Art faculty, students and community members gathered for the opening reception of the 2023 Art Faculty Biennial on September 28th at Archer Gallery. The exhibition of recent work by Art department faculty members provides an opportunity for Clark’s art faculty to show their work and to discuss their inspiration and their process one-on-one with students, faculty, staff, and the Vancouver community.
“We are excited to exhibit the work of our talented Clark art faculty,” said Kendra Larson, art professor and Archer Gallery director. “The variety of materials and approaches highlighted in this show mirrors the diversity of classes offered at Clark. We are lucky to have a vibrant community of very talented artists teaching here. This show celebrates that.”
Grant Hottle, art professor and chair of the art department, pictured above, talked about how anyone can appreciate art without having a personal conversation with the artist.
Standing in front of three of his oil on canvas paintings, he said, “People visiting the art show don’t have to have advance knowledge of art to understand what they see. Instead, their experiences with art, film, literature and music all inform their ability to enjoy art. I hope folks come into the gallery and think about what they’re viewing and come away with feelings and ideas that mean something to them, based on their own experiences.”
Pointing to his painting “After Claesz (Red Honor),” he said he was inspired by “Skull Still Life” by Pieter Claesz, a 17th century Dutch Golden Age painter of still lifes.
The show walk-through and artist talk will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 19th. The artwork will be on display from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and through November 2.
Kendra Larson, second from the right, is the current Archer Gallery director.
Clark College employees gathered on September 18 to kick off the 2023-24 academic year during Opening Day festivities at O’Connell Sports Center. During the event, the following staff members were recognized for their service to the college.
Years of Service Awards
Brad Avakian, vice president of human resources, presented the years of service awards to employees with 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of service by reading their names. Employees with service more than 25 years were invited to come to the front to receive certificates. All years of service awards also come with monetary compensation based on the number of years served.
5 years:
Foundation: Dan Palow
Human Resources: Carrie Ann Gallagher
Information Technology Services: Yaremy Clara
Instruction: Kyle Anderson, Michiko Anderson, Bryan Blehm, Gabriele Canazzi, Jennifer Capell, Virginia Davidson, James Demartini, Charlotte Derkacht, Jason Eversman, Tyler Frank, Monte Gantka, Dr. Douglas Harris, Shawn Henderson, Christina Howard, Nami Inoue, Rachel Irvin, Ryan Jeannet, Dr. Soohyon Ji, Dr. Alan Koenig, Sarah Kuzera, Martha Lewis, Robert Long, Lucas Martin, Petra Redinger, Samuel Robinson, Christina Smith, Brogan Sullivan, Heidi Summers, Elizabeth Van Buecken, Katarina Wallis, Dr. Michelle Walty, Patricia Witherspoon
NWACC: Alexandra Young
Operations: Zhong Chai, Cody Claassen, Kevin Damore, Bradley Hansen, Bellamy Holt, Jeffrey Kaliner, Daniel Lane, Christopher Layfield, Lindsey Mckim, Julia Perdue, Seumas Ross, Katlyn Simpson, William Thompson
Instruction: Dr. Roberto Anitori, David Benedicktus, Sascha Blocker, Bruce Elgort, Melanie Hendry, Grant Hottle, Garrett Hoyt, Deborah Jack, Chad Laughlin, Kenneth Luchini, Michael Ludwig, Sarah Luther, Dr. Nick Macias, Dr. Mika Maruyama, Natalie Miles, Deane Morrison, Kelly Pfeifer, Kristin Sherwood, Dawn Steele, Janice Taylor, Adriana Thomas, Caleb White, Beth Wulf
Student Affairs: Kimberly Blahnik, Jessica Hash, Kevin Thomas
15 years:
Instruction: Robert Abrahamson, Sheldon Atwell, Scott Bailey, Angie Bailey, Marci Bohac, Rebecca Boyer, Tammy Boyer, Tony Chennault, Cheryl Davenport, Michael England, Jason Herz, Dr. Philip Jones, Timothy Kent, Dr. Shon Kraley, Michelle Mallory, Kaye Manchester, Ruby Moore, Erika Nava, Ying Nollette, Michiyo Okuhara, Archer Parr, Joshua Patrick, George Salos, Nicoleta Sharp, Suzanne Southerland, Jennifer Ward, Kristin Woitte
Operations: Vickie Malcolm, Richard Nevis, Jennifer Shadley
Student Affairs: Marla Derrick, Dr. Sabine Falkenberg, Michelle Mussen
20 years:
Information Technology Services: Alan Logsdon
Operations: Brandi Roberts
Instruction: Aaron Campbell, Lisa Conway, Jill Darley-Vanis, Deena Godwin, Karina Gress, Dwight Hughes, Lynne Nolan, Sherry Smith, Samuel Triebs, Wayne Utehs
25 years:
Instruction: Grace Anukam, Dr. Marylynne Diggs, Mary Evens, Christine Krug, Kathleen Mitchell, Douglas Smith, Mitchell Sott, Jeanette Steinmueller
35 years:
Instruction: Dr. Kelly Fielding
Operations: Jonni Hattershide
Exceptional Faculty Awards
The award honorees were announced at Commencement in June and were honored at Opening Day.
Dan Alberghetti, Network Technology: A student wrote: “I was struggling to find a ‘place’ in the field. I often felt discouraged because some material wouldn’t click. But Dan encouraged participation, and stopped to give well-thought-out answers that helped us grasp the ‘why’ as well as the ‘how.’ The more I learned, the more excited I became about what I was learning. And I finally felt like I had a place and that I belonged.”
