Penguins fly!

Or rather, one “Little Penguin” rocket flew on April 28, with the help of four Clark Aerospace students.

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. Their mission: Launch the rockets they have built during the academic year.

Clark’s team arrived in two cars filled with rockets, tools, four students, and Xiunu “Sophie” Lin, physics professor and director of Clark’s Aerospace Program.

First, student Tyler Lawrence launched his rocket, and it was safely recovered. This achievement marked Tyler’s L1 High Power Rocket Certification.

Great outcome!

Next, the team launched their rocket, dubbed “Little Penguin,” which is 12 feet long, 5 inches in diameter and weighing about 45 pounds. According to the team’s simulations, the rocket with an M-1939 motor could potentially reach a high point of about 16,000 feet (called “apogee” in rocket lingo).

Little Penguin: All Systems Go!

Following a simple countdown, the team launched Little Penguin around 5 p.m. Wow, did that Little Penguin fly!

Professor Lin said, “It took off with tremendous power, producing a shock wave that could be felt 500 feet away from the launch site. The rocket soared straight into the blue sky with a beautiful straight line before disappearing.”

After a rocket is launched, it’s crucial for the team to follow its trajectory visually, so they later can find where it lands. When they lose sight of a rocket, the team uses a radio receiver to follow the signal of a radio tracker attached to the rocket’s nose cone.

But the signal they picked up was weak, indicating that the rocket must have drifted far from the launch site. The students, Professor Lin and the team’s mentor, Jack Caynon started driving, and stopping every few minutes to check the signals and direction before driving forward.

After driving for an hour or two, they eventually picked up a stronger signal. It came from a sagebrush-covered field behind a barbed wire fence. The sun had already set. The team crawled beneath the fence and walked uphill for a mile, where they found Little Penguin 11 miles northeast of the launch site.

Little Penguin broke Clark’s record

Keith Stansbury, the prior director of the college’s Aerospace program, said “an 11-mile recovery is a record for Clark. Eleven miles and we got it back! Phenomenal!”

“Recovering the rocket 11 miles from the launch site is almost a miracle,” said Professor Lin. “The recovery may not have been successful on our very first flight test, but we collected our first set of flight data to analyze and improve our rocket for future flights.”

The team examined the errant Little Penguin and discovered that an insufficient weld led to the bulkhead detaching from the fin cans, causing the rocket to drift in strong winds. The team plans to scrutinize the flight data to glean further insight.

Their next mission: competing at the SpacePort America Cup competition, the world’s largest intercollegiate rocket engineering conference and competition, held June 19-24 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

“Our students learned good lessons from this flight,” said Professor Lin. “The perseverance they showed during the search of the rocket was impressive and amazing. As a team, we are determined to fail as many times as necessary before we can succeed at the SpacePort America Cup competition.”

Watch the Rocket Launch.
Photos by Carla Caynon, courtesy of the Rocket Club.

Archer Gallery was buzzing as dozens of student artists stood in front of their creations and talked to art appreciators about their work.

The opening reception and awards ceremony for the Art Student Annual exhibition of Clark College art students drew students, faculty, staff, family members and the community.

Although the gallery’s student art show returned to an in-person event last year, it was subdued. This year, it was noisy. The space was filled with conversations and people connecting over art.

“This is the first student art exhibit that feels like we’re back,” said Grant Hottle, art department chair. “We have an astonishing level of work here. Our art faculty are great. We have an extraordinary group of students who work hard.”

There were 150 submissions of student work for this year’s show; 65 pieces were chosen, said Archer Gallery Director Kendra Larson. Students created their work in the past year. Their art professors curated the work.

“The strength and breath of this artwork reflects the hard work, dedication, and unique voices of our amazing Clark Students,” said Larson. “It was a fun celebration of all the art students and their hard work.”

Artwork will be on display from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday until the closing reception on June 9.

Awards prizes were provided by Blick Art Materials, Georgies Ceramics and Clay, Gamblin Paint, Clay Art Center, PICA, McClain’s Printmaking, Collage, ProPhoto Supply, and Blue Moon Camera and Machine.

