Clark College welcomed dozens of employees’ children—from toddlers to teens for Take Our Child(ren) to Work Day on April 25. The annual national celebration is held on the fourth Thursday of April. This is an over 30-year tradition that aims to show children the value of education and that they can aspire to work in any field.

At Clark, it is an opportunity to educate children about college as a pathway toward a career, and the importance of higher education and jobs on campus. It also promotes Clark’s programs in support of the college community.

This fun family day gives young Penguins an opportunity to do hands-on activities and see the campus where their parents and grandparents work. Many employees volunteered to create and coordinate the busy day of activities. The rainy weather curtailed and changed some activities, but there were still many ways for kids to be engaged.

Throughout campus, Clark welcomed our young visitors with a slate of activities including:

• Security desk: Free kid ID badges
• Welcome Center: Scavenger hunt and campus tour
• Bookstore: Penguin guessing game and free lanyards; youth clothing sizes for purchase
• McClaskey Culinary Institute: Eat, paint cookies, and plant seeds
• Teaching and Learning Center: LEGO, crafts, and games
• GHL: Create a vision board
• Diversity Center: Draw a self-portrait and more
• PUB (Penguin Union Building) 161: Artist talk and drawing with Epiphany Couch
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): Hands-on activities: 3D printing, electrical circuits, Newton’s laws of motion
• Cannell Library: Ribbon cutting for the Family Study Room
• Tutoring Center: Open house

And more!

Kids Explore Sakura Festival

After the children explored and did many hands-on activities and projects, the families headed for Gaiser Student Center to check out the Sakura Festival.

The event offered children much to experience, including:

• A Koto performance by Mitsuki Dazai
• Singing by Clark College Treble Ensemble directed by Dr. Jacob Funk
• Admiring beautiful kimonos worn by participants
• Taking home their names written in Japanese calligraphy on rice paper
• Watching a martial art demonstration by Oregon Koto-Kai
• Getting their photo taken with Clark’s mascot, Oswald
• Enjoying ice cream sandwiches hosted by Umqua Bank on behalf of Clark College Foundation’s PenguinsGive annual giving event
• Eating hand-painted cherry blossom cookies created by Clark’s baking students

As families left the Sakura Festival, our young penguins wearing their special Clark name badges clutched rice paper with their names written in calligraphy, art projects, and the remnants of cherry blossom cookies. Laughter and the excited voices of children resounded throughout Gaiser Student Center.

Surely, they will remember their fun day at Clark College!

More photos from the Sakura event can be found on our Flickr page.

Congratulations to Lucy Mackintosh, Library and Archives Paraprofessional, Access Services. Lucy is the recipient of the Winter 2024 Classified Staff Excellence Award.

Excerpts from Lucy’s nomination:

“Lucy is dedicated to making our college a more diverse and inclusive place. She is currently in the B.U.I.L.D. (Broadening Understanding, Intercultural Leadership and Development) program, and she is bringing those ideas into her job as a library technician and student employee supervisor. Lucy leads discussions and reflections on inequality in libraries as part of a training program for our student employees. She also applies these ideas in her everyday work. Lucy advocates for fair policies and decision making in Access Services. Her passion for diversity and inclusion is making a real impact in how we actually do things here.”

“Lucy’s contributions to the college community are most evident in her role as the supervisor of the library’s work study student employees. Lucy exemplifies a level of dedication and compassion that significantly enhances the experience for our students. Her leadership in fostering a positive and inclusive environment for our student employees is truly commendable. Lucy’s exceptional coaching skills shine through as she demonstrates a keen understanding of each student’s unique strengths and challenges. She not only motivates them to perform at their best but also ensures they feel valued and supported in their roles. Lucy’s empathetic approach creates a space where our student employees are comfortable being themselves, fostering a sense of belonging within the college community. She is an invaluable asset to the library and our institution.”