Dr. Jacob Funk, Music: A student wrote: “Dr. Funk creates an open learning environment to instill the joy of music in his students. He is fun to work with and a joy to sing with. His enthusiasm to help each student achieve their best voice is evident not only in class but also during concerts.
Chef Earl Frederick, Cuisine: A student wrote: “Chef Earl’s lectures include the history and exploration of different cultures through food. He is very attentive and conversational about how different people may have different dietary needs based on medical, cultural or religious protocols. My time with Chef Earl Fredrick has been very expansive, both in technical skill and professional development.”
Becky Herman, Dental Hygiene: A student wrote: “Becky goes above and beyond for us in the classroom. She provides us with many different ways to learn and encourages us to reach out should we need it. Her door is always open, and she is always willing to help those who need a little extra.”
Dr. Julian Nelson, English department: A student wrote: “As an adult learner from Ukraine, I really appreciated his flexibility and willingness to adapt to changing circumstances, always with care for individual student needs and my academic success. His supportive feedback and messages made me feel that he wasn’t some robot behind a screen, but a genuine human who cared for my wellbeing. This kind of human interaction motivated me in times when I felt depleted, confused or had anxiety.”
Michiyo Okuhara, Japanese language: A student wrote: “500 characters is not enough to describe Okuhara sensei and the impact she has on each of her students’ lives. I am extremely lucky to have her as a teacher and so many students feel the exact same way. Personally, I was taking an oral assessment when I messed up the sentence. She took the moment to teach me correctly, allowed me to study and retake my assessment. She uses constructive moments to build her students up instead of giving them a poor grade and moving on. We are lucky to have her.”
Exceptional Classified Staff Award
Cheryl Davenport, Library & Archives Para 4, Libraries: Cheryl realized that outdated, biased vocabulary in the online catalog’s subject headings, such as the biased subject headings describing the LGBTQIA+ community, does not reflect the college’s inclusive views. Thanks to her efforts, Clark Library now uses Homosaurus, an international linked vocabulary of LGBTQIA+ terms in our online catalog. This helps ensure the bibliographic records use subject headings representing the inclusive terminology used by the LGBTQIA+ community to describe themselves.
Jennifer Lea, Program Specialist 2, Business Division: During the pandemic lockdown, Jennifer took the lead in shaping our BASAM (Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management) program so it would meet requirements to move fully online. When that adversely affected our veteran students, she helped restructure the modality, so it met VA requirements and allowed our veteran students to receive their full funding.
Exceptional Administrative Exempt Award
Vanessa Watkins, Director of Entry Services: Vanessa was recognized for fostering a positive, collaborative, and supportive environment for her Entry Services team. She works behind the scenes to support and uplift her employees, which ensures they have a welcoming, supportive demeanor as they assist students and prospective students.
Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award
Ezekial Wells, Program Specialist 3, Workforce Education Services: Ezekial was recognized for his work making positive impacts for students by creating a welcoming environment, a safe, inclusive space and removing barriers for students so they can receive college and community support and move forward on their educational pathway.
After Dr. Edwards handed Ezekial his award, shook his hand, and led the staff in clapping, she said, “I am thankful to each of you. I am pleased to see our colleagues recognized for their tremendous work. Congratulations to all our award winners and our employees who have demonstrated their dedication to Clark College over the years.”
Opening Day 2023
Clark College employees gathered on September 18 to kick off the 2023-24 academic year during Opening Day festivities at O’Connell Sports Center.
Before staff entered O’Connell, they could stop by a Clark College Values table staffed by Student Ambassadors. They chose which of the values from the Strategic Plan they would like to focus on in their work this year, then attached the value card to a Clark lanyard. The six values are Social Justice, Partnerships, Innovation, Shared Governance, Continuous Improvement and Sustainability. Staff also could pick up a laminated pocket-sized Strategic Plan.
Student Ambassadors distributed college lanyards and values outside.
Inside O’Connell was a reunion atmosphere as faculty, staff, and board members reconnected.
The noise level rose in ever-increasing crescendos. The excitement was palpable. While staff members waited for the program to start, they:
Enjoyed coffee and bagels hosted by IQ Credit Union.
Stopped by the Clark College Foundation table to pick up an “O” Squad pin if they are donors.
Got a new staff photo taken by Jenny Shadley from Communications and Marketing.
IQ Credit Union provided sustenance.Foundation table at Opening Day 2023.Jenny Shadley took staff photo of ESL Professor Les Rivera of Transitional StudiesNursing Professor Angie Bailey chooses a lanyard and values card.
Welcome by Dr. Edwards
Wearing a blue baseball jersey with “Edwards” and the number “1” on the back, Dr. Edwards stepped up to the podium and welcomed staff to Opening Day. Dr. Edwards thanked IQ Credit Union for the morning refreshments. She also thanked Phi Theta Kappa students for organizing the school supplies drive, and faculty and staff for contributing to the drive.
Dr. Edwards introduced a video titled Penguin Executive Baseball that featured the college’s Executive Cabinet playing together as a team at Clark’s softball field. She talked about the importance of teamwork and working together to serve our students. Then she introduced her Executive Cabinet team members, who also sported baseball jerseys.