Award Winners

The awards juror was Prudence Roberts, writer, curator, and art historian. Here are her choices:

• Most Ambitious – Samantha Garcia Ortiz, for “Wine & Cheese Glasses Master Study”
• Solo Show Award – Lissette Torson
• Most Poignant – Syd Ness, for “Self Portrait”
• Best in Photography – Richard Cole, for “This Too shall Pass”
• Second in Photography – Tahnee Calderon Hernandez, for “Win a Prize”
• Third in Photography – Julia Smook, for “Lab”
• Best in Drawing – Colin Johnson, for “A Quiet Place”
• Second in Drawing – Chelsie Cannon, for “10 things I Thought Were Good Ideas at the Time”
• Best in Painting – Lissette Torson, for “Growth”
• Second in Painting – Juan Carlos Garcia, for “Civilization”
• Best in Ceramics – Denise Ostlund, for “Beyond Belief #2”

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish

The Penguin Student Lounge looked and smelled like a delectable bakery as second-year students in Clark’s Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program displayed their creations as part of their capstone project. 

In the first portion of the capstone project, two professional bakers from Portland served as judges in a closed-door session. Greg Mistell, owner, Fleur De Lis Bakery & Café and Josh Svenhard, manager, Eurobake Bakery examined all the baked goods, asked students questions about their techniques and ingredients—and then the judges tasted everything. Fans of “The Great British Baking Show,” know the drill.  

After the judging, it was time for tasting. About 20 people waited outside the lounge in anticipation. When Alison Dolder, Professional Baking and Pastry Arts instructor, unlocked the doors, people made a beeline to tables where five second-year baking students had set up mouth-watering displays of their baked goods.  

Students spent five weeks preparing and baking for their capstone projects. Sometimes the baked goods didn’t come out right, and the student tried again.  

Looking around the room, Professor Dolder said, “They did a nice job. It was good for them to hear from industry professionals who aren’t their instructors.” 

Students have spent two years in the program and will earn an Associate in Applied Technology degree in Professional Baking and Pastry Arts Management. 

May 3 was the students’ last day of class. Next, students get hands-on work experience immersed in internships in professional bakeries in the community. During the five-week internships, students must work a minimum of 24 hours per week. Some will work more. Another student completed his capstone project earlier so that he could travel to Spain for his internship. 

Baker Kenzie Wallers will be doing her internship at Papa Haydn. “I’m excited,” she said. “I’ve already been hired to work full time.” 

Baking changed their lives 

Some students pursued baking right out of high school while others followed other careers but chose baking. 

McKenzie Cullen was a youth librarian before the pandemic. Although she enjoyed her job, she said, “COVID made me rethink what I’m doing with my life. I love baking!” 

Carolyn Nance, 35, said, “I’ve been dreaming about being a baker for a long time. These have literally been the best two years of my life. Clark’s program is even better than I expected.” 

Meet the Bakers: 

McKenzie Cullen 

Capstone focus:  Viennoiserie (laminated doughs) including puff pastry apple turnover, chocolate chip Schnecken croissant, puff pastry palmier, puff pastry vol au vent 

Internship:  Gluten Free Gem, Portland 

Allyson Hartwig 

Capstone focus:  Artisan bread including Nutella raspberry Babka (sweet braided bread), baguette, Winston knot and butter rolls 

Internship:  Di Tazza Gourmet Coffee and Café, Vancouver 

Anna Kakorin 

Capstone focus:  Individual desserts including opera cakes, raspberry vanilla cream puffs, Prinsesstårta (Swedish princess cake), orange creamsicle éclair, and Medovik (Russian summer honeycake)   

Internship:  Chandelier Bakery, Vancouver 

Carolyn Nance 

Capstone focus:  Artisan breads including baguette, pan bread, ciabatta and braided brioche 

Internship:  Forevers Bakery, Hazel Dell 

Kenzie Wallers 

Capstone focus:  Individual desserts including cream puffs, eclairs, mousse bomb, tiramisu, profiteroles and caramel cascade 

Internship:  Papa Haydn, Portland 

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish

Clark College Engineering Professor Carol Hsu is an immigrant, a woman of color, and a pioneer of sorts who pursued a mechanical engineering degree at a time when only 10% of engineering students were women.

But did you know she’s also an avid gamer who plays World of Warcraft?

Professor Hsu talked about these things and more when she spoke to more than 70 Clark College students, faculty and staff at the Spring Student of Color Luncheon on April 25.

The free event is presented each term by Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Multicultural Student Affairs. It provides opportunities for students to be encouraged by inspiring stories, meet faculty and new friends, consider different career paths, and identify community resources and potential mentors.