A student employee who is supervised by Lucy wrote: “Lucy is the star of the workplace when it comes to work spirit. Always offering to lend a hand whenever possible, even though inconvenient, and with a smile on her face, Lucy’s consistently positive spirit is inspiring. Always encouraging us student-workers to achieve high proficiency in our tasks by keeping us accountable with training, she still never forgets to be personable. The difference between her and other bosses that I have had is that she has always made me

feel like a human. I’m not just another worker-bee for her, zooming across the library with endless book shelving. I can remember multiple occasions during training where she would take time out of her busy schedule to just check in to see if I had any questions or feelings. She strives in her position of managing all student employees at the Cannell Library because she takes the energy to get to know us as people.”

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees:

• Jami Crawford, IT Customer Support, IT Services
• Adrianne Langit, IT Customer Service Technician, IT Services
• Karina Sanchez, Program Specialist 3, Financial Aid
• DJ Scates, Tenure Support Supervisor, Office of Instruction
• Jessica Wehrman, Program Specialist 2, Enrollment Services

About the Classified Staff Awards

Established in 2005, the Classified Staff Excellence Award recognizes classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, a positive and cooperative spirit, special achievements, or contributions to the college community, and supports individual and organizational diversity and inclusion. Through the support of the Clark College Foundation, the recipient will receive a $400 cash award.

Nominees must be a current classified employee who has been in their current position for more than six months. Award recipients will not be eligible for another award for three years. Visit the Clark College Employee Recognition page to learn more about this award and other ways to acknowledge the value and dedication of our staff and faculty.

A history of Classified Award recipients

2023: Manda Levie (winter), Cheryl Davenport (spring), Heather King (summer), Andra Spencer (fall)

2022: Chris Chaffin (winter), Svitlana Havrylyuk (spring), Christopher Layfield (summer), Papel Popov (fall)

2021: Jennifer Shadley (winter), Damon Grady (spring), Jordan De Van (summer), Denise Rotellini (fall)

2020: Jennifer Stone (winter), Silvia Marinova (spring), Connor Cantrell (summer), Pedro Hernandez (fall)

2019: Sarah Seyller (winter), Amanda Brown (spring), Heather Adams (summer), Bryton Williams (fall)

2018: Eben Ayers (winter), Shelly Williams (spring), Sherry Smith (summer), Ian Beckett (fall)

2017: David Sims (winter), Aleksandr Anisimov (spring), Rebecca (Becky) Udwary (summer), Jessica Beach (fall)

2016: Judy Healy (spring), Joanne Emel (summer), Carmen Roman (fall)

2015: Jeri Kemmer (winter), Marianne Luther (spring), Thor Tesdale (summer), Vanessa Meyer (fall)

2014: Janice Taylor (winter), Sally Demos (spring), Derald Richards (summer), Heather White (fall)

2013: Scott Black (winter), Tim Pliska (spring), Gayle Lee (summer), Jessica Bateman (fall)

2012: Audra Rowton (winter), Debra Robinson (spring), Kira Freed (summer), Catherine Keane (fall)

2011: Carey Wolley (winter), Marci Wedemeyer (spring), Debra Hentz (summer), Tonya Potter (fall)

2010: Beverly Brosius (winter), Ian Thomas (spring), Naomi Kay (summer), Scott Coffie (fall)

2009: Denise Rotellina (winter), Glenda Cunningham (spring), Scott Root (summer), Lindsey Walling (fall)

2008: Vicki Presley (winter), Francisco Ramos-Medrano (spring), Susan Muir (summer), Amy Waite (fall)

2007: Susan Harding (winter), Mark Owsley (spring), Samantha Lelo (summer), Paul Caggianese (fall)

2006: Nell Gladson (winter), Joy Horning (spring), Lynn Schinzing (summer), Ann Hansen (fall)

2005: Lucy Shao (fall)

The Healthy Penguin Nation wellness program conducted by human resources and the college well-being team has been awarded the Zo8 Award for 2024 by the Washington State Health Care Authority. The award is given to employers who promote wellness to support employees and their families by sharing resources and conducting wellness initiatives focusing on enhancing health, reducing health and injury risks, and improving overall health and well-being.  

This is the second time Clark College has received the wellness award. The college last won a Zo8 award in 2016.  

Each year, Washington Wellness honors organizations with the Zo8 award for their achievements in building, growing, and maintaining an effective health program. Organizations are invited to apply to highlight their institution’s wellness program and initiatives throughout the year to Washington Wellness.  