She announced two new funds Clark College Foundation is offering to our students:
Clark College Innovation Fund serves as a catalyst for groundbreaking projects and transformative ideas within our campus community. Examples of potential initiatives include student-faculty research expeditions and the development of cutting-edge curricula in high-demand fields.
Clark College Student Success Fund reinforces the college’s unwavering commitment to student success. It supports essential programs and wraparound services that have demonstrated a tangible impact on students’ well-being and educational achievements, such as financial advising, childcare assistance, rent relief, emergency grants, the campus food pantry, and transportation aid.
Dr. Edwards closed by saying, “Here we are, at the beginning of a new academic year. Next week, we will welcome a new cohort of students who have put their trust in Clark College—and all of us collectively—to help them step onto a path toward succeeding in their academic goals, their careers, and in life.”
She added, “I recently came across a quote by author Michael Hyatt who said, ‘You lose your way when you lose your Why.’ I’m focused on the importance of our work and our ‘Why’ – its value in our lives, for our students, our teams, and our community. Like me, I hope you will remain sure-footed in your reason for being here and that we create a Community of Care for each other. As we begin this year, let’s not forget the joy, passion, and dedication that led us to this work and to Clark College.”
ASCC 2023-24 President Emma Sturm introduced this year’s student government representatives.
Then she told her own story of being a returning student: “Coming back to Clark College has been one of the best decisions of my life so far. When I came back, I knew I wanted to be involved on campus and participate in clubs, which was something I hadn’t done the first time I had been at Clark.”
Board of Trustees Chair Cristhian Conseco Juarez spoke on behalf of the trustees: “We are committed to being a leader in inclusive excellence that strengthens the Southwest Washington community and is integral to our communities culturally, economic, and educational vitality. The hard and heart work that is done by our leadership team, faculty, and staff—all of you–contributes to making this tenet achievable. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank each of you for all you do and for making Clark College an inclusive and welcoming place for all.”
At the end of the program, Oswald led the way for a group photo taken by Jenny Shadley, who was situated in a high lift south of Scarpelli Hall, followed by a box lunch provided by Clark College Foundation in the courtyard by Anderson Fountain.
Opening Day is part of a multi-day orientation and training for faculty organized by the Clark College Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). The keynote address was given on Tuesday, September 19 by emareena danielles, who led work related to reducing harm, rebuilding trust in the educational system, and maintaining the humanity and dignity of students in the classroom. Danielles is the author of Building a Trauma-Responsive Educational Practice: Lessons from a Corrections Classroom.
Students connected with college and community clubs and resources at the Fall Student Involvement Fair.
Welcome Week kicked off Monday with the first day of fall term and the 2023-24 academic year. Parking lots were crowded as thousands of students returned to classrooms and labs across the main campus, at the Clark College Building at Washington State University Vancouver and also at Clark College Columbia Tech Center. Clark’s mascot, Oswald the Penguin, strolled the hallways and paused for photos with students, staff and faculty.
As on every first day, students had questions: Where is this class? Where is this building? Can someone help me? In Gaiser Hall and along campus walkways, students could stop at staffed tables to get directions to a building, have questions asked, or get a snack and information about available resources.
ASCC student leaders answered students’ questions at the Fall Student Involvement Fair.A student stops by the Student Activities Programming Board table to learn more about upcoming activities.A Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society student holds up one of the 116 backpacks PTK bought and filled for Clark students.
Gaiser Hall’s Student Center bustled with activity as students, staff, and faculty gathered for the Student Involvement Fair in Gaiser Student Center on Wednesday. Students had the opportunity to learn more about the college’s student clubs, programs, on-campus jobs and college and community resources. Students also connected with peers with shared interests—from building a rocket to drawing comics and much more.
At Clark’s ASCC student government table, student leaders answered students’ questions and shared information about getting involved with student government. Learn about ASCC here.
Students stopped by the Activities Programming Board table to learn about upcoming opportunities to connect with fellow students—including Bingo on October 2, Stuff a Sasquatch on October 9, and watch a free family night movie, “The Barbie Movie” with free pizza and soda, on October 18. Learn more here.
At the Phi Theta Kappa Student Honor Society table, PTK students distributed backpacks filled with school supplies to students who had requested them. Darci Feider said PTK received 133 requests for backpacks, and with help from faculty and staff, purchased and filled 116 backpacks for Clark students. This year, PTK students will volunteer with Penguin Pantry every month. Learn more about PTK here.
At the Columbia Writers Series table, English professors invited the college community to meet writer Sindya Bhanoo on Oct. 19.League of Women Voters volunteers encouraged students to register to vote.Members of the Korean Club participated in the Fall Student Involvement Fair on September 27.A student artist spread the word that The Igloo Clark’s annual comics magazine will publish in October.
At the Columbia Writers Series table, students learned about the literary series and an opportunity to meet 2023 Oregon Book Award Winner Sindya Bhanoo, author of the story collection, Seeking Fortune Elsewhere, on campus on October 19. Learn more here.
At the Igloo table, students picked up past issues of the art department’s annual comics magazine and learned that the 2023 Igloo will be distributed in October.
Clark Aerospace members show off their Little Penguin rocket.
At the Korean Club table students saw traditional clothing and learned what the club offers: K-Pop, K-Dramas, Korean food, history and much more.
