President Knight congratulates Linda Healy, left, and Vanessa Meyer on receiving the 2016 Exceptional Classified Staff Award.

Opening Day on Sept. 12 marked several celebrations of employee contributions to the college. Employees were recognized for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of service to the college. Four employees–Facilities Services Maintenance Mechanic Michael Conder, ITS Specialist David Sims, Business Professor Patti Serrano, and eLearning ITS Specialist Scott Coffie–earned recognition for 35 years of service to the college.

Additionally, the recipients of the annual Exceptional Faculty Awards and quarterly Classified Staff Excellence Awards were recognized. The faculty awards are announced at Commencement and the quarterly Classified staff awards are announced each quarter. Additionally, two Classified Excellence Award recipients were announced to be recipients of the annual Exceptional Classified Staff Awards: Linda Healy and Vanessa Meyer.

Six Clark College employees received Presidential Coins during Opening Day. Introduced in 2007 by President Bob Knight, the coin is given to faculty and staff members who provide exemplary service to Clark students, the college and the community. The honorees are decided by the president and are kept secret until the names are announced–generally on Opening Day in the fall or during the annual State of the College address. The newest coin recipients are:

Prof. Adnan Hamideh at Opening Day.

Adnan Hamideh

Originally joining Clark College in 2001 as a temporary business instructor, Dr. Hamideh received tenure in 2005 and now serves as the division chair of the Business Department. He holds a Doctorate of Education from Portland State University. President Knight called Dr. Hamideh a “tireless proponent” of the new Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management degree that Clark will begin offering this academic year. In addition, Dr. Hamideh has led the development of the Business Core classes that help students prepare for business majors.

Rebecca Kleiva receives a Presidential Coin.

Rebecca Kleiva

After graduating from Clark College in 2010, Kleiva was hired as a program coordinator in Eligibility Programs (now Workforce Education). She was promoted to her current position of program specialist in 2011. In this position, she has managed the Worker Retraining Financial Aid program, which helps support students as they transition into new career paths, and developed partnerships and strategies that have helped the program exceed its target enrollment every year.

“She has consistently performed her job duties with the highest degree of integrity and professionalism,” said President Knight. “She is an innovative thinker who continues to evaluate how she can improve processes and procedures to better serve her students. … Her knowledge and eagerness to learn things that are outside of her normal job responsibilities help to ensure that the customer service that she provides to the public, community partners, co-workers and students is exemplary.”

Felisciana Peralta receives a Presidential Coin.

Felisciana Peralta

Felisciana “Felis” Peralta joined Clark College in 2008 as a Multicultural Retention Manager and was recently promoted to Director of the Office of Diversity and Equity.

“In her eight years at the college, she has been a strong advocate and partner on issues related to diversity and social justice, helping to create and support a supportive learning environment for our students,” said President Knight. “She is a champion of equity and inclusion and has played a vital role in the development of the college’s Diversity Plan, Social Equity Plan, and Diversity Center.”

Peralta sits on the Cultural Pluralism Committee, Academic Early Warning Committee, and the Incident Response Team at Clark. On the state level, she has been a leader of the Multicultural Student Services Directors’ Council and its annual Students of Color Conference. In June, she received the 2016 Val Joshua Award, recognizing her leadership in working towards eliminating racism and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people.

Brenda Shular receives a Presidential Coin.

Brenda Shular

Brenda Shular graduated from Clark College in 1996 and was hired the following year as a purchasing assistant. She currently serves as a procurement and supply specialist in the college’s Office of Purchasing and Central Services.

“She is a rock-solid employee who manages an enormous amount of orders in Purchasing in a timely way and with great customer service,” said President Knight. “She’s played a key role in getting the STEM Building orders processed in time to ensure furniture and equipment is ready for the building’s opening.”

Mike Silva receives a Presidential Coin.

Mike Silva

Mike Silva graduated from Clark College in 2001 and was hired as a computer maintenance technician later that same year. He was promoted to an Information Technology Systems Specialist in 2002 and now serves as the supervisor of the Multimedia Department.