Clark College received the Zo8 award by promoting health and well-being through the College’s Healthy Penguin Nation program to the college community through newsletters, events, discounts, presentations, fairs, campus emails, promoting programs such as the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and SmartHealth, a Washington Wellness program for eligible PEBB (Public Employees Benefits Board) employees, which offers employees an annual $125 wellness incentive.   

About Clark’s Healthy Penguin Nation wellness program

The Healthy Penguin Nation program is a college-wide initiative to create a culture of well-being in support of the state of Washington’s initiative to promote healthy lifestyle practices in the workplace. 

We aim to engage, educate, and empower the Clark College Community in healthy behaviors by developing, implementing, and supporting various wellness activities based on solid research and best practices. As the Wellness Team, we encourage the Clark College Community to thoughtfully consider their relationship to health and prioritize well-being for each other. 

We do this by adhering to a holistic model of well-being that focuses on the whole person—offering a wide range of resources that support employees on their wellness journeys in Eight Dimensions that influence overall well-being. 

• Employee Assistance Program 
• Healthy Recipes 
• Penguin Paths 
• SmartHealth Incentive 
• Walktober Challenge! 
• Wellness Champions 
• Wellness Discounts 
• Well-being Team 

Find upcoming Healthy Penguin Nation wellness events: Calendar. Learn more here. 

About the Zo8 Award 

Each year, Washington Wellness recognizes organizations with our Zo8 Award for their achievement in building, growing, and sustaining an effective wellness program. A wellness program aims to help employees and their family members be their best through positive behavior changes. These changes focus on enhancing well-being, reducing health and injury risks, and improving overall health. Washington Wellness encourages organizations to use the SmartHealth Workplace Wellness Roadmap. It is an eight-step process based on industry-preferred practices to help build the infrastructure for a sustainable wellness program. The roadmap can help organizations plan for and target key areas for success. The Zo8 award represents the organization’s commitment to its employees’ well-being.  

To learn more about the Zo8 award visit the Washington State Healthcare Authority website. 

What do Zo8 award winners receive? Washington Wellness celebrates Zo8 award winners during an annual recognition ceremony. Winning organizations receive a physical award, certificates for contributing members, and a logo to use in publications, signature lines, and websites to recognize their achievements.  

About the Zo8 logo  

• Name Zo: In Greek, it means “live.”  
• Number 8: The eight steps in our wellness program project plan guide. 
•  Logo shape: Flower of Life pattern is known to inspire.  
• Colors: Based on the four elements that support life (air, earth, water, and fire)

Eight Dimensions of Well-being 

1. Physical 
2. Emotional 
3. Occupational 
4. Environmental 
5. Intellectual 
6. Spiritual 
7. Financial 
8. Social 

A warm congratulations to Andra Spencer, Equity Professional Development Program Manager from the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as the recipient of the Fall 2023 Classified Staff Excellence Award.

Excerpts from Andra’s nomination:

“Andra’s passion for equity and education is contagious. She dove into creating a PPI training on recognizing and disrupting antisemitism this summer and introduced many to a body of knowledge previously undiscussed at the college. Her sessions at Teaching and Learning Days and Fall Faculty Focus were packed and received overwhelmingly positive feedback and demands for a part two!”

“Equity is at the center of everything Andra does. Recognizing a gap in knowledge at the college, Andra spent time over the summer doing intense research on antisemitism and how to disrupt it, and developed a training for both Teaching and Learning Days and Fall Faculty Focus that was presented to PACKED rooms! Andra also developed training on creating inclusive learning environments, bringing her teaching expertise into her role here at ODEI and developing training specifically targeted to faculty, something that ODEI hasn’t done before.”

“Andra is well connected throughout the college – attending every event she can and volunteering to help out in any way. She collaborates with others on the team to execute projects and is always one of the first people there to set up and one of the last to leave after cleaning up. Her cooperative spirit is evident in her leadership on the Teaching and Learning Days Committee, the NWREC planning team, the O-Squad, Level Up, and many other cross-college initiatives.”

