegation’s visit, they also toured Vancouver City Hall, the Vancouver waterfront, Washington State University Vancouver’s new science building, and attended a Ridgefield Raptors’ baseball game.
Learn more about Clark’s relationship with Joyo, Japan: Each April, Clark College hosts its annual Sakura festival that honors the historic ties of friendship between the sister cities of Vancouver, Washington, and Joyo, Japan. The free community event underneath a canopy of cherry blossoms is presented by Clark College, the city of Vancouver, and Vancouver Rotary. Read the Sakura 2024 story here: https://news.clark.edu/2024/04/sakura-festival-is-april-25/
Sister city relationship between Vancouver, Washington, and Joyo, Japan: https://www.cityofvancouver.us/about-vancouver/sister-city-joyo-japan/
Recently, Clark College was awarded a $2.2 million Title III Part A Strengthening Institutions Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant will provide Clark College with about $450,000 annually for the five years during the grant period through September 30, 2028.
About Clark’s Title III grant
The Title III program helps eligible institutions of higher education to become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen the academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability of eligible institutions
Clark College will use the grant money to increase student completion rates through implementing data-informed, technology-enabled career pathways via three objectives:
Evaluate the effectiveness of programs and services to continuously adapt and improve.
Implement Penguin Path, an integrated student success model that connects each student with evidence-based practices that address their individualized needs.
Create flexible learning opportunities through a centralized career hub that integrates career information into course outcomes and increases equitable access to work-based learning opportunities for students.
Meet Clark’s Title III Team
Clark College has hired three project staff to manage the Title III U.S. Department of Education grant. Please welcome Byron Ford, project manager; Stephanie Leeper, career-connected curriculum liaison, and Jon Woofter, technology adoption and integration manager.
Byron Ford, Project Manager
Byron Ford is responsible for the day-to-day project management to ensure grant-funded projects move forward. He supports the project leads in their work to meet the grant objectives and collaborates with key personnel. His work includes ensuring the college stays within project scope and in compliance with Department of Education grant requirements.
Ford has worked for 16 years at three community and technical colleges in Washington: Bellingham Technical College, Green River College in Auburn, and Lower Columbia College in Longview, working in both instruction and student affairs. Most recently, at LCC he was integral in redesigning its advising program, overhauling the student onboarding process, establishing a one-stop center for students, and integrating the college’s student success technology. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree with a Flute Performance concentration and a Master of Education degree in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education, both from Western Washington University.
Contact Byron Ford: Bauer Hall 119, bford@clark.eduor 360-992-2409.
Stephanie Leeper is working with Clark faculty, staff, and local employers and partners to connect students with opportunities to enrich their career readiness through work-based and other career-connected learning opportunities. She is creating a virtual career hub that will connect Clark students with employers for work-based learning opportunities and career exploration.
Leeper worked for more than seven years at Washington State University Vancouver at Carson College of Business and in student affairs and enrollment. She planned orientations, career fairs, and experiential learning programs and developed business connections and employment engagement. Leeper holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree with a concentration in Personnel Psychology and Human Resources from Washington State University Vancouver.
Contact Stephanie Leeper: Gaiser Hall 206H, sleeper@clark.edu or 360-992-2647.
Jon Woofter, Technology Adoption and Integration Manager
Jon Woofter will implement technological solutions to further grant objects, will train Clark employees in those technologies, and work with Clark’s IT department, project leaders, and vendors.
Woofter spent 20 years in K-12 public education in Naples, Florida: first in the classroom and then in a series of administrative positions focused on curriculum, instruction, and school improvement. He has directed numerous large-scale technology adoption projects and trainings related to the thoughtful use of technology integration. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and Teaching from the University of Akron and a Master of Education in Educational Technology from American College of Education.
Director of Medical Assisting Sarah Kuzera (above, far left) stood in her classroom and held up a medical mannequin torso affectionately named “Roberta.” Sixteen middle- and high-school students watched Kuzera demonstrate how to remove surgical stitches and staples. Then it was their turn.
These students were among about 100 students who attended career pathways camps at Clark College during the week of June 25-28. Clark College hosted Health Care Pathway Camp and STEM Pathway Camp for middle- and high school students to consider careers in health care and STEM fields. Both camps were funded by Guided Pathways, Clark College Foundation, and Career Connect Washington. This was the second year these camps were offered to systemically non-dominant students1. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks were provided, along with a Clark T-shirt.
“Guided Pathways is thrilled to support both the healthcare and STEM camps again this year,” said Rhianna Johnson, director of Guided Pathways and Partnerships. “Sparking interest in young minds is critical for helping students believe that college is a viable path for them. Providing exploratory opportunities to gain hands-on experience in these careers and learning pathways is a hallmark of equitable access, a foundational component of the Guided Pathways model.”
