Chef Aaron tastes all nine soups at the Battle of the Chefs fundraiser. Photo by Kim Hash of SHARE
Clark College’s own Chef Aaron Guerra competed in the Soup’s On Battle of the Chefs fundraiser for SHARE at Ilani Casino Resort in Ridgefield on Sunday, Oct. 15.
Chef Aaron was one of nine celebrity chefs who created a delicious soup for the event. Each chef prepared about 20 gallons of their soup, which was sampled by more than 800 soup tasters who lined up, bowls in hand. Everyone had an opportunity to vote for their favorite soup, bestowing the winning chef with the Golden Ladle. The winner was Chef Joe Reid, Hudson’s Bar & Grill for his beer cheese soup with rye croutons and brisket burnt end sausage.
Before the event doors opened, all nine chefs sat down for a soup tasting. Each voted for their favorite. They were not allowed to vote for their own soup. Chef’s Choice Award was a four-way tie between the chefs representing AC Hotels Marriott, Line & Lure Seafood Kitchen & Tap and Kuya’s Casa Kitchen. Heathen Brewing was awarded the top soup by the presenting sponsor.
Alas, Chef Aaron did not win the Golden Ladle Award this year, but his delicious corn and crawfish chowder was eaten up by appreciative soup tasters.
Chef Aaron used these ingredients: crawfish, butter, flour, white onion, fresh roasted corn, milk, heavy cream, bell peppers, red potatoes, celery, garlic, Italian parsley, green onions, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper, chives and bread croutons.
He said, “My team of students and I made everything from scratch with the freshest ingredients. We roasted ears of corn and made corn stock with the cobs and student-made croutons.”
It took a large volume of ingredients to make enough chowder for 800 people. Chef Aaron and his team used 24 pounds of crawfish meat. They roasted 40 pounds of corn on the cob, then cut a quarter of the corn from the cob and made stock from the cobs.
SHARE’s Soup’s On celebrity chefs and their soups:
Aaron Guerra, Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at Clark College prepared crawfish and corn chowder
Tanner Genck, AC Hotels Marriott prepared Deadpool’s chimichanga soup
Michael Garafolo, Heathen Brewing Feral Public House prepared Hulk’s smashed squash soup
Joe Reid, Hudson’s Bar & Grill prepared Guardians of the Gourmet beer cheese soup with rye croutons and brisket burnt end sausage
Fernando Martinez, Kuya’s Casa Kitchen prepared Levanta Muertos (revive the dead) soup
Ryan Ziegler, Line & Lure Seafood Kitchen & Tap prepared coconut chicken curry soup
Bobby Rasaphangthong, Nom Nom Restaurant & Grill prepared wonton soup
Brandon Edgerton, Wyld Pines Public House prepared lobster bisque
Left to right: Chef Aaron Guerra, Eric Morton, and Justin Lein from the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute.
About SHAREand its Soup’s On: Battle of the Chefs event:
SHARE’s Soup’s On event began in 2002 and originally was called Share-a-Bowl.
SHARE’s Executive Director Amy Reynolds said, “The event first began as a way for community members to better understand the experience people have each day when they wait in a ‘soup line,’ just as hundreds of our neighbors do each day at SHARE’s Hot Meals kitchen.”
She added, “SHARE has done incredible work in the community for the past 45 years and with so many people living outside and experiencing food insecurity, there is clearly much more work to do.”
SHARE provides food for all ages—including through its backpack program for kids, operates four shelters, provides rental assistance with case management to help clients secure affordable housing, and assists people living on the streets as well as those in risk of losing their home. Learn more here.
Queer Student Luncheon
Ty Stober, guest speaker at the Queer Student Luncheon (right) stands with Rosalba Pitkin and Clark College Peer Mentors who help host the event.
Vancouver Mayor Pro Tem Ty Stober was the guest speaker for the Fall Queer Luncheon on October 10 in the Penguin Student Lounge. The free event is presented each term by Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The luncheon is designed to create community for students who identify as queer and allies.
Stober is one of seven councilmembers for the city of Vancouver. He is Mayor Pro Tem, which means he serves as mayor in the mayor’s absence. He has served on city council for eight years.
Stober is also gay. He told the group that only 0.23% of elected officials nationwide identify themselves as LGBTQ.
“Our voices are radically underheard in politics,” he said, noting that he is the only LGTBQ elected official in a geographic area that includes six Washington counties. “I am standing here today so that students can see that representation in government is possible.”
Stober grew up in Canby, Ore., a conservative small town in Clackamas County. He was closeted in high school.
“I wanted so badly to fit in that I put on as good an act as I could of being straight,” he said. “I lived in constant fear that I’d slip up and be exposed.”
He graduated from Canby Union High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He earned his MBA at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“I was very, very closeted when I was in college,” he said.
After grad school he was working in Baltimore when he met the man who would become his husband. They have been together for 20 years.