We also would like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees:

• Becky Lindsay, Program Specialist II, Dental Hygiene
• Nichole Maruca, Program Specialist II, Enrollment Services
• Shelly Williams, Program Coordinator, Fine Art Division
• Tani McBeth, Technical Training Consultant, eLearning
• Teresa (Terry) Haye, Program Manager A, BASTE Bachelor of Teacher Education

About the Classified Staff Awards

The Classified Staff Excellence Award was established in 2005 and recognizes classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, a positive and cooperative spirit, special achievements or contributions to the college community, and supports individual and organizational diversity and inclusion. Through the support of the Clark College Foundation, the recipient will receive a $400 cash award.

Nominees must be a current classified employee who has been in their current position for more than six months. Award recipients will not be eligible to receive another award for three years.

Visit the Clark College Employee Recognition page to learn more about this award and other ways to acknowledge the value and dedication of our staff and faculty.

Congratulations to Heather King, Unit Operations Manager, Business and Health Sciences, recipient of the Summer 2023 Classified Staff Excellence Award.  

Excerpts from Heather’s nomination:  

“Heather King exemplifies excellence in work performance. She goes above and beyond the call of duty. Heather demonstrates her creativity and efficiency in accomplishing tasks every day.”  

“This summer, Heather demonstrated a high level of individual and team cooperation in job performance by providing instrumental leadership in managing the Healthcare Pathways Camp and transitioning between Thompson Fitness Center managers. This involved managing grant budgets, coordinating and submitting student worker timesheets, overseeing schedules, coordinating final paperwork, and onboarding two new co-managers. Heather has managed all of this with grace, dedication, patience, and kindness. She helps keep everyone informed with her strong communication skills and keeps Clark College moving forward in a positive college environment, all while exhibiting consummate respect for fellow employees and students.” 

“In support of Guided Pathways, Heather is involved in oversight, applying her problem-solving skills to manage the unit’s class schedules and faculty workload to facilitate faculty teaching and student success in their classes, aiding more students to achieve their dream of earning a college credential. For the betterment of the unit this summer, Heather is providing all administrative support processes/workflow of the unit in support of multiple Perkins grants, a new HEET grant in support of developing the Surgical Technician program, an application for the extension of the High-Demand grant for Medical Assistant program, and facilitating the budget process for the Nursing Workforce Education Salary Enhancement Funds, under the growing constraints of increasing expenditures and constant or constrained revenues.” 

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees:   

• Audrie Villanueva, Program Support Supervisor 2, Disability Support Services 
• Laura Borgman, Secretary Senior, Transitional Studies Department 
• Linda Healy, Program Support Supervisor 2, Advising  

About the Classified Staff Awards 

Established in 2005, the Classified Staff Excellence Award recognizes classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, a positive and cooperative spirit, special achievements or contributions to the college community, and supports individual and organizational diversity and inclusion. Through the support of the Clark College Foundation, the recipient will receive a $400 cash award which will be presented at Opening Day before the start of fall quarter each year.  

Nominees must be a current classified employee who has been in their current position for more than six months. Award recipients will not be eligible to receive another award for a period of three years.  

Visit the Clark College Employee Recognition page to learn more about this award and other ways to acknowledge the value and dedication of our staff and faculty. 

Congratulations to Cheryl Davenport, Library and Archives Paraprofessional 4, recipient of the spring 2023 Classified Staff Excellence Award. 

Excerpts from Cheryl’s nomination:

“Cheryl Davenport has worked at Clark for over 15 years and is the epitome of an excellent employee. As the only cataloger at Clark, Cheryl is responsible for maintaining our online catalog, including all of the Library’s catalog records, while also maintaining and preserving the condition our print book collection.”

“She values people more than tasks. Cheryl also provides a high level of service to students and patrons which takes precedence over phone and email, staff conversations, and meetings.”

“Cheryl worked to find a more inclusive and unbiased set of subject headings for library books and materials. She did this by soliciting input from Library staff and faculty, attending online presentations on this topic, and conducting her own research. Cheryl found a solution, advocated for its implantation and got approval from everyone in the Library. Clark Library now uses Homosaurus, an international linked vocabulary of LGBTQIA+ terms in the Library’s online catalog, which helps ensure the bibliographic records are using subject headings that represent the inclusive terminology used by the LGBTQIA+ community to describe themselves instead of using vocabulary created by the Librarians of Congress from many decades ago.”