Professor Hsu shared her story and her lessons learned and shared tips to help students navigate college. She grew up in Taiwan, where she attended school seven days a week. When she was in high school, her family emigrated to Houston, Texas. She didn’t speak English, but thanks to her high school’s ESL classes, she learned.

Recognizing her aptitude to working with her hands, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. Before her teaching career, she was an engineer at various companies including Chevron, Motorola and Hewlett-Packard. In her work, she traveled to many countries and experienced diverse cultures.

Now in her 13^th year of teaching at Clark, she also co-directs NERD Girls and other STEM outreach in the community.

She encouraged students to “find opportunities whenever possible. Get involved.”

Professor Hsu’s advice to students:

• Design is a process. It takes a team.
• Join clubs on campus and get involved to make connections.
• Get to know your professors, who know about opportunities and can write recommendation letters.
• Join a study group and make friends; encourage each other to keep going.

Her words of wisdom:

• “If you tell me ‘no,’ I’m going to show you that I can.”
• “Your reputation follows you, so do a good job.”
• “There’s nothing you can do about the past, but you can change the future.”

Fun Facts about Professor Hsu:

• She is an inventor who holds two U.S. patents.
• She is an avid gamer. In World of Warcraft, she is a warlock.
• She commutes to campus via bus and listens to audiobooks; she has listened to 377 audiobooks.
• Her favorite genre is fantasy; favorite authors include Brendon Sanderson and Neil Gaiman.

Photo: Clark College/Susan Parrish

A fun day of learning

Clark College welcomed dozens of employees’ children—from toddlers to teens for Take Your Child to Work Day on April 27. It was the first time this fun family event returned to campus since 2019 before the pandemic.

Cath Busha, Dean of Student Engagement, who led the event organization, said employees were excited to bring the event back to campus and to give young Penguins an opportunity to do hands-on activities and see the campus where their parents work. Many employees volunteered to create and coordinate the busy day of activities.

Busha’s son, Oliver, 10, listed a slate of activities he’d already enjoyed: scavenger hunt, guessing the number of penguins, getting a cookie from the bakery, and then, it was time to get to the STEM Building for more fun—building an apparatus to sustain a 40-foot drop and going on a walk to learn about bees.

Anina Peethala, 11 and her sister Avina, 7, were in the Bookstore with their father, Sudha Frederick, Vice President of IT. The girls were trying to guess how many penguins were in the clear plastic bin far over their heads. They had already enjoyed their treats from the bakery and visited the gym.

Genevieve Layfield, 7, was hanging out with her dad, Chris Layfield, after she made a photo badge that she wore proudly around her neck on a Clark College lanyard, just like her dad’s.

In the gym of O’Connell Sports Center, Katie Massey, an ASL interpreter who works in Disability Support Services, recorded a video on her phone while her sons, Brody Massey, 11, and Cooper, 9, shot hoops with their new Clark-branded basketballs. Later they blew bubbles in the courtyard outside of the bakery.

Later children lined up to get their photos taken with Oswald, Clark’s mascot.

A great time was had by all. 

The slate of activities included:

• Free photo badges at Security. Thanks to Guided Pathways!
• Penguin Guessing Game in the Bookstore: Two winners took home a stuffed penguin. Free lanyards for kids’ photo badge. Thanks to the Bookstore!
• Pick up free Clark-branded basketballs and shot hoops in the O’Connell Sports Center gymnasium. Thanks to Athletics!
• Free treats from “apprentice bakers” in the food court. Thanks to HR!
• Practice conversation with Spanish, Japanese, or ASL tutors in the Tutoring Center or learn to write their name in a new language
• Guided campus tour led by a student ambassador
• Self-guided campus scavenger hunt
• Built LEGO creations, played games or made a zine at the Teaching and Learning Center
• Gravity Falls – An engineering project in the STEM Building led by professors Tina Barsotti and Carol Hsu. Children designed, built and tested an apparatus to safely deliver candy dropped 40 feet onto a target below.  
• Bee Walk with Professor Steven Clark, Bee Campus Project Manager and Biology Instructor, on the ground outside the STEM Building
• Selfies with Oswald, Clark College mascot in Gaiser Hall
• Story time and zine-making in Clark College Libraries 

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish

Author Cecily Wong will speak about her work on Tuesday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to noon in Penguin Union Building 258. This free public event is part of the Clark College Columbia Writers Series.  