At the Clark Aerospace table, students displayed their “Little Penguin” rocket they designed and built last academic year. Over the summer, some of the students competed in the world’s largest intercollegiate rocket competition in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Volunteers from League of Woman Voters Clark County encouraged students to register to vote. Were you born on or before November 5, 2006? Then you can vote in the March 2024 presidential primary election. Register to vote here.
With food prices rising, students talked with Clark County Food Bank volunteers to learn about food resources available in the community.
Clark College wants to ensure students know about and can access wrap-around services, including Penguin Pantry, Disability Support Services, Counseling and Health Center and more.
McClaskey Culinary Institute
Chef Sonny talking about kitchen garden for KGW-TV.
The kitchen garden that wraps around three sides of the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at Clark College is reaping a bountiful, colorful harvest for students to use in their recipes. There is still time to visit the garden before everything is harvested.
Students and instructors from both the Cuisine Management program and the Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program have been harvesting herbs, vegetables and fruit throughout the summer. This is the second year the garden has produced a harvest.
“The tomatoes are really coming in and the squashes are still producing,” said Chef James “Sonny” Demartini, a cuisine instructor who spearheaded the kitchen garden project with Fay Shorten, a stockroom attendant in the college’s food services department.
Clark College renovated its culinary space in 2017, thanks to a grant from the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Foundation. The blueprints included plans for culinary gardens around all three sides of the building, but there was no funding for a garden.
Demartini and Shorten did not let the lack of funding become a barrier to creating a kitchen garden for their students. They cleared otherwise unused space outside the building and created gardens including fruit trees, berries, herbs and vegetables.
Demartini is a Midwesterner who grew up immersed in gardening. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work. Sweat equity from Demartini, Shorten and many others laid the groundwork. Demartini made a list of everything they would need to get started.
The first step was recruiting a team of volunteers to get to work amending the soil, including adding nutrient-rich composted produce from the college’s kitchens. The culinary programs save all organic food scraps—from carrot tops to eggshells. Demartini feeds the scraps into a blue Landworks industrial wood chipper he converted into a food waste mulcher. Rather than waiting for many weeks for the food to become compost, it chops food waste into rich, organic matter that immediately can be worked into the garden soil.
Demartini credits the college’s hard-working grounds crew that has provided much labor, including revamping an irrigation system. Demartini and Shorten found ways to get products at no cost. This includes getting deliveries of bark chips from pear trees removed from Washington State School for the Blind. Demartini also pointed to a stack of pear logs that students will use to cure and smoke meats.
Chef Sonny inspects the food waste he turned into compost with a chipper.Chef Sonny harvests squash in the kitchen garden.Chef Sonny harvests squash in the kitchen garden outside McClaskey Culinary Institute.Chef Sonny during KGW-TV interview.Chef Sonny checks the nastirtiums planted in galvanized stock tanks.Chef Sonny being interviewed by KGW-TV.Chef Sonny adds nutrient-rich compost into the garden soil.Chef James Sonny Martini harvesting squash.
Not everything was free. About $8,000 in grant money was used to purchase some items, including the chipper, galvanized stock tanks they have repurposed as raised beds. Although some plants and seeds were donated, they also purchased others.
Concrete planters along the north entrance to Gaiser Hall—and just steps from the McClaskey Institute—are bursting with tomatoes, squash, peppers and an assortment of fragrant herbs, including sage, mint, rosemary, sorrel, lovage, parsley and chives.
Red grapes hang from the vines.
Hops grow high above the roof.
Thriving fruit trees include five different types of espalier apple and pear trees plus plum, quince and fig trees.
A dozen varieties of sunflowers, which have edible petals and seeds. These were harvested earlier this month.
Nasturtiums provide edible petals, a pretty garnish and an infusion in oils and vinegars.
An assortment of edible wildflowers also attracts pollinators to the garden.
Sunflowers and wildflowers in the garden facing Fort Vancouver Way.Hops have grown taller than the culinary building.Chef Sonny inspects the wildflowers that attract pollinators to the garden.
Shorten said that when she worked in the garden, the college community and the public stopped by to admire the garden.
“When I’ve worked in the garden, people always tell me how good it looks.” Shorten said. “The veterans on the other side of Fort Vancouver Way came over and told us how good it looks. One of the gals who works for ODEI brought us strawberry plants. It’s so nice to go out and sit with all the plants.”
Clark College has offered culinary education for more than 60 years. The Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at Clark College is the only public, accredited culinary program in the metro region that offers a two-year associate in applied technology degree. Clark’s program offers competitive programs, a seasoned team of instructors with real-world experience, a state-of-the-art culinary facility and collaborative industry partnerships. Learn more about Cuisine Management at Clark College here and Professional Baking and Pastry Arts here.
Clark hosts Sand Mandala Oct. 2-6
Clark College community, we hope you will stop by Cannell Library during the week of October 2-6 to observe Tibetan Buddhist monks constructing a sand mandala. It’s a rare opportunity for us.
Clark College will host Tibetan Buddhist monks as they construct a sand mandala in Cannell Library on the college’s main campus. This will be the third time monks have constructed a sand mandala on campus. Previously, mandalas were constructed at Clark College in 2012 and 2020.
All events are free and open to the community. They are co-sponsored by Clark College International Programs, Clark College Libraries, and Dharma Light Tibetan Buddhist Association of Vancouver. (See full schedule below.)