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees:  

• Brandi Roberts, Communications Officer, Security & Safety Services 
• Carl Budrecki, Custodian, Custodial Services 
• David Chase, Custodian, Custodial Services 
• Eliezer Gonzalez-Roman, Program Specialist, Veterans Resource Center 
• Jennifer Lea, Program Specialist, Business Division 
• Jerrika Lightley, Fiscal Specialist, Student Life 
• Jonni Hattershide, Program Support Supervisor, Production Printing 
• Karmel Baldwin, Program Specialist, Enrollment Services 
• Sandra Bush, Program Coordinator, Enrollment Services 
• Tisha Pasquinelli, Program Specialist, Financial Aid 
• Tracy Eyler, Early Childhood Specialist, Child & Family Services 

About the Classified Staff Awards

Established in 2005, the Classified Staff Excellence Award recognizes classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, a positive and cooperative spirit, special achievements or contributions to the college community, and supports individual and organizational diversity and inclusion. Through the support of the Clark College Foundation, the recipient will receive a $400 cash award which will be presented at Opening Day before the start of fall quarter each year. 

Nominees must be a current classified employee who has been in their current position for more than six months. Award recipients will not be eligible to receive another award for a period of three years. 

Visit the Clark College Employee Recognition page to learn more about this award and other ways to acknowledge the value and dedication of our staff and faculty. 

Congratulations to Chris Chaffin, Program Support Supervisor, Student Tutoring Services recipient of the 2022 Winter Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Chris Chaffin, Program Support Supervisor, Student Tutoring Services

“Chris takes incredible leadership and pride in his work and it shows in his always welcoming, upbeat, enthusiastic greeting he provides to everyone that comes through the door.” – a staff member

• Chris Chaffin has been a valued Clark College employee since 2009. 
• Chris has been able to quickly adjust to the changing needs of his department with an upbeat and positive attitude.
• Chris is an active member in many areas of the college community. He is dedicated to social equity and advocates for all employees and students who cross his path. He values others and lets people know that they are heard and seen.
• During the remote operations, Chris maintained regular check-ins with other Tutoring Services employees and was a significant contributor to promoting mental stability and a healthy work/life balance. He kept the spirits of those on his team uplifted by sharing regular communication messages in Teams and shared motivating posts.

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees.

• Beverly Brosius – Program Specialist, Enrollment Services
• Chris Layfield – Administrative Services Manager, Security and Safety Services
• Jessica Sanders – Program Support Supervisor, Transitional Studies Division
• Lisa Hasart – Procurement & Supply Specialist, Purchasing and Central Services
• Pavel Popov – IT Support Technician, Library
• Phary Cox – Program Specialist, Veteran’s Resource Center
• Stacy Watne – Custodian, Custodial Services

Beverly Brosius – Program Specialist, Enrollment Services

“[Beverly] is the ‘voice’ of the newly created One Stop and there couldn’t have been a more perfect person there to be the first person students encounter when coming onto campus. Bev has the ability to greet a guest or student of Clark with her cheerful hellos and provide an immediate sense of belonging. Alex single handedly supports the entire campus for Canvas. Canvas is our lifeline to the students and Alex keeps us alive.” – a staff member

• Beverly has been a valued Clark College employee since 1998. 
• She ensures that whoever she is assisting gets the right answer. Beverly works with guests and/or students and tracks the answer down, and in many cases, walks with the guest/student to the next department. This shows her dedication to high-quality customer service.
• Beverly does an amazing job communicating with students and provides clear communication, answers, and a friendly attitude to all her college colleagues.