Last year, Silva led a collegewide effort to redesign the college’s standard classroom technology configuration. Working with faculty and staff, he developed a new design that not only provides additional teaching tools for faculty, but saves nearly $10,000 per classroom in equipment costs. He has also been part of the effort to make the college’s new STEM Building ready for students and faculty.

“Over the past 14 years, he has been in a variety of technical roles providing outstanding customer service and a calm, reassuring voice able to solve the thorniest technical problems,” President Knight said. “As the labs supervisor, he hired and mentored hundreds of student workers, preparing many for jobs and life after their graduation from Clark College. In mentoring these students, he clearly demonstrates that we all have a role to play in student success. … He is an outstanding supervisor, technician, and friend to many on campus.”

Prof. Caleb White receives a Presidential Coin.

Caleb White

Caleb White joined Clark College as a tenure-track welding instructor in 2013 and received tenure in 2016. He holds an associate degree in automotive and diesel technology from Universal Technical Institute and previously worked at Christensen Yachts, where he helped build some of the biggest luxury yachts in the world.

“He has not been at the college for a long time, but he has already made an impact,” said President Knight.

White has worked to redesign the welding curriculum to include more hands-on learning that can be translated directly into the workplace. Each quarter, his students use their skills to create a project. Projects have included aluminum stools for students to use in the welding lab, a large pressure vessel that can be used on job sites, and an aluminum fishing boat that was a star attraction of the college’s display at the 2016 Clark County Fair.

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Joanne Emel

Congratulations to Joanne Emel, recipient of the 2016 Summer Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

First hired at Clark in 1997, Emel is the Program Specialist 2 for the Office of Instruction (OOI). She is known for her positive demeanor and her outstanding knowledge of Clark. In addition to her regular duties, Emel is an active member of the Emergency Response and Safety Team as well as part of the team preparing the college for the ctcLink transition. In addition, she recently assisted with the R25 conversion to 25Live.

Some of the following comments submitted on Emel’s behalf by her colleagues reflect her positive spirit and team mentality:

“Joanne takes a moment to greet each and every person who comes through the door, helping to ensure that the OOI is a welcoming space for the entire Clark community.”

“New staff members are enormously grateful for the way in which Joanne is always ready and able to assist when something is unknown or unfamiliar—she has been a huge help in the transition to Clark for new department members. We know we are able to approach her with questions, no matter how seemingly trivial, and she is consistently able to help even if the question falls outside of her work.”

“[She] is a cheerleader for Clark: She has encouraged new staff members to get involved with campus activities and is always able to provide positive anecdotes about the College.”

“Joanne’s long commitment to Clark, stellar work ethic and excellent level of service are inspiring to her colleagues, and this award is an ideal opportunity for these strengths to be recognized.”

The 2016 Exceptional Faculty Award recipients are, left to right, Joseph Cavalli, Dr. Kathleen Chatfield, Heather McAfee, and Doug Mrazek.

During the 2016 Commencement ceremony, President Robert K. Knight announced the names of the recipients of the 2016 Clark College Exceptional Faculty Awards. The awards are presented annually to full-time and part-time faculty members. Nominations can be submitted by Clark College students, faculty, classified employees, administrators, alumni, Board members, and Foundation directors.

The awards are made possible through an endowed trust fund established by the Washington State Legislature and the Clark College Exceptional Faculty Endowment Fund, which was established in 1993. That fund provides recognition of exemplary work performance, positive impact on students, professional commitment, and other contributions to the college.

This year’s Exceptional Faculty members are:

• Joseph Cavalli, instructor of history
• Dr. Kathleen Chatfield, instructor of business technology
• Heather McAfee, professor of geography
• Doug Mrazek, professor of French

Joe Cavalli, History

Joseph Cavalli has taught history at schools in Croatia, Italy, and Bahrain. He began teaching at Clark shortly after returning to the Pacific Northwest in 2006. For the past five years, he has also served as the director of Clark’s award-winning Model United Nations program. He also teaches history through Clark College’s non-credit Mature Learning program and at Mt. Hood Community College.

Cavalli says he sees history more as a context for understanding the world than as a rote memorization of names and dates. “It’s not about me giving students information,” he says. “What I want to impart is the love of learning and the need to be curious.”