This project can be appreciated simply as a beautiful and intricate time-based art form. According to Tibetan Buddhist belief, a sand mandala is meant to create a profound experience of compassion for any who attend. The positive effects of a sand mandala construction are believed to radiate out over the entire region, blessing the environment and the beings therein, in an effort for world peace. The mandala is destroyed in the closing ceremony, as a lesson in the impermanence of all phenomena.
The opening and closing ceremonies will include traditional Tibetan Buddhist chanting and music.
The closing ceremony also will include meeting at the Grant Street Pier at Vancouver Waterfront Park (West Waterfront Way and Grant Street).
Anyone needing accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at (360) 992-2314 or (360) 991-0901 (VP), prior to the event.
View a video from the 2012 sand mandala construction on Clark College’s YouTube channel.
Venerable Lobsang Dawa will speak about the history and meaning of the sand mandala and the importance of compassion in daily life.
Mandala construction
• Monday, October 2, 12:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, October 3, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, October 4, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, October 5, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Friday, October 6, 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Closing ceremony with music
• Friday, October 6, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Procession to Columbia River at Grant Street Pier
• Friday, October 6, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Staff Development Days
Left to right: Wendé Fisher, Michelle Golder, Vanessa Neal, Tre Sandlin, Vanessa Bural, Alyssa Voyles, Parfait Bassalé, Dr. Karin Edwards, Andra Spenser, and Haley Tucker.
So much to learn—and so little time!
Perhaps those thoughts were repeated often by staff participating in Staff Development days on August 15 and 16.
Clark College employees spent two days learning together on campus during Staff Development Days. The annual event allows staff time to connect with other staff on campus, learn valuable skills, and share department information. The event formerly was called Teaching and Learning Days.
Six concurrent breakout sessions offered more than three dozen professional development opportunities focused on a variety of topics. New features this year included supervisor training series, micro learning sessions, and opportunities for department meetings.
Lighter, just-for-fun sessions included genealogy and propagating house plants. Many thanks to the staff members who painted colorful designs on 140 rocks during the summer. Before the event, the rocks were hidden around campus and staff were encouraged to walk the campus to search for rocks.
Many thanks to the staff who organized Staff Development Days: Alyssa Voyles, Vanessa Bural, Andra Spencer, Carolyn Stark, Degundrea Harris, Haley Tucker, Joey Hicklin, Lindsey Schuhmacher, Michelle Golder, Tre Sandlin, and Wendé Fisher.
Thanks to the bookstore for providing free ice cream treats on the second day that soared above 100 degrees.
Departments including Human Resources, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Disability Support Services, Entry Services, Transitional Studies, Facilities Services, and others presented overviews of their department’s focus.
In her welcome to staff, Dr. Edwards noted that Staff Development Days supports the connection to the college’s Equity-Centered Strategic Plan by reinforcing employee engagement, empowerment, and excellence. She also called attention to those people impacted by the recent devastating wildfire on Maui.
Alyssa Voyles, Director of Employee Equity and Engagement and one of the event organizers, said, “The goal of Staff Development Days is to provide opportunities not only for staff to participate in necessary trainings, but also to provide a space for folx to reconnect, take a step away from their desks to breathe, and get excited about the upcoming year.”
Alyssa added, “We felt that this year was a big success, with bonding over rock painting, packed sessions covering necessary Clark skills and knowledge, and people getting to spend time in person with colleagues they only ever work with on Zoom! And the free ice cream provided by the bookstore always helps.”
PPI training sessions were offered on subjects including antisemitism, DACA, equitable decision making and more.
Andra Spencer’s training, Combating Antisemitism: Understanding and Taking Action, was very well attended. She defined what anti-Semitism is, how it has evolved and is shown in contemporary expressions. By promoting empathy and fostering dialogue, the goal was to inspire participants to become active agents in combatting anti-Semitism and fostering inclusivity and allyship.
Andra Spencer, program manager in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, said, “The ODEI team is working to have our training sessions be both data-informed and shaped by feedback from the college community. Through feedback we have received through the Climate Survey and other venues, we have learned that antisemitism is an area Clark staff would like to learn more about. We were excited to provide this training for the first time and to see such a positive response! We continue to hear from attendees about the positive learning experience in this workshop and the new things they are still thinking about.”
So many people streamed into Rosalba Pitkin and Katia Quintero’s presentation about DACA that more chairs had to be brought from another room.
“We didn’t expect so many people to be interested in DACA,” said Rosalba.
She told the participants, “We thank you for coming and for your interest in helping these students. We hope that this presentation and others like it will help cultivate greater empathy and understanding for these students.”
Katia reminded participants that DACA applies not only to some Clark students, but also to some college employees.
Katia said, “It’s gratifying to have so many Clark employees interested in learning more about DACA and how it impacts not only our students, but also our employees.”
Staff gathered for morning coffee and chatting and later headed to the bookstore for free ice cream treats. A delicious lunch was provided on both days. Relaxing chair massage sessions were available, too.
To conserve resources, the conference did not provide disposable water bottles. Instead, staff members refilled their own water bottles at water-refill stations. Rather than the conference printing hundreds of programs, staff members were encouraged to access the online program or print their own program.
Keynote by Parfait Bassalé
The second day opened with an inspiring presentation by Parfait Bassale, immigrant, artist, reconciler, and belonging strategist. The musician and songwriter played his guitar and sang his original song, “Safe House.”
When he finished singing, he said, “I see you. I hear you. I’m with you.”