Phary Cox – Program Specialist, Veteran’s Resource Center

“Phary’s strong communication and collaborative skills have served the department well over the last 6 months. Without a director or other long-standing team members she ensured the VRC was upbeat, productive, and efficient. She worked with the VA work student students and kept them productive to ensure our veteran students were not affected by the personnel situation in the VRC. She also reached out to the VA to renew work study student contracts so that the VRC could continue to serve veteran students.” – a staff member

• Phary has been a valued Clark College employee since 2021. 
• During a big staffing transition period in the Veteran’s Resources Center, Phary learned her duties at the college, completed training to assist with her role, and served the VA students and others. She did this all with a friendly and encouraging attitude.
• She is always available to talk with students and staff despite the VRC not always being physically open for walk-ins. She has been committed to clear, timely, and consistent communication to students, providing excellent customer service.

Lisa Hasart – Procurement & Supply Specialist, Purchasing & Central Services

 “Lisa is one of those people working quietly behind the scenes to make things easy for others.” – a faculty member

• Lisa has been a valued Clark College employee since 1989. 
• Lisa is a dedicated, hard-working employee who has spent her time at the college updating processes and forms in purchasing. She has significantly impacted and eased the workload for others at the college.
• Lisa has conducted many trainings at the college and presents sometimes challenging topics with professionalism and patience.

Chris Layfield – Administrative Services Manager, Security and Safety Services

“In addition to Chris’ “regular duties” that require him to work closely with a cross section of the institution on a daily basis, he also serves as the Co-Chief Steward for the WPEA. IN this role, he responds to the needs of his fellow staff members and advocates for their benefit.” – a staff member

• Chris Layfield has been a valued Clark College employee since 2017. 
• Chris came into his role in the Safety and Security Department a few years ago. He realized right away that the paper-heavy department needed some assistance to improve the department’s efficiency. Through his hard work and dedication, Chris was able to update the department’s record-keeping system to digital records. He has also created training to instruct his department staff on the new processes and software.
• Chris shows a strong dedication to the college and often goes beyond his traditional job duties. He has served on various committees across the college, including the Recovery Management Team and Social Equity Advisory Council. He is also an active Union Steward for the WPEA. 

Pavel Popov – IT Support Technician, Libraries

“Pavel Popov has provided outstanding service to the Clark College community for the past 15 years.

As an IT Support Tech 2, he consistently and competently performs his work responsibilities. His subject matter expertise, innovative ideas, and professionalism make the Library website and online system run smoothly and efficiently.” – a staff member

• Pavel has been a valued Clark College employee since 2007. 
• He responds rapidly to any questions, service disruptions, or other requests (even monitoring and responding to things during his off-hours) to ensure our systems are up and running 24/7.
• Pavel’s high level of customer service to the students, public, and community often goes unnoticed outside the Library because his work is performed behind the scenes. However, many of the college’s tools, such as online research resources, impact much of the community.

Jessica Sanders – Program Support Supervisor, Transitional Studies Division

 “Jessica is absolutely wonderful in every way! She’s ALWAYS kind, friendly, respectful, helpful, and competent – whether you’re asking for help or asking a question for the first time or the 50th! She has a wonderfully positive attitude, and is always polite and professional in her emails, always managing to respond very swiftly to emails and other queries.” – a faculty member

• Jessica has been a valued Clark College employee since 2011. 
• Jessica is often the first point of contact for many who reach out to the Transitional Studies Division. She always responds with a positive attitude and remains calm and cool in high-stress and sometimes challenging situations. 
• Jessica possesses the ability to develop creative solutions to solve problems. Gives quality attention to detail while executing projects. She is always ready to help coworkers and every student that comes into the office.
• The Transitional Studies Division works with one of the most diverse student populations, English language learners. Most of the students in this department are adjusting to vast cultural traditions and customs. Jessica always ensures that the students feel supported and often tells them, “I’m glad you’re here” and “You’re going to have a great time at Clark College.”

Stacy Watne – Custodian, Custodial Services

“Over the past two years, Stacy has, at times, been the only person in Gaiser Hall. She has been a friendly face to students and staff. Stacy welcomes everyone she sees, offers support to students when she can. Stacy goes above her custodial duties to be welcoming to students and help connect them to staff in enrollment, cashiering, financial aid and more.” – a staff member

• Stacy has been a valued Clark College employee since 2009. 
• Stacy goes above and beyond her custodial duties and, at times, has been found in Gaiser Hall assisting students and even walking them to the correct department they are searching for.
• Stacy always maintains an optimistic attitude and a friendly smile. This kind gesture creates a welcoming and positive campus community for anyone she crosses paths with at the college.