In each classroom and laboratory, students were provided instruction from Clark faculty and were offered opportunities to learn hands-on skills used in those careers.
Health Care Pathway Camp
The Health Care Pathway Camp was attended by about 70 enthusiastic students who spent one day in Clark’s Allied Health building at Washington State University Vancouver. Students were introduced to a variety of potential careers, including dental hygiene, emergency medical technician, health information management, medical assisting, nursing, pharmacy technician, and phlebotomy technician.
In the medical assisting classroom, students practiced removing surgical stitches and staples, used a cuff to check blood pressure, performed vision and hearing tests, and wrapped arms with casting material.
Students in the pharmacy technician classroom practiced counting pill blanks, making hand sanitizer in a simulated compounding pharmacy, and performing syringe draws in a protective hood.
In the phlebotomy technician classroom, students used syringes to practice injections into artificial venipuncture and injection arms and more.
In the nursing simulation laboratory, students performed CPR compressions on lifelike interactive patient simulators, practiced treating a deep wound, and more.
In every classroom and laboratory, students were engaged and asked questions as they learned about potential health care careers.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Pathway Camp
The STEM Pathway Camp partnered with Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) to introduce systemically non-dominant students1 to biology, engineering, chemistry, rocketry, surveying and geomatics, and more. During the free, two-day camp, 30 attendees participated in six activities. Campers also received breakfast and lunch.
Engineering Professor Carol Hsu mentioned that she noticed students were already making connections with each other and exchanging contact information during lunch on the first day of camp.
Activities included:
Dissecting a lamprey eel.
Creating plastics from corn and milk to compare the strength, durability, and biodegradability of them.
Using rocket kits to build their own tiny model rockets. They will have to wait to launch them at an approved park.
3D printing. Students created tiny, plastic objects ranging from spiders to penguins.
A compass scavenger hunt plus a contest to see who could guess the length of 100 feet.
Touring Clark College campus.
Students were treated to a panel discussion by current Clark MESA students, who talked about their educational journeys, career pathways, and how the staff and faculty helped to demystify college and STEM fields specifically.
Johnson said, “Guided Pathways funding supports opportunities like the Health Care Pathways Camp and STEM Camp to ensure that potential students have access to information and experiences that will help them make positive career choices and challenge stereotypes about who can benefit from jobs in the healthcare and STEM fields.”
Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish and Carly Rae Zent
Nursing Program
Isaac Aguilar (pictured above recieving his nursing pin from his mother) has a heart for helping people. After working as a certified nursing assistant and an emergency medical technician, he realized he wanted to be a nurse and enrolled in Clark’s well-respected nursing program.
As a nursing student, he completed a residency in a hospital intensive care unit and had another realization: “I really like connecting with families on their hardest day.”
No doubt Aguilar will be a stellar, dedicated nurse.
Aguilar and 26 fellow nursing students from Clark College’s 147th nursing cohort graduated on June 20. The following night, they gathered with their loved ones to celebrate their achievement during their pinning ceremony on June 21 in Gaiser Student Center. These graduates earned their associate of arts in Nursing DTA/MRP. Next, they will take their exam to become a Registered Nurse. Most of them shared their plans to continue their education and earn their bachelor’s degree in nursing, or BSN.
Benjamin Kramer, the student speaker, provided medical care in the U.S. Navy before he enrolled in Clark’s nursing program. He thanked his wife and their two daughters for their support while he focused on Clark’s intense, two-year program.
He told his fellow nurses, “A lot of the medicine we do is not glitzy, but it will pay dividends for our patients.”
Allie Bryant (above, right) received the Clinical Excellence Award, bestowed on a graduate who has shown exceptional clinical performance.
In accepting the award, she said, “I decided to become a nurse because of my grandfather. He would be so proud.”
Juliah Larson and her family.Meghan Strizak and her family.
Then it was time for the pinning ceremony. In turn, each graduate stood and was pinned by someone essential in their journey to becoming a nurse: parents, spouses, partners, siblings, children, and best friends.
Allie Bryant was pinned by her father.
Isaac Aguilar was pinned by his mother.
Juliah Larson was pinned by her husband, while she held their baby.
Simon Kirpa was pinned by his wife.
Alicia Beach was pinned by her friend, Jennifer, a nurse.
Katy Hammond was pinned by her mother, and her husband and their children stood at the ready with congratulatory hugs.
Timothy Allen was pinned by his partner, Davin Kortt.