Students appreciate Cavalli’s efforts to make history relevant to their current lives. “I had no interest in history whatsoever until I took his class,” wrote one student. “After my first class with him, I was enthralled. Now, history is my favorite subject and my current major.”

Dr. Kathleen Chatfield, Business Technology and Management

Over the course of her 21 years at Clark, Dr. Kathleen Chatfield has taught a variety of courses, including keyboarding, microcomputer applications, Microsoft Excel, e-commerce, and project management. In truth, however, her influence goes far beyond those subjects. In fact, she has been a part of every online class offered at Clark College through her work as the senior instructional designer for the college’s eLearning Department, where she helps Clark faculty learn how to develop online classes.

“It is a daunting task to guide so many full-time and part-time instructors through all the different learning systems, while also helping them to maintain their unique styles and philosophies of teaching,” wrote one nominator. “Yet Dr. Chatfield manages to accomplish this task.”

Dr. Chatfield continues to teach classes to students as well, saying that this experience helps her better understand the needs and challenges of faculty. This adds up to more than a full-time workload, but Dr. Chatfield says, “I’m doing what I love. I’ve never woken up in the morning and said, ‘Oh no, I have to go to work.’”

Heather McAfee, Geography

Heather McAfee first became interested in geography while working for the U.S. Department of Defense, doing cultural analysis of Iraq that included mapping the civilian population there. “I love geography because it is the most interdisciplinary subject you can study,” she says. “It touches everything, even health—we have medical geography. Recently in my classes, we’ve looked at and mapped the spread of the Zika virus.”

McAfee serves as chair of the Geography Department at Clark; she also serves on the college’s AA Transfer Committee, the Library of the Future Taskforce, and the Learning Communities Taskforce. Additionally, McAfee has worked to create connections between Clark and community organizations, including the Water Resources Education Center and the Vanport Mosaic.

“She made her classroom a comfortable area where every person’s opinion and outlook was highly valued,” wrote one student. “Her teachings went much deeper than the textbook material. She wanted us to dig deep and relate every lesson to our personal lives and experiences, and it taught all of us so much about the world around us.”

Doug Mrazek, French

When Doug Mrazek was job-hunting after receiving his master’s degree in French from the University of Illinois in 1978, one of his professors told him that the Pacific Northwest was so beautiful that if he took a job there, “you’ll never want to leave.”

Those words turned out to be prophetic; Mrazek has devoted 38 years to teaching French at Clark. He has taught generations of Clark students how to conjugate être, led dozens of them on trips through France and Quebec, and helped the French Club put on countless events as its academic advisor.

Small surprise, then, that Mrazek received more than 30 nominations for this award this year. “I’m in amazement,” he says. “It’s a tremendous sense of closure. After a career of 40 years, it’s a nice way to move on.”

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Linda Healy

Congratulations to Linda Healy, recipient of the 2016 Spring Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Nominated with input from seven Clark employees,the Advising Program Support Supervisor is described as someone who exhibits an exceptional work ethic and flexibility, as well as the willingness to do whatever needs to be done. She has worked in the Advising Services Department for 10 years, and is commended for bringing a student-centered approach to the front-desk team, as well as a powerful combination of “clear personal investment, professionalism, and heart.” She actively engages in campus-wide events, leadership meetings and discussions, and Advising Services and Student Affairs activities – demonstrating excellence in her own performance and inspiring it in others. She is regarded for her responsiveness and follow through, and is known for her ability to make people feel noticed, valued, and welcomed. As one nominator explains it, “Linda is truly an ambassador for the Penguin Nation, demonstrating consistent, tireless commitment to the success of students, positive communication, collaboration, and personal investment in Clark College.”

Congratulations as well to this quarter’s other nominees:

Haley Gordon works as the Program Coordinator for the Event Services Department, juggling thousands of reservation requests every year with “ease and precision,” according to her nominator. Gordon is very involved in college activities, works closely with other areas of the college, and has been a key contributor in implementing several process improvements that have benefited the department and increased services to meet the needs of faculty and staff. Her nominator explains that Gordon “continues to impress students, staff and faculty” with her knowledge of campus space and features, allowing her to assist others in finding the right space for their needs. She is described as “gracious and kind,” with a driven and motivated work ethic that is unwavering. Gordon is praised by her nominator for going above and beyond the call of duty, and for her “hands-on” approach, tackling every challenge with a “positive, can-do attitude.”