Wong is the author of three books. Her debut novel, Diamond Head (Harper, HarperCollins), was a Barnes & Noble’s Discover Great New Writers Selection, recipient of an ELLE Readers’ Prize, and voted a best debut of the 2015 Brooklyn Book Festival.  

Her latest novel, Kaleidoscope (Dutton, Penguin Random House) was published in July 2022 to rave reviews. Wong is also the co-author of The New York Times bestseller Gastro Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to Food (Workman Publishing). 

Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The LA Review of Books, Self Magazine, Bustle, Atlas Obscura, and more. She has spoken at book festivals across the country and was keynote speaker at the Hawaii Book and Music Festival.  

A graduate of Barnard College, Wong spent 13 years living in New York. She now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter.  

Upcoming Writing/Literary Opportunities at Clark: 

• Clark’s Spring Writing Workshop is Saturday, May 20. It will be an in-person event featuring a variety of speakers and workshops. Learn more here.  
• The Swift: Clark College Literary Journal 
• Learn more about Columbia Writers Series at www.clark.edu/cc/cws. 
• More events are planned for the week of May 15—look for announcements about the Subtext Literary Festival.

Photo: Heather Hawksford

Clark College celebrated its annual Sakura Festival on April 20. Rain and cool temperatures moved the community event from underneath a canopy of cherry blossoms to inside Gaiser Student Center. The event was presented by Clark College, the city of Vancouver and Vancouver Rotary.

Clark’s Sakura Festival honors the historic ties of friendship between the sister-cities of Vancouver, Washington and Joyo, Japan. Sakura, or cherry blossoms, are the national flower of Japan. Sakura represents a time of renewal and optimism.  

Clark College President, Dr. Karin Edwards welcomed the community and shared highlights from a trip representing the college in a delegation that visited Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan in March.  

Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnery-Ogle shared the history of the college’s grove of cherry trees and read a letter from Mayor Toshiharu Okuda of the City of Joyo, Vancouver’s sister city. Consul General Yuzo Yoshioka, representing the Japanese consul in Portland, explained that the arrival of the first cherry blossoms in Japan is a big story in Japanese media.  

The entertainment opened with a koto performance by Shigemi Getter, dressed in a traditional kimono, and followed later by Clark College Treble Ensemble under the direction of Jake Funk performed “Sakura” and “Travelin’ Train.” The college’s Japanese Club presented a kimono fashion show. Camas Kendo Dojo demonstrated kendo, a modern Japanese martial art using bamboo swords and protective armor. Portland Shishimai Kai performed the traditional celebratory lion dance of Tokyo, the Edo Kotobuki Jishi.  

A variety of other offerings included early childhood education student art showcase, exhibits including ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) demonstration by Miwa Satoh of Ohara School of Ikebana, a tea ceremony, lessons on using chopsticks to pick up a grain of rice and more. Refreshments of tea and cookies intricately decorated with Sakura blossoms were provided by the college’s Professional Baking & Pastry Arts students.

Some braved the rain to visit the grove of blossoming cherry trees in the Royce Pollard Japanese Friendship Garden at the southwest corner of campus.

PenguinsGive at Sakura Festival

PenguinsGive, Clark College Foundation’s 24-hour fundraising event also was on April 20. At the Foundation’s table at Sakura, members of the O Squad, Clark’s employee giving committee, visited faculty and staff about contributing $90 to support Clark students in celebration of the college’s 90^th anniversary. The Foundation offered free coffee and smoothies at the IQ Credit Union coffee cart.

History of Clark College Sakura Festival

Over 30 years ago, the City of Vancouver received a gift of friendship: 100 Shirofugen cherry trees. They were planted at Clark College, creating an enduring reminder of the bonds between our region and Japan. Over the years, additional cherry trees were added to the college’s Royce Pollard Friendship Garden, including 200 trees gifted by SEH America were planted campus wide. The trees have grown and blossomed—as has that friendship, creating traditions like establishing a sister-city relationship between Vancouver and Joyo, Japan, in 1995 and our annual Sakura Festival in 2006.

Learn more about the history of the Sakura Festival.

View more photographs from the event on our Flickr page.

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

More than 125 people attended the Black Student and Family Fair in Gaiser Student Center on April 15. Although most students were of high school age, middle school and elementary students also attended. It was the first time Clark College held this event, a partnership of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Guided Pathways.