Then he talked about three levers of belonging required for people to feel connected, at work or in any group:
Connection/representation
Visible support and care
A sense of agency; a person feeling their voice matters and they are being heard
To create connection, he asked Clark staff members to ask these questions: “How do we create opportunities for connection and for our stories to come out? How do we show support and care for each other? How do we allow for more voices to be shared? How can I be more present?”
Later, on social media, Parfait shared a photo of him standing with Clark College staff: “What a gift it was to remind dedicated professionals that all it takes is one person to make the difference to produce an experience of belonging for another human being.”
Director of Guided Pathways and Partnerships, Rhianna Johnson, said Parfait’s presentation caused her to reflect about what it means to have a sense of belonging at work.
“To me, it means feeling seen, heard, and respected,” Rhianna said. “It means trusting that others have your back. People need training, guidance, and tools to excel in their roles. Folks feel a sense of belonging when they are confident in their position and understand how they fit into the bigger picture. It also means feeling included in the group.” Listen to Parfait Bassalé’s song here.
Safe Houseby Parfait Bassalé
Verse 1: I see you with a limp from afar I see all of you I am curious about you What has brought you this far? I have time. Do you?
Chorus: Where do wounded birds fly When they’re trying to survive? I have wondered this for a while now. Yeah. Where do wounded birds fly When they’re trying to survive? Will I be a safe house? A safe house.
Verse 2: I hear you. All these scars from before. I do have some, too. Tell me, how I can support you? Your story isn’t my truth. So, what needs have you?
Verse 3: I am with you. As you heal from these wounds.
You rekindle my youth. I will journey alongside of you As you grow wings anew. I will soar with you.
Safe House words and music copyright by Parfait Bassalé. Used with permission.
Getting to Know: Terri Anderson
Note: This is a new series to introduce the Clark College community to fellow college employees. We want to tell stories about what you do when you are not at work: hobbies, interests, travels, volunteer work. Did you volunteer at an elephant preserve over the summer? Walk the Camino de Santiago? Climb a mountain? Learn to sail or flyfish or make cheese? Send your ideas to ComMark@clark.edu.
You might know Terri Anderson, program coordinator for the college’s Dental Hygiene program. But did you know she ran in the Boston Marathon for the first time on April 17, 2023? Here’s a fun Q&A to learn more about Terri’s passion for running and her experience running the Boston Marathon.
Q: How long have you been running?
TA: I began running around 2001 after I joined a local gym, where I got into the sport of triathlon: swim, bike, run. I did triathlons for 17 years.
Q: What was your impetus to want to run in the Boston Marathon?
TA: A running friend had run the Boston Marathon for 14 years, but I wasn’t interested. Then as time went by, I started looking at bucket list items and got this crazy idea to qualify for the Boston Marathon with my friend. This spring I ran my first Boston Marathon, while she did her 15th.
Q: How do you qualify to run in the Boston Marathon?
TA: Certain marathons are qualifying races. They base your qualifying time on your gender and age. For me, I needed a 4:35 (4 hours, 35 minutes), but I wanted a cushion. I chose to go for a 4:20. I qualified with a 4:18 in the Newport, Oregon Marathon on June 4, 2022. I was very pleased. I got notified that I qualified and registered on the first day.
Q: What was your first marathon?
TA: My first two marathons were competing in Ironman Triathlons, competitions where you swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and then run a marathon, which is 26.2 miles. My first Ironman was in Penticton, British Columbia in 2011. I ran the Portland Marathon in 2013 to see if I could qualify for Boston, but I started out too fast and I hit the wall with five miles to go. I missed qualifying by five minutes.
I did a second Ironman in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in 2016. A serious bike accident in a timed trial race by Frenchman’s Bar Park in 2018 ended my road riding and my triathlons. Then I got more into running. That’s how my interest in running the Boston Marathon came about.
Q: This year’s Boston Marathon marked 10 years since the 2013 bombing at the marathon. What was that like?
TA: There were memorial presentations where the two bombs went off in 2013. We walked from our hotel to get to packet pick-up a few days before the race, and we had to walk past the finish line. When we saw how close one bomb was to the finish line, both my friend and I broke down.
Q: Were you nervous about running in the Boston Marathon?
TA: The day before the race, I started getting anxious. I’d heard about Heartbreak Hill between miles 20 and 21. My friend had run the Boston Marathon 14 times before, and said she gets nervous every year. My friend is Catholic. The day before the race, we went to a lovely, beautiful old church. The priest blessed us for our race the next day.
Q: Tell us about race day.
TA: The night before the race, we went to bed early. On race day, depending on your starting time, they bus you an hour to the start line, where you wait. My biggest concern was to not start too fast, to pace myself, because I had to run 26.2 miles. My pace goal was 10 minutes per mile, and I held to it. As you run, Boston residents come out to cheer you on. It’s Patriots’ Day there, a holiday. The cheering made me run faster, so I had to slow down. Then I started up Heartbreak Hill—and I made it!
Q: What was it like as you approached the end of the marathon?
TA: Right after Heartbreak Hill, at mile 22, my quads said, “Had enough. Don’t want to do this anymore.” It was a struggle. I forced myself to keep on pace. When I made that left turn onto Boylston Street—the finish line street—the sound of the crowd was deafening. I felt the energy. It almost seemed like the street was vibrating. I sped up. Passed people.