Manda Levie provides the sole staff support for the Communications and Humanities Division, which comprises nine separate departments. In addition, she supports the College Essentials Department, which serves faculty and students campuswide. Levie is commended for being a “strong and dependable addition to our staff team, who has made great contributions to process improvement and overall team workflow.” Described as a problem-solver, Levie is known for her collaboration, creativity, friendliness and efficiency.  According to one nominator, “Manda deals with issues promptly, professionally and with a spirit that can only be described as positive. She is keenly aware of what’s going on and repeatedly demonstrates her commitment to a good educational environment.” Another nominator sums it up like this: “Manda’s amazing!”

Did you attend a wellness seminar? Participate in a wellness event?  What are your wellness interests?

The Healthy Penguin Nation team is asking for your feedback to these and other questions, which will help focus our planning efforts and ensure the wellness program is relevant to your needs and interests.

You can access the survey through May 20 by following this link: Healthy Penguin Nation Wellness Program Survey

Thanks for your participation!

Rebecca Kleiva

Congratulations to Rebecca Kleiva, recipient of the 2016 Winter Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Kleiva has provided outstanding services to the college community for the past seven years. She manages the Worker Retraining Financial Aid program, positively impacting the lives of students, and has been a superb contributor to the Workforce Education Services team. She is regarded by her nominators as an “innovative thinker who always goes above and beyond the call of duty to support students.”

Nominators added that, due to Kleiva’s efforts and excellent work performance, Clark College has exceeded its Worker Retraining FTE target, which has resulted in the State Board allocating additional Worker Retraining funding to support the college and students. It has been Kleiva’s knowledge and eagerness to learn things outside her normal job responsibilities that have ensured the customer service she provides to the public, community and her co-workers is exemplary. One of her Worker Retraining students said, “Rebecca is an amazing agent who goes above and beyond. She made enrolling in your program a piece of cake.  She is very professional and has incredible patience and understanding. We are all very fortunate to have her.”

Congratulations as well to this quarter’s other nominees:

Sherry Smith has been an employee at Clark College for 13 years. She is described as thorough, patient and understanding; working hard behind the scenes to go above and beyond in order to fulfill faculty requests or tasks that at times can seem unattainable.  While fostering a welcoming atmosphere, Sherry shows a genuine interest and ability in helping with a multitude of issues. Not only do the students look to her as a mentor, but staff do also. As one nominator explains it, “The STEM unit would not function without Sherry Smith. She is the heart of the unit. She is professional, collegial, and above all always ready and willing to assist.  She knows the answer to any question, and keeps track of a plethora of information. I am so very thankful for Sherry Smith, and I know no one more deserving of this honor.”

Manda Levie provides the sole staff support for the Communications and Humanities Division, which comprises nine separate departments. In addition, she supports the College Essentials Department, which serves faculty and students campuswide. Levie is commended for being a “strong and dependable addition to our staff team, who has made great contributions to process improvement and overall team workflow.” Described as a problem-solver, Levie is known for her collaboration, creativity, friendliness and efficiency.  According to one nominator, “Manda deals with issues promptly, professionally and with a spirit that can only be described as positive. She is keenly aware of what’s going on and repeatedly demonstrates her commitment to a good educational environment.” Another nominator sums it up like this: “Manda’s amazing!”

Prof. Kathleen Perillo receives a Presidential Coin from President Knight at the 2016 State of the College address.

In 2007, Clark College President Bob Knight introduced a new honor at Clark College: the presidential coin.

The coin is given to faculty and staff members who provide exemplary service to Clark students, the college and the community. The honorees are decided by the president and are kept secret until the names are announced–generally on Opening Day in the fall or during the annual State of the College address.

Five Clark College employees received Presidential Coins during his 2016 State of the College address on January 21. They were:

Karen Driscoll, left, was congratulated by her colleagues from Economic & Community Development, Tracy Reilly Kelly and Bonnie Peterson. President Knight praised Driscoll as “a great mentor to so many people both inside and outside the Financial Aid Office.”