This free event was designed to introduce Black students of all ages, their families and community to Clark College as a pathway to college, careers and beyond. Students and their families attended workshops, learned about Running Start, programs at Clark and career opportunities. Elementary and middle school students visited the college’s STEM Building and attended a workshop by Girls Inc. Students also learned about community resources available through WorkSource Vancouver, Gear Up, NAACP and more.

Speakers included Clark College President, Dr. Karin Edwards, Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Michelle Cruse and guest musician and keynote speaker, Chibia.

The event also celebrated the unique experiences of Black culture through food, music and the arts.

“It was a joy to have Black students and their families on campus in an intentional space of belonging,” said Nicole Harris, Director of Student Equity and Inclusion. “The fair provided a cultural representation for the Black community through art, dance, music and storytelling.”

Entertainment included SEI Elite Dancers: Cuff It Challenge (center bottom photo) and a Kid Zone featuring face painting and games (Nikki Brown Clown, far right photo). Students received Clark College swag bags and had a chance to win door prizes and gift baskets. Light breakfast, lunch and refreshments were catered by Ja’Das Soul Eatz.

For some students, it was their first visit to Clark College or any college campus. Harris said, “A few students and family members told me it was their first time on campus, and that it was beautiful.”

Photos provided by Rosalba Pitkin and Amy Tam.

More than 250 high school juniors and seniors explored degrees and programs offered at a career pathways event at Gaiser Hall on April 18. Funded by Guided Pathways and Career Connect Washington, 14 high schools in six Clark County school districts participated in this Career and Technical Programs Showcase.

“To have that much interest was astounding,” said Ellie Phillips, CTE Transitions Navigator who organized the event. Trout Lake High School in Klickitat County traveled the farthest, taking a 90-minute bus ride through snow to reach Clark’s campus. Hayes Freedom High School in Camas brought 40 students, more than any other school.

Each student chose two workshops to attend from a list of 18 offerings, including observing CTE classes in action, from Automotive Technology, Welding Technology, Phlebotomy, Surveying and Geomatics, Engineering, Cybersecurity and more. Other workshops offered included Admissions and Financial Aid, Running Start and Career Exploration.

After a lunch catered by Big Town Hero, students gathered in Gaiser Hall to hear a panel of Clark College alumni talk about how their education at Clark led to rewarding careers.

“This event works!” Phillips said. “Students chose their workshops, experienced the programs and made active decisions about their future.”

Students Skyla Crenshaw and Ava Schuman, both from Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, had observed a Professional Baking & Pastry Arts class working in the kitchen, and then stood at the counter of Clark’s retail bakery to look at pastries and talk with a student baker. Both students said they were impressed with the collaborative teamwork of baking students and are considering enrolling in the program.

A high school counselor told Phillips that he saw immediate, positive results from his students during the financial aid workshop. One student began filling out Clark’s financial aid form. Another student, who had not planned to go to college, asked his counselor, “Will you call my mom? I want to start filling out my FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).”

“Hearing those stories was the highlight of my day,” Phillips said. “College can be daunting. Some students see it as unattainable, but this event brings high school students to Clark’s campus so they can get excited about Clark and their future. That’s why we’re here.”

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish

The Clark College Veterans Center of Excellence welcomed student veterans and potential students during its spring open house on April 17 and 18.

Center Work Study employees Tristan Fleming and Zack Monzon, both veterans and Clark students, greeted people and answered questions.

Often when veterans enroll at Clark College, they aren’t aware of the assistance they can receive at the center, said Megan Anderson, manager. Even students who are not veterans themselves but have a parent or spouse who is or was a veteran, may qualify for Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits. Staff can connect student veterans to agencies, programs and support.

“We want to let students know we are here and let them know about the services we offer students who are veterans,” Anderson said.

Representatives from the following participated in the open house:

• Veterans Administration, providing healthcare and veteran’s benefits
• WorkSource, providing employment training and job search tools for veterans
• Whole Health for Life, providing health and wellness education
• Disabled American Veterans, providing resource information
• Veteran Administration’s Therapeutic Garden Program
• Art therapist and Gold Star mother offering papermaking workshops

Employees at the center can help students with their educational journey by connecting them with tutoring for math, science and English; loaning textbooks and calculators; offering useful workshops; providing a study area with computer and printers; offering networking with other veterans and more.

For information, contact the Clark College Veterans Center of Excellence:
In person: Penguin Union Building, PUB 015
Phone: 360-992-2073 or 360-992-2864
Email: veterans@clark.edu

Photo: Clark College/Susan Parrish