Once you cross the line, they have you walk several blocks, so the runners crossing the finish line don’t cause a bottleneck. Someone gave me a bottle of water. Someone else gave me a space blanket. That night, we joined other marathoners at The Black Rose, a local Irish pub for a post-marathon tradition. We all wore our medals. It felt very ‘Boston.’
Q: It was your first trip to Boston. What were the highlights?
TA: We arrive several days before the marathon to explore Boston. We went to a lot of great restaurants and ate a lot of delicious Italian food! Those people in Boston know how to eat. We ate a lot of pasta and salads every day before the race. On race day, I wasn’t hungry. The day after the race, we had lobster rolls.
Our hotel was right on Boston Harbor very near to the Boston Tea Party Museum. We walked everywhere. Never took a taxi. Boston Commons was beautiful. We walked along part of the Freedom Trail. We saw the Paul Revere statue near Old North Church.
Q: Will you run the Boston Marathon again?
TA: For me, it’s a one-and-done experience. It’s quite costly: airfare, meals, and hotel for five nights.
Q: What’s next for you?
TA: Three of us have qualified for the New York City Marathon, and we hope to run in November 2024. I’ve never been to New York and have only seen it in movies and TV. The route starts on Staten Island and you run through all five boroughs. The race ends in Central Park in Manhattan. My friend, Anita, tells me that the New York Marathon is not as difficult as the Boston Marathon.
Q: What advice would you offer to someone who would like to start running, but doesn’t know where to begin?
TA: It’s never too late. I was in my 40s when I started running and doing triathlons. I got involved through my gym. Find a running group or a running club that has running events. I got my advice from people I met at the gym. Start small. Jog and walk to build up your endurance and lung capacity. I only know one or two people who run alone. I need friends to hold me accountable to do a 15-mile run at 7:30 in the morning. I have lifetime friends from running. It’s been an amazing experience.
Spaceport America Cup
Four Clark Aerospace students carry their Little Penguin rocket to the launch pad at Spaceport America Cup.
The Clark Aerospace team launched its rocket, Little Penguin, at Spaceport America Cup competition in Las Cruces, New Mexico in June. It is the world’s largest IREC (Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition) for student rocketry teams.
Nearly 6,000 rocketeers on 158 teams hailing from 24 countries competed at Spaceport. Clark College was the only community college accepted to participate in the competition.
Xiunu “Sophie” Lin, Ph.D., Professor of Physics and Director of Clark Aerospace Program, shared the team’s video with college staff in an email: “I’m excited to share a brief video that showcases the Clark Aerospace rocket team’s incredible journey to the 2023 Spaceport America Cup competition. This video provides a glimpse into our experience at the event and offers valuable insights into our participation.”
Watch the team’s video about their experience at Spaceport America Cup Competition here.
Read an earlier Clark 24/7 News story about the team’s rocket test launch in April here.
Fall and winter: Building the rocket
In October 2022, a team of six Clark students, an advisor, and a mentor was organized by the Clark Aerospace program to build a rocket for the 2023 Spaceport America Cup.
Clark College Aerospace rocket team:
Students Tyler James Lawrence, Samuel Remus Banceu, Ethan Lloyd Walters, Vyacheslav Timofeyevich Lukiyanchuk, Osvaldo Monroy, and Vee Dunn
Mentor Jack Caynon, who guided and supported the team from beginning to end
Xiunu “Sophie” Lin, Ph.D., Professor of Physics and Director of the Clark Aerospace Program
Rocket specs:
Name: “Little Penguin”
Length: 114 inches
Diameter: 5 inches
Weight: 39 pounds without a motor
The team spent about six months building the rocket for the competition. After several flight test failures and rebuilds, eventually, they had a rocket ready for the competition.
Image from test flight in April, Sophie Lin pictured second from the right in the hat.
Spring: Test flight
Every spring, the college’s Aerospace program travels to the scrappy sagebrush landscape of Brothers, Oregon, a premier launch site for high-altitude rocket projects, 40 miles east of Bend to launch their rockets in test flights.
Clark Aerospace launched their rocket, dubbed “Little Penguin” on April 28 using an M1845 motor. According to the team’s simulations, the rocket with that motor could potentially reach a high point of about 16,000 feet (called “apogee” in rocket lingo).
Little Penguin launched—and reached an apogee of about 12,000 feet, but the team quickly lost sight of it. Several hours later, the team located their rocket 11 miles from the launch site. It was banged up and hadn’t held up as well as they’d hoped.
Dr. Lin said, “After the flight test at Brothers, we had to rebuild some parts of the rocket to make it stronger.”
Spaceport America’s Cup
Day 1 (June 18), Arrival:
Clark Aerospace team flew to Las Cruces, New Mexico, and checked in at Spaceport. One Clark Aerospace student observed: “It was thrilling to finally meet so many young rocketeers who share the same passion and dream we have about space and technology.”
Day 2, Project Presentation:
Clark Aerospace showcased their rocket at Las Cruces Convention Center. The team’s rocket attracted much attention. Next, the team took their rocket through the flight safety review. Eventually, they were granted permission to fly the following day.
The night before the launch, students worked in the garage of the Airbnb house to correct some minor issues identified during the flight safety review. Together, they prepared the rocket for the next day’s launch.
Day 3, Scheduled Launch Day:
Students worked on the rocket to earn the opportunity to launch the rocket on the first day and accumulate more points. They took the rocket to the flight readiness safety inspection, where the launch control officer reviewed their rocket. It passed the final safety check. They were cleared to take their rocket to the launch site.