Karen Driscoll

President Knight characterized Financial Aid Director Karen Driscoll as “the best financial aid director in the state of Washington.”

Driscoll has earned praised as a leader not only at Clark College, but in the state. She has served as the president, vice president, treasurer, and legislative representative of the Washington Financial Aid Association; represented the state of Washington as the Western Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators board president; served as president and treasurer of the state’s Financial Aid Council; and is an active member of the State Need Grant Legislative Group representing community colleges.

“She is an approachable and genuine leader and probably the only person I know who likes to read federal financial aid updates over her morning cup of coffee,” said Knight.

Driscoll, who has led Clark’s Financial Aid Department for eight years, is retiring later this year.

Maria Masson receives a round of applause with her Presidential Coin.

Maria Masson

Maria Masson joined Clark College in 2014 as Assistant Director of Human Resources and, in the words of President Knight, “hit the ground running.”

Masson’s role has included providing human resources services tot he college community and leading the college’s benefits team’s efforts to comply with complex and ever-changing regulations. Recently, she was also named the college’s Title IX Coordinator. She has also served the college as an adjunct instructor teaching Spanish.

“She is always willing to help where she is needed and approaches her work with a problem-solving attitude,” said Knight.

Ken Pachico, right, has served as Director of Security & Safety for 12 years.

Ken Pacheco
After a distinguished career in law enforcement in Portland, Ken Pacheco was hired in 2004 as Director of Security & Safety. Pacheco also serves on Clark’s Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment Team, its Emergency Management and Planning Committee, as a Title IX investigator, and as the college’s representative on the statewide Safety, Security and Emergency Management Council.

“He can always be counted on to respond quickly to any incident, day or night, and even on weekends,” said Knight. “He is known for his calm, ‘just the facts ma’am’ approach to his job, as well as for being fair-minded in enforcing the College’s policies and regulations.”

Prof. Kathleen Perillo, center, with STEM Coordinator and biology professor Erin Harwood and Dean of STEM Dr. Peter Williams.

Kathleen Perillo

Biology professor Kathleen Perillo began teaching at Clark in 1999 and was awarded tenure in 2002. She presented on biodiversity in 2008 as part of the college’s respected Faculty Speaker Series. She has worked with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in support of western pond turtle recovery activities in the Columbia River Gorge and she is the co-founder and president of the Center for Eco-dynamic Agriculture, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting biodiversity in agriculture.

More recently, Perillo has been leading efforts on native-plant restoration on the main campus, as well as the development of a new environmental science degree.

“Most importantly, with members of the college and Ridgefield communities, she is leading the visioning for sustainability efforts at the North County site,” said Knight.

Vanessa Meyer

Congratulations to Vanessa Meyer, recipient of the 2015 Fall Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award.

Meyer is the Secretary Senior in the Behavioral and Social Sciences unit, and is the sole support for both divisions, which encompasses 10 departments, 21 full-time faculty, and 35 adjunct faculty. Vanessa was nominated with input from 23 Clark employees.

Meyer is described by her nominators as “friendly, helpful, efficient, knowledgeable, innovative and committed.” She is known to be a natural collaborator who lends her talents and skill sets to develop strategies that can replace outdated modalities and allow departments to function smoothly.

Nominators commend Meyer for treating everyone with the utmost respect and taking on challenges with humor and grace. As one colleague describes it, “I’ve worked with Vanessa Meyer for over 10 years and her exemplary work ethic has always impressed me. She’s organized, knowledgeable, and very efficient. She effectively meets the goals that are set for her, and completes all tasks in a timely manner. It appears that nothing is beyond her ability to accomplish.”

Congratulations as well to this quarter’s other nominees:

Linda Healy works as Program Support Supervisor for Advising Services and is called the “glue that keeps the office together.” Linda is a caring and compassionate leader who leads by example and is the first to support new projects and initiatives. She engages colleagues and staff in sometimes difficult but important conversations; addresses challenges instead of ignoring them, and is a firm believer in continuous improvement. Healy acts as liaison between departments because she is highly respected and well-liked by her fellow colleagues. As one nominator explains it, “She has a way of bringing people together to get a job done. Linda isn’t just a cooperative spirit, she is the spirit of compassion and good will and she is a pleasure to work with.”