Stober first got involved in politics in 2009, when as a citizen, he canvassed for passing Referendum 71, which legalized domestic partnership in Washington. It was the first statewide referendum in the U.S. that extended to LGBT people the rights and responsibility of domestic partnership.
In 2012 he chaired the organization that backed Referendum 74, which legalized gay marriage. It became law in 2012. He has been a Vancouver councilmember since 2015.
Stober encouraged Clark College students to get involved with local politics. There are opportunities to attend city council meetings in person or online. People also can send an email to all the councilors. Learn more about Vancouver City Council meetings here.
“If you don’t feel safe in our community as an LGBTQ person or as a person of color, come speak at city council,” he said.
Stober invited people to start by getting involved in Vancouver by providing public comment to a variety of community projects in an online community forum, BeHeardVancouver.
“You need to tell us what you want,” Stober said. “If you want affordable housing, say, ‘I want affordable housing.’ If politics interest you, reach out to me.”
Stober has a two-decade career in sales, marketing and operations, with leadership experience in medium-sized, publicly traded and entrepreneurial organizations. He last served as an energy efficiency program manager for an organization supporting all utilities in the Northwest.
Upcoming DEI events:
Students with Disability Luncheon, Tuesday, Oct. 24 at noon in PUB 161
Students of Color luncheon, Tuesday, Nov. 7 at noon in PUB 161
To learn more, visit the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’s website.
Ty Stober, Council Seat 5
Current Assignments and Certifications
National League of Cities: Vice Chair – Race, Equity and Leadership Council
National League of Cities: Board of Directors and Board Policy Committee
National League of Cities: First Vice President, LGBTQ+ Local Officials
National League of Cities: First Tier Suburbs Council – Past Chair
C-TRAN Board of Directors
Vancouver Strategic Planning Executive Steering Group
Vancouver Fire and Police Pension Boards
Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (alternate)
Metro Policy Advisory Committee (alternate)
SW Regional Transportation Council (alternate)
Association of Washington Cities Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership
National League of Cities University Bronze Certificate
Community Involvement
NAACP, Member
Photo: Susan Parrish/Clark College
Quality Matters Award
Dr. Kathy Chatfield has been recognized for her outstanding efforts toward improving digital learning at Clark College.
Chatfield, who leads the college’s eLearning and instructional design department, has received the Ron Legon Leadership Award for Quality Digital Education bestowed by Quality Matters and MarylandOnline. The award is reserved for singular contributors to the mission of continuous improvement in digital learning.
Quality Matters is an international leader for quality assurance in online and innovative digital teaching and learning environments. Chatfield is among five award recipients who have demonstrated an exceptional dedication to quality in digital learning.
Chatfield’s work of improving online experiences for students includes building sustainable quality assurance processes at the institutional level. Clark College began offering online classes in 2005. Online classes were the first to fill and the first to put students on a waitlist.
Quality Matters stated: “The Ron Legon award acknowledges the impact Chatfield’s leadership has had on faculty, staff, students and the educational landscape at large through her steadfast devotion to the pursuit of quality assurance.”
In their recognition, Quality Matters added: “Chatfield represents a strong voice at both the college and state levels, where she helps sustain support for the importance of quality standards in online learning. At Clark College, she works to maintain the culture of professional development she has built among the institution’s faculty. As a member of the Washington State eLearning Council, she has championed statewide adoption of effective policy on digital learning.”
“I am very honored to have been selected as the recipient of this year’s Leadership Award for Quality Digital Education,” Chatfield said. “The rigor and dedication to quality that is involved in education and peer-reviewed course design through the Quality Matters organization inspires us to always strive for better, stay on a path of continuous improvement and seek greatness in our students’ learning. I am proud to represent Clark College in this endeavor.” Chatfield will accept her award at a ceremony during the QM Connect Conference Nov. 5-8 at the Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. She has been asked to speak about what the award means to her.
“I’m diligently working on my speech,” Chatfield said. “My aim is to inspire others to leadership in eLearning and to recognize Clark College as being a leader, itself, in this field.”
Chatfield has served in higher education for 34 years at eight institutions. She has worked at Clark College since January 1995. She has taught part-time in person and online. She has served full-time in the eLearning and Instructional Design department since 2006.
About Quality Matters
Quality Matters is a global organization leading quality assurance in online and innovative digital teaching and learning environments. It provides a scalable quality assurance system for online and blended learning used within and across organizations. QM certification marks on courses or programs means they have met QM course design standards or QM program review criteria in a rigorous review process. Learn more at here.
McClaskey Culinary Institute
Professional Baking and Pastry Arts student work displayed at student showcase.
Every Clark College student enrolled in the Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program takes RBA’s certified journey exam as part of the curriculum expectations.
Are you an enthusiastic home baker who has perfected choux pastry, meringues, and macarons? Do you relax by binge-watching episodes of The Great British Baking Show starring judges Prue Leith and that persnickety Paul Hollywood? Baking enthusiasts have a rare opportunity to watch professional bakers complete rigorous baking tests in Clark’s baking kitchens in October.