Unfortunately, strong winds picked up in the late afternoon. All launch events were suspended. Little Penguin would have to wait another day to fly.
Day 4, Second Launch Day:
The students awoke at 3 a.m. and lined up at the gate of the launch site at 6 a.m. Building their rocket in the early morning light, Clark Aerospace was in the first group of teams to set up the tent and work on their rockets.
One student said, “We were trying all we could to earn an edge to compete with the four-year universities. There is not much difference between us and the students from four-year universities, as long as we are willing to work as hard, or even harder than them.”
Just like the previous day, they lined up for the flight readiness safety inspection. They were given the green light to take their rocket to the vertical launch site, where they set up their rocket. Then they settled into the bleachers to watch Little Penguin fly.
The launch site announcer said: “We’re looking at Clark College. This is a community college. It’s good to see community colleges participate. You don’t have to be a major Division 1 school. You just need students who have the passion and interest, a little bit of support from the community and the school. Clark Aerospace is launching from Pad B3. Skies are clear. LCO (launch control officer) is counting it down. Launching in 5-4-3-2-1!”
The rocket lifted up. For this flight, the team had attached an M1419 motor. The rocket reached an apogee of 8,529 feet. Little Penguin was recovered about 200 feet away from the launchpad, a new record for the rocket team.
Dr. Lin said, “Our program’s projects offer a valuable chance for students to voluntarily step up and take on responsibility, enabling them to delve deeper into their true potential and explore the possibilities of who they can become.”
Spaceport America Cup by the numbers:
5,913 rocketeers participating
158 teams
1,329 (22%) of participants were women
Students hailed from 24 countries on 6 continents (Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Nepal, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States)
Next challenge: Spaceport 2024
The next challenge for Clark Aerospace: Building their project to compete in the next Spaceport America Cup competition in June 2024. 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.
Clark’s food pantry for students marks its fifth anniversary in July. Penguin Pantry had a soft opening on July 24, 2017, and an official grand opening on October 25, 2017.
Penguin Pantry supports a healthy college community by reducing hunger and food insecurity on campus and connecting students with essential resources. Over the past five years, the pantry has become an important resource to help Clark College students stay on the path to graduation. The global pandemic, inflation, and skyrocketing prices have created more barriers for students trying to stay in school and complete their degree.
Director of Student Life Sarah Gruhler, who supervises Penguin Pantry, says it is helping to ease the financial burden of students.
“The Penguin Pantry was created to address student hunger at Clark,” said Gruhler. “The goal is to provide support for students’ basic needs and serve as a bridge to campus and community resources. We want students to persist to graduation and goal completion – and know the pantry can help with this.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, food banks nationwide have witnessed sharp increases in the number of people facing food insecurity and accessing emergency food aid. This correlates to significant increases in the cost of food, housing, fuel, and utilities.
Clark County Food Bank reported an increase in food insecurity since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Clark County Food Bank provided food to more than 23 percent of the population of Clark County.
In 2021, 40% of students at community and technical colleges nationwide were food insecure, according to the Seattle-based nonprofit organization Northwest Harvest.
In 2017 when the Penguin Pantry opened, almost half of Clark’s student body was classified as lower income, according to data from the college’s Office of Planning & Effectiveness
In 2018, campus-wide surveys indicated that 43% of Clark students were low-income and 23% had dependent children.
Any currently enrolled Clark College student may access pantry services simply by filling out an online form on MyClark@Clark. Food is distributed once per month, usually on the last Tuesday of the month.
Before the pandemic, students shopped for food by walking into the Penguin Pantry inside the Penguin Union Building. But the COVID pandemic changed the delivery model to a no-contact, seamless curbside pickup system on the side of Gaiser Hall off Fort Vancouver Way. That delivery method continues today. Students make appointments to pick up their food, pull their car into the lot, pop their trunk, and staff and volunteers load the food box into the trunk.
Clark College/Susan Parrish
Penguin Pantry Q & A with Sarah Gruhler
Q: How much food does Penguin Pantry distribute during an academic year?
During the 2022-23 academic year the pantry has served:
511 Individual students
1,863 family members of students
1,243 boxes of food distributed
28,630 pounds of food distributed
SG: Each month the pantry also offers a bonus item – either toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, and deodorant), laundry soap, or toilet paper and a gift card to Fred Meyer or Safeway.
Q: What are the most popular items?
SG: The items we hear most about are our bonus items like laundry soap and gift cards. Students express a lot of thanks for those items.
Q: Where does Penguin Pantry get its food?
SG: Thanks todonations from community partners, we purchase shelf-stable items from Costco and get supplemental items as we can from Clark County Food Bank.
Q: Is the pantry paid for by donations?
SG: Yes. Other than staffing, Penguin Pantry is supported by donations. Faculty and staff are our main contributors, through monthly contributions and during our annual Thanksgiving meal drive. Anyone can donate via Clark College Foundation.
Upcoming Penguin Pantry distribution:
Tuesday, August 29
Tuesday, October 24
How students can request a monthly pre-packaged food box:
By mail: Mail your check/money order to: Clark College, Attn: Cashier’s Office (PUB 153), 1933 Ft. Vancouver Way. Write the check to “Clark College” and write “Penguin Pantry” in the comments area.