Dan Simonson works for Facilities Services as a Maintenance Mechanic, and is described as an “outstanding team leader for Facilities.” He has a strong work ethic; is committed to whatever job he is assigned to; is never without his tools, and is always willing to help when he can. His nominators admire the quality of his work; his calm, steady demeanor, and find his cost-saving suggestions helpful. Simonson is considered to be efficient, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. One nominator wrote, “He has a kind heart and it shows in his everyday interactions with everyone.”

As Maintenance Mechanic in Manufacturing Technology, Mitch Sott is termed “Resident Mr. Fix It” in the bakery. He is accessible and responsive to their needs, and deemed “indispensable” to the department. Sott is known for quality work and a consistently quick turnaround time for projects. He has saved the department money by being creative and willing to tackle anything asked of him. The tag line in the bakery is “Don’t throw it out, call Mitch. If he can’t fix it, he’ll make a new one.” Sott’s work is not only functional, but also artistic. He is always pleasant and friendly, and he makes his customers feel valued.

Eighty-eight Clark Penguins got up and moving during the month of October for the first ever Walktober Challenge, a physical-activity challenge in which employees competed against the WSU Vancouver Cougs and the Lower Columbia College Red Devils. Some participants hiked, biked, or ran off-campus; others chose to take a fitness class or walk the Penguin Paths on the main campus walkways. Regardless of the activity, all steps added up to earn Clark College second place for the highest step average. Clark may not have taken home the trophy this year, but the college did have the highest number of participants, and collectively logged in 27,734,670 steps. Way to go, Penguins!

A big congratulations to the top three Clark Champions who logged the most steps and were each awarded a prize:

• 1st place at 679,836 steps: Sally Demos, Library
• 2nd place at 663,350 steps: Mark Bolke, Biology
• 3rd place at 647,902 steps: Randy Givens, Nursing

Library and Archives Paraprofessional Sally Demos. Photo courtesy of Sally Demos

Biology professor Mark Bolke. Photo courtesy of Mark Bolke

Nursing professor Randy Givens. Photo courtesy of Randy Givens

PEBB Medical Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA) and Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)

If you wish to enroll in or continue your Medical FSA and/or DCAP, open enrollment is the time to do it. You must enroll or reenroll no later than November 30 for the January 1, 2016 coverage year.

The Medical FSA allows you to:

• Set aside part of your paycheck, before taxes, to cover qualified medical expenses for you and your family members.
• You may set aside as little as $240 or as much as $2,500 during 2016, which will be deducted from each paycheck in equal installments.

The DCAP allows you to:

• Set aside part of your paycheck, before taxes, for child or elder care expenses.
• You may set aside up to $5,000 per household ($2,500 each if married and filing separate tax returns) which will be deducted in equal amounts from each paycheck.

Want to learn more about the FSA and DCAP? Live presentations on November 9, 2015, from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm in PUB 161

Navia Benefit Solutions (formerly Flex-Plan Services) is offering webinars throughout the month of November. To see the webinar schedule, visit the Navia Benefit Solutions website.

In addition, Navia Benefit Solutions will have representatives available at the benefits fairs.

Shine a light on your medical plan options in 2016

Choose the best plan for you and your family – Choosing a medical plan is important. Many people think first about cost and which doctors and hospitals are in the network. There are other things to consider when choosing the plan that is right for you and your family.

Think about these questions as you review the 2016 plan options:

Providers:

• Are the providers I want to see in the plan’s network?

Coordinated Care:

• Will my provider share information that helps the providers work in partnership to make decisions about my health care?
• Will I receive care by providers who are supported by a system with the goal of keeping me healthy and getting me the care I need?

Nurse line, online resources:

• Does the plan have access to a 24/7 nurse line or medical help line for after-hours support or to help me decide whether I need to see a provider?

All medical and dental plans that are currently available in 2015 remain available in 2016.