Kayla Brosius was pinned by her parents.
Alicia Bjur was pinned by her young daughter, accompanied by her husband and son.
Timothy Allen with his partner Davin Kortt.
After all 27 new nurses had been pinned, they stood and in unison, recited the nursing pledge, pledging to uphold certain ethics and standards within their profession. It is a modified version of the Hippocratic Oath for doctors.
Nursing graduates already have applied for licensure in the state they want to work in. They have one final step to earn an “RN” after their name. They must pass a rigorous exam, the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-RN. It is a nationwide examination for the licensing of nurses in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
Many of these nursing graduates shared their plans to continue their education. Many have transferred to Washington State University Vancouver and will begin working toward their bachelor’s degrees in the fall, thanks to a seamless transition between the two schools and their nursing programs. Others have chosen online programs. Many graduates are heading for a well-deserved vacation after completing Clark’s rigorous nursing program.
After the ceremony, nurses, their families, and supporters headed for the reception. Several families walked outside into the warm, sunny evening to take photos.
But still inside Gaiser Student Center, new nurse Vanessa Kuhn (above, left) posed for a photo with her family. Her young son was fidgety. And hungry. When were they going to eat, he asked? She reassured him that they could go to the reception and eat after they took a photo to remember this celebratory night.
A photo was taken, and nurse Vanessa Kuhn stepped toward her new career.
Megan’s Nursing Story
Megan Boucher(above) dreamed of being a nurse, but as the mom of three young boys, she stepped toward her dream gradually. First, Megan completed the phlebotomy certification at Clark. She worked as a phlebotomist for eight years before returning to Clark to complete her prerequisites for the nursing program.
Megan persevered through breast cancer treatment while completing her nursing degree and raising her children as a single mom. It’s been almost two years since her diagnosis, and she is responding very well to her treatment.
Now her sons are teenagers. Megan said, “My sons are my inspiration… Even when I want to give up, I know that they are watching and need their mom to be strong and not give up.”
Megan hopes that sharing her own story will encourage those going through difficult times to keep going.
At last, she’s reached her longtime goal: Registered Nurse, and has accepted her dream job as a hospice nurse at PeaceHealth’s Ray Hickey Hospice House.
She said, “My heart is with hospice nursing. I desire to provide emotional, physical, and spiritual care for my patients and their loved ones during the end-of-life process. It is an honor to be allowed to walk that road with them.”
Megan Boucher graduated winter term 2024, but she participated in the June 20, 2024, commencement ceremony.
History of Nursing at Clark
First nursing cohort to begin associate degree program: 1962
Number of total nursing graduates: 4,434
Number of nursing classes graduating: 147
Nursing Pledge
In full knowledge and understanding, I promise to care for the sick with all of the skill and understanding I possess, without regards to race, creed, color, politics, or social status, sparing no effort to preserve quality of life, alleviate suffering, and promote health. I will respect at all times the dignity and beliefs of the patients under my care, holding in confidence all personal information entrusted to me, and refraining from any action which may endanger life or health. I will endeavor to keep my professional knowledge and skills at the highest level and give loyal support and cooperation to all members of the health care team. I will do my utmost to honor the international code of ethics applied to nursing and uphold the integrity of the nurse.
Learn more about Clark College’s nursing program here.
Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish
Spaceport America Cup
Clark Aerospace stands with its Emperor Penguin rocket and other college rocket teams from 20 nations.
The Clark Aerospace team launched its rocket, Emperor Penguin, at the Spaceport America Cup competition in Las Cruces, New Mexico on June 19. The event is the world’s largest Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) for student rocketry teams. A total of 6,153 rocketeers representing 152 institutions in 20 nations participated in the June 17-22 competition. Clark College was one of only three community colleges that participated.
Arriving at Spaceport
Xiunu “Sophie” Lin, Ph.D., professor of physics and director of Clark’s Aerospace student program, sent this email greeting to all Clark staff and faculty from the event: “I am excited to share that the Clark College rocketry team, consisting of 11 travelers (2 advisors, 1 mentor, and 8 students, including 4 minorities—females and LGBTQ+) have all safely arrived in Las Cruces, New Mexico to compete in the 2024 Spaceport America Cup Competition. We will be competing in the SRAD (Student Researched and Developed Motor) 10,000-foot category.”
Clark Aerospace at 2024 Spaceport America Cup with Emperor Penguin rocket. Photo by Tahoma Photography
Clark Aerospace students who participated in Spaceport America Cup:
Ethan Lloyd Walters
Vyacheslav Timofeyevich Lukiyanchuk
Alex Ramsey Kari
Rebekah Anne Irvin
Mia Juniper Autumn
Sydney Anne Erickson
Max Vaughn Baugess
Bladen Boone Mitchell
Professor Lin said, “Applaud for these students for the hard work they put together to make this launch possible.”