Clark College’s Tod & Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute will open its baking kitchens to host two national tests for professional bakers October 20-22. The college’s Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program will host the Retail Bakers of America’s certified baker and certified master baker practical tests. This is the first time the college is hosting the test.
“Clark College is honored and excited to host Retail Bakers of America to our campus kitchen,” said Alison Dolder, professional baking and pastry arts instructor who leads Clark’s program. “We have a large viewing window in our kitchen, so anyone can come and watch the test.”
Clark College is one of only three RBA testing sites scheduled during this academic year. The others are the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Ill. Recent RBA exams were in New York, San Antonio, Palm Beach and Chicago.
Dolder worked with Marissa Velie, RBA certification and education director, to bring the national tests to the college’s baking kitchens.
“The RBA is always looking for great test sites across the country,” Velie said. “It was time for us to visit the West Coast and give bakers in that part of the country the opportunity to get certified. Having the exam at Clark College has been a long time in the making and we are excited to finally make it a reality. Clark College has everything required for a test site: ample space and all necessary equipment to host several candidates.”
View from the windows in the McClaskey Culinary Institute where you can watch the test. Photo courtesy of Buck Media
The Practical Test
The purpose of the certification program is to verify professional competency in the baking industry. The RBA has three levels of baking certification: certified journey baker, certified baker, and certified master baker. The test is open to any professional baker in the U.S. who qualifies to take the exam. US Foods and Bakemark donated ingredients for the test.
For the Certified Master Baker exam that will be administered at Clark College, bakers must have at least 10 years of industry experience and must pass a 200-question written exam before they can take the practical test. Velie will travel to Clark’s campus to administer the practical tests, which will entail 8 hours of production on both Saturday, Oct. 21 and Sunday, Oct. 22. Candidates will be provided with RBA recommended recipes but may choose to use their own recipes.
The judges for the exam at Clark College will be Lee Ann Adams, Bakery Development Manager at Sheetz in Claysburg, Penn. and Collette Christian, Chef Instructor for the online program at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. All RBA judges are Certified Master Baker professionals. Test results will be provided to candidates immediately following the exam.
“This is a great opportunity for our students to observe experienced bakers go through the rigorous process of the certified master baker exam,” Dolder said. “Someday, it could be them.”
Professional Baking and Pastry Arts student work displayed at student showcase.
About Clark College’s Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program
Clark College has offered professional baking education for more than 60 years. By blending a mastery of classic, fundamental techniques with the interpersonal and management skills needed in hospitality, the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at Clark College offers all the ingredients students need for a successful culinary career—competitive programs, a seasoned team of instructors, a state-of-the-art culinary facility and collaborative industry partnerships. Clark College offers two options for prospective bakers: a certificate of achievement in Baking and Pastry Arts Fundamentals and an associate of applied technology degree in Professional Baking and Pastry Arts Management. Learn more here.
About Retail Bakers of America
Founded in 1918, the Retail Bakers of America, a not-for-profit trade association, is committed to the success of the retail baking industry. Its certification program is recognized throughout the industry as a standard for excellence in skills and knowledge. Learn more here.
Columbia Writers Series
The college community and the public are invited to the Columbia Writers Series kick off its 2023-24 season with Sindya Bhanoo, recipient of the 2023 Oregon Book Award for Fiction. The free event begins at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19 in PUB 258 A-B.
Bhanoo is the author of the story collection SeekingFortune Elsewhere. She is the 2023 winner of the Oregon Book Award for fiction, the New American Voices Award and an O. Henry Prize.
Seeking Fortune Elsewhere was a finalist for the Pen/Bingham Award and longlisted for both the Story Prize and the ALA’s Carnegie Medal for Excellence.
A longtime newspaper reporter, Sindya has worked for The New York Times and The Washington Post. She lives in Corvallis, Oregon and teaches creative writing at Oregon State University.
The Columbia Writers Series was launched at Clark College in 1988, bringing local, national and international authors to the college and the region.
Other events featured during the 2023-24 series are:
Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 11 a.m.: Anis Mojgani, the tenth Poet Laureate of Oregon. A national and international poetry slam champion, his work has appeared on HBO, NPR and in The New York Times. He is the author of six books of poetry, the opera libretto Sanctuaries, a forthcoming children’s picture book and his latest collection, The Tigers, They Let Me.
Monday, April 29 at 11 a.m.: Andrew Leland. His debut book, The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight, about the world of blindness and figuring out his place in it, was published in July 2023 by Penguin Press. His writing has been published in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, McSweeney’s Quarterly, and The San Francisco Chronicle, and more. He is a former host and producer of The Organist, an arts and culture podcast for KCRW. He also has produced segments for Radiolab and 99 Percent Invisible.
TBD in May: Clark College literary week. A week of literary events both on and off campus to engage the college community and the Southwest Washington community.
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.