Congratulations to Damon Grady, Campus Security Sergeant, Security and Safety Services, recipient of the 2021 Spring Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!  

Damon Grady has been with Clark College’s Security and Safety Department since 1997. He served as a Campus Security Officer for 20 years before being promoted to the sergeant’s rank in January of 2018. Comments about Grady include: 

• “He frequently takes after-hours calls and adjusts his shifts so that his people get the support they need. Managing the schedule for 17 people, half of whom are part-time, to provide 24-hour coverage is a difficult and complicated endeavor.”  
• “Damon has gone beyond his role. When he noticed the decrease in on-campus staff presences, he purposefully expanded his knowledge on all the student-facing services and learned how they work to best support Clark students so he would be prepared to answer students’ questions during the COVID-19 pandemic.”  
• “Damon works closely with his subordinates to ensure they have the training and guidance necessary to be successful in their respective roles.” 
• “Damon responded to a medical call that involved a person with a life-threatening injury. He was quick to respond while properly assessing the situation and keeping those involved safe and calm until EMS arrived.”  

Congratulations as well to the other Spring 2021 nominees: 

• Christy Lewis- Fiscal Technician, Accounting Services 
• Jennifer King- Program Specialist, Financial Aid 
• Jordan De Van- Program Specialist, Enrollment Services 
• Kayla Escott- Program Manager, Financial Aid 
• Malissa Pierce- Program Specialist, Transitional Studies Division 

Christy Lewis 

Christy Lewis is a Fiscal Technician in Accounting Services. Comments from her nomination include: 

• “Christy has served on the ACE Scholarship Committee multiple times, helping to give funds to college members and their families to help make higher education possible.” 
• “When Accounting converted to a new system, Christy kept a positive attitude and learned to work through the bumps and challenges of change.”   
• “Christy works with customers to help them understand their accounting-related issues, no matter who they are or their level of understanding.” 
• “Christy always treats all people with respect and kindness when serving them and working through their request and issues.” 

Jennifer King 

Jennifer King is a Program Specialist in the Office of Financial Aid. Comments from her nomination include:  

• “Jen awards more than 600 students with emergency funds, each term. This spring term, Jen awarded additional funds to students, which means she made 1200 awards. Jen agreed to this overwhelming task in the midst of preparing financial aid packages for fall term—an enormous undertaking. When we have a student who has a significant emergency, Jen works quickly to award that student immediately.”  
• “Jen manages multiple tasks, serves on committees, and prioritizes people first in the work that she does. She leads with kindness and a smile and is always a pleasure to work with.” 
• “Weekly, she commits significant time and energy to meet the emergent needs of students during an uncertain and stressful time.” 

• “Jen’s commitment to creating an effective, efficient program has made a difference to hundreds of student emergency-grant recipients, many of whom report being homeless or at risk of homelessness.” 

Jordan De Van 

Jordan De Van is a Program Specialist in Enrollment Services. Comments from her nomination include: 

• “Jordan has one of the strongest senses of customer service and how it should be demonstrated. She not only responds quickly to inquiries from students and other departments, she responds happily despite her busy workload.”  
• “Jordan is always helpful and understanding when assisting others outside of her department. Instead of rushing through issues that arise with tracking student grades in the database system, she takes the time to investigate, and assists instructors to better prepare them if the issue were to arise again in the future.” 
• “Jordan’s knowledge, expertise and sense of humor always makes working with her a pleasure.” 
• “She assists each individual in a way that they can understand the steps of the process and provides them with direction that helps them along further in the process—all with a smile on her face.” 