Emperor Penguin launching during 2024 Spaceport America Cup.
Clark Aerospace rocket specs:
Spaceport America Cup team number: 19
Rocket name: “Emperor Penguin”
Length: 122 inches
Weight: 71 pounds
Professor Lin explained that each team must work efficiently and compete to launch their rocket as early as possible. Teams that launch during the first two days earn extra points. The Clark Aerospace rocketry team passed the safety check for their rocket on Monday, the first day of competition. They made the recommended changes on Tuesday, and had their rocket ready for launch on Wednesday, the event’s first launch day.
Launches are halted if the surface wind speed is higher than 18 miles per hour. Clark’s rocket was on the launch pad and ready to be launched when winds suddenly gusted up to 24 miles per hour, causing event officials to halt all launches until the wind calmed down. Five minutes later, launches resumed.
Professor Lin said, “The rocket’s M motor was armed, and after 5 to 8 seconds of delay, it took off beautifully, leaving a trail of black-brown smoke behind.”
She sent this email update to Clark faculty and staff: “Yesterday, we launched our rocket before a thunderstorm hit the launch area, destroying the majority of the tents, and halting the rest of the launches that day.”
She added, “As the team advisor, I want to share that our journey to complete this project has been challenging. I often describe my experience as riding a roller coaster. It is a significant achievement that we made it to this competition. Clark College’s rocketry team is the only community college competing in the 10K SRAD (Student Researched and Developed) category. Our students have put in tremendous time and effort to build this project, wandering through many failures before they can make this journey possible. They are proud and excited to represent Clark College in this competition.”
Fall 2023: A team of six Clark students, an advisor, and a mentor was organized by the Clark Aerospace program to build a rocket for the 2024 Spaceport America Cup. The team spent about six months building the rocket for the competition. After flight tests and modifications, they had a rocket ready for the competition.
Clark Aerospace stands next to their Emperor Penguin rocket at the launch pad.
April 19, 2024, in Corvallis, Oregon: First Static Test on a 4-grains SRAD (Student Researched and Developed) motor under the help and support from the Rocketry team from Oregon State University. The test was conducted using a structure assembled by our own students.
April 26, 2024, in Brothers, Oregon: First test launch of Clark Aerospace’s Spaceport America contender, Emperor Penguin in the central Oregon desert. Professor Lin said: “The rocket soared to an altitude of 7,200 feet before safely landing approximately 0.5 miles from the launch pad. Despite a glitch in the GPS system onboard the rocket, the team successfully located it utilizing a radio tracker, with an unexpected assist from a team member and her dog, who managed to find the rocket before the radio tracker.”
May 18-19, 2024, in Brothers, Oregon: Second Static Motor Test on a 4-grains SRAD motor that measured both pressure and thrust.
June 2, 2024, in Brothers, Oregon: Third Static Motor test of our SRAD 6-grain motor for the ERSA competition. Performed above expectations, with expected pressure and higher than expected thrust.”
June 19, 2024, in Las Cruces, New Mexico: At Spaceport America Cup: Clark Aerospace students successfully launch their rocket, Emperor Penguin.
Clark Aerospace
The next challenge for Clark Aerospace: Building their project to compete in the next Spaceport America Cup competition in June 2025. The team plans to make their own motor, build a six-inch diameter rocket, and compete in the SRAD (Student Researched and Designed) 10,000-foot category.
Interested in joining? Clark Aerospace is looking for interested Clark students to join them. No prior experience with rockets is required. Clark’s Aerospace Club actively participates in science, technology, engineering, and math-based experiential project/aerospace design competitions, and students also attend launch events, museums, and aerospace-related activities. Email Clark Aerospace at clarkaerospace1@gmail.com
About Spaceport America Cup
Spaceport America Cup is the world’s largest intercollegiate rocketry conference and competition held in Las Cruces, New Mexico annually in June at Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport. Spaceport America Cup is made possible by a partnership between Spaceport America and the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA).
The event showcases the technical prowess of thousands of the world’s most intellectually gifted college students centered around the field of intercollegiate rocketry. During the event, 36 awards were presented. The 2024 Spaceport America Cup winner was University of Maryland; runner up was Istanbul Technical University.
2024 Spaceport by the numbers
6,153 total participating rocketeers (77% male; 23% female)
152 teams
86 U.S. teams representing 35 states
66 international teams representing 6 continents
Teams represented 20 countries: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, The Philippines, Poland, Romania, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States
