Top row, left to right: Dr. Lindsay Christopher, Michael Ludwig, Brian McVay, Alexis Nelson. Second row: Toby Peterson, Mary Ellen Pierce, and Lora Whitfield

Seven outstanding educators are the newest members of the tenured faculty at Clark College. Dr. Lindsay Christopher (English), Michael Ludwig (dental hygiene), Brian McVay (welding), Alexis Nelson (English), Tobias Peterson (English), Mary Ellen Pierce (nursing), and Lora Whitfield (early childhood education) were all granted tenure during the Clark College Board of Trustees meeting on March 14.

Tenure is awarded by the college’s Board of Trustees based on professional excellence and outstanding abilities in their disciplines. The granting of tenure is based on the recommendations of tenure review committees to the vice president of instruction, which are then forwarded to the president, who presents a final recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Recommendations are based on self-evaluations, tenure review committee evaluations, student evaluations, supervisory evaluations, and peer evaluations. The final decision to award or withhold tenure rests with the Board of Trustees.

“Tenure is a landmark moment—both in the careers of the individual faculty members, as well as in the history of the college as a whole,” said Dr. Tim Cook, Vice President of Instruction. “These faculty members will become a crucial part of the college’s community and will help shape its curriculum and character for years to come. I look forward to seeing these talented and passionate educators contribute to Clark’s collective legacy.”

About the faculty members

Dr. Lindsay Christopher

Dr. Lindsay Christopher holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Mercyhurst College and University of Buffalo, respectively. She earned her Ph.D. in Literary Studies from the University of Denver. Her teaching experience includes the University of Denver, Arapahoe Community College, and Clark College.

At Clark, Dr. Christopher has participated in college-wide initiatives focused on integrative learning; power, privilege, and inequity; open education resources; and the college’s “common read” book and theme. She leads the English Department’s literature and technical writing work groups and has also taught “Introduction to Clark College,” a course designed to help new Clark College students succeed at the college.

“At the core of my teaching practice is the conviction that when students engage in active inquiry in a diverse curriculum that honors their experience, they begin their journeys to becoming powerful thinkers and creators, innovative leaders, and dynamic citizens,” said Dr. Christopher.

Michael Ludwig

Michael Ludwig is a Clark College alumnus, having received his Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene from the college in 1997. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from Eastern Washington University and is completing his Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University.

Ludwig has 16 years of professional experience as a dental hygienist in private practice and 14 years of teaching experience at Clark College. He currently serves as the Lead Restorative Instructor in the college’s Dental Hygiene program.

“Students learn in a variety of ways,” said Ludwig. “My approach is to utilize a variety of teaching methods to reach as many students as possible in an organized manner while providing clear goals and expectations.”

Brian McVay

Brian McVay is also a Clark alumnus, having attended Clark’s welding program before going on to a four-year ironworker apprenticeship. He has work experience as an ironworker, a quality assurance inspector at Cascade General Shipyard, and as an ultrasound operator for nondestructive testing. McVay, who has taught at Clark for three years, is a Certified Welding Inspector and a Washington Association of Building Officials (WABO) Test Examiner.

At Clark, McVay helps advise future students and gives tours of the welding program. He is the faculty advisor of the Clark College Welding Club and administers WABO weld testing. He is also active in outreach work to regional industry to assess its needs.

McVay says his teaching philosophy involves showing the real-world applications of lesson material and making sure students understand the material thoroughly.

Alexis Nelson

Alexis Nelson earned her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California at Santa Barbara and her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing with a nonfiction emphasis from Portland State University. She has teaching experience at both PSU and at Clark.

At Clark, Nelson has served as co-director of the Columbia Writers Series and has grown it from an annual to a quarterly event. She also founded Subtext, the college’s annual literary festival, and serves as co-advisor for the college’s creative writing club.

“My approach to teaching is hands-on and student-centered, with an emphasis on group discussion, workshopping of student writing, and learning to read as writers,” said Nelson.

Tobias Peterson

Tobias Peterson holds bachelor degrees in both Spanish Literature and English from the University of Texas at Austin. He earned a Master of Arts in English from George Mason University and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing with a focus on poetry from Texas State University. Peterson has teaching experience at Austin Community College, Texas State University, Portland State University, Clackamas Community College, and Clark College.