Kayla Escott 

Kayla Escott is a Program Manager in the Office of Financial Aid. Comments from her nomination include: 

• “Every task that Kayla approaches is done with the student’s best interest in mind. She goes above and beyond in all aspects of her position, whether that is intentionally meeting one-on-one with the staff she oversees, taking time to schedule an in-depth appointment with a student, or leading numerous project efforts within our office. Every project she tackles is done efficiently and thoroughly in spite of tight deadlines and competing priorities.”  
• “Kayla provides outstanding customer service, both directly and indirectly. She intentionally takes time to meet with students in unique and challenging situations. Beyond this, she ensures that any students who interact with the Financial Aid office receive excellent customer service by equipping front desk staff with effective tools to do so.”   
• “To encourage comradery and team spirit, Kayla initiated a virtual ‘Spirit Week’ for staff to help keep team spirits and communication up while working remotely.” 
• “Kayla has always shown a strong commitment to equity in all aspects of her work. One example is how she recently began working with Disability Support Services to convert all Financial Aid documents to a format that is accessible for students using reader devices. 

Malissa Pierce 

Malissa Pierce is a Program Specialist in Transitional Studies. Comments from her nomination include: 

• “Malissa had grown the Open Doors program within one year from 10 students to almost 40. She is trying to volunteer with the Vancouver School District Truancy Board so she can understand her students’ needs better.”  
• “Malissa actively engages in campus diversity strategies; supports recruitment, retention, completion efforts of students from diverse backgrounds, participates in equitable hiring practices for Transitional Studies department, and Malissa is learning Spanish so she can better support our Spanish-speaking students.”  
• “Malissa is a great communicator and works across multiple departments on campus to make sure that every department has the right information and has the opportunity to discuss with her if they need further clarification.” 
• “Malissa loves working one-on-one with her students. She is constantly reaching out to other departments for assistance in making her students’ college experience as smooth as possible.” 

About the Classified Staff Excellence Award

The Classified Staff Excellence Award was established in 2005 and recognizes classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, outstanding customer service, a positive and cooperative spirit and special achievements or contributions to the college community. Through the support of the Clark College Foundation, the recipient will receive a $400 cash award.  

Congratulations to Jenny Shadley, Graphic Designer, Communications and Marketing, recipient of the 2021 Winter Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Jenny Shadley “is committed to serving students and demonstrates her passion through her daily work to ensure student voices are amplified.”

Other comments about Shadley:

• “Jenny worked on Guided Pathways from its inception.”
• “She is an active participant at the college in professional development and other committees and brings her holistic approach and her passion for equity to everything she does.”
• “Jenny has redesigned the Get Started landing page for prospective students with the student experience in mind, making it far more functional, user-friendly and attractive for users.”
• “When COVID-19 created scheduling concerns for some of her colleagues, Jenny was the first person to swoop in and offer to tackle projects to help.”

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees:

• Damon Grady – Security Sergeant, Safety & Security
• Darci Feider – Program Coordinator, Student Life

Damon Grady, Security Sergeant, Safety & Security

“As a long-term employee, Damon has watched Clark evolve and always lends a kind ear to those who are confused or frustrated and quite often offers calming insight based upon his experiences at the college.”

Other comments about Grady:

• “Damon has been with Clark College’s Security and Safety Department since November of 1997 and served as a Campus Security Officer for 20 years before being promoted to the Sergeant in January 2018.”
• “Damon’s supervisory position requires him to be available to his staff 24/7 and he often adjust his schedule to best support the needs of others and is recognized as a mentor across the campus.”
• “As a member of the security team, Damon has contact with the entire college community and takes the time to listen in the hopes of understanding the needs and resolution for each person he speaks with.”
• “Damon is aware that each interaction with a student or potential student is important, and he always puts his best foot forward to make sure their initial interaction at Clark College is a positive encounter.”

Darci Feider, Program Coordinator, Student Life

“Darci led and organized the Thanksgiving dinners sent out to 170 students and their families by the Penguin Pantry in November 2020. She is passionate about helping our Clark students and community, in every way she can.”

Other comments about Feider:

• “Darci coordinates dozens of programs and clubs that would not function nearly as smoothly without her, especially during remote operations.”
• “Darci shows up every day ready to work with a smile on her face, no matter what the day may have in store for her.”
• “Darci is kind, compassionate, and takes the time to work through projects with patience and support for others.”
• “Students benefit from Darci’s contributions—whether that is through assistance with the Penguin Pantry, help with Archer Gallery and Clark Art Talks programming, or working with any number of things across campus. She is devoted to making an equitable and accessible community at Clark.”