At Clark, Peterson has served on numerous college-wide committees and task forces, including Planning and Accreditation, Program Improvement Process, Teaching and Learning, Opening Day Planning, Strategic Plan Development, Credit for Prior Learning, and Title III Grant. He serves as the evidence chair for the Academic Excellence Core Council and is the former co-chair of the Outcomes Assessment Committee. Within the English Department, he serves on the Creative Writing and the Technical and Professional Writing committees. He also helps coordinate the annual Clark Crossings Reading Series.

Peterson described his approach to teaching as “outcomes-focused and project-driven. I see my role as a ‘guide on the side,’ to inspire, enable, and empower my students to meet learning goals in applied settings and through practical application.”

Mary Ellen Pierce

Mary Ellen Pierce earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alaska and her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix. She has 35 years of work experience as a registered nurse working in a variety of settings, including hospitals, post-acute care, community-based care, and legal nurse and health care consulting. She has extensive experience in nursing administration, as well as four years of experience as a nurse educator.

At Clark, Pierce serves on the Academic Standards and Program Improvement Process committees, as well as numerous departmental committees. She is also an active member of the college’s Guided Pathways faculty team, which is tasked with planning Clark’s transition to this successful, structured model of higher education.

“I believe in dynamic teaching that engages students in the learning process, challenges them to think, question, and use their ‘nursing voices’ to promote optimal patient care and best practice,” Pierce said.  “I believe learning is an ongoing process that serves to enhance and strengthen each person’s skills and abilities and that inclusive collaboration and mutual respect are key components of positive growth, both individually and collectively.”

Lora Whitfield

Lora Whitfield is a Clark College alumna, having earned her Associate in Applied Science in Early Childhood Education in 2002. She earned her Master of Arts in Human Development with a specialization in Early Childhood Education and Bi-Cultural Development from Pacific Oaks College. Whitfield has work experience at Albina Early Head Start in Portland, Ore., and at the Southwest Washington Child Care Consortium.

During her time teaching at Clark, Whitfield has served on the Clark College Early Childhood Advisory Committee, the Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Council, the State Board Faculty of Color Mentorship Program, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

“As an educator, I am committed to treating each individual with respect,” Whitfield said. “I believe respect is paramount in creating environments that promote students’ ideas, passions, and interests in a meaningful and organic way. I strive to provide settings where everyone can share their ideas without bias and be included in all aspects of learning.”

Addition on June 14: Kay Cook

Math professor Kate Cook was granted tenure during the Clark College Board of Trustees meeting on June 14.

Cook earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics and education at Principia College in Illinois and her master’s degree in mathematics at California State University, East Bay. She has previous teaching experience at Portland Community College and began teaching at Clark as an adjunct in 2008.

Cook’s involvement at Clark includes leading the Core to College Grant team, serving as the course coordinator for statistics courses in the Mathematics Department, and presenting mathematics worksheet ideas at local and national conferences.

“I try to meet the student at their level and encourage them forward to new confidence and ability in math,” said Cook, who lives in Vancouver. “I’ve found that a bit of humor helps make that rocky path more enjoyable.”

Congratulations to Carmen Roman, recipient of the 2016 Fall Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award!

Carmen Roman

Roman is a Program Specialist 2 for the Advising Services department. She is someone who is described by her nominators as “giving a consistent high-level of service to the students, the public, the community and to co-workers.”

Nominators had the following to say about Roman:

“Carmen’s unique ability to adjust to all modes and levels of communication is unmatched … It is quite common for students from all walks of life and experiences to applaud this extra attention Carmen gives them during advising sessions. A recent example was relayed from the BMED department on how a student who met with Carmen spoke highly of her to the BMED department head and said that if it wasn’t for the encouragement she received from Carmen, she may have given up on her aspirations to work in the medical field.”

“Carmen is a consummate professional who combines her advising expertise with genuine care and concern for the best interests of students and of the college. She works actively and diligently to learn about and to provide information about all corners of the campus (important dates, instructional departments, program requirements, pre-reqs, assessment, financial aid, etc., etc.). She exemplifies the team approach that is necessary for effective delivery of student services. Knowing that students often “don’t know what they don’t know,” Carmen seeks to provide the most relevant pieces of information with the understanding that students’ needs change and evolve as they progress through their programs of study. She is outstanding at giving the right service, in the right manner, at the right time – all with seemingly limitless patience and kindness.”

Congratulations as well to this quarter’s other nominees:

Lorraine Browne Leedy is the Faculty Development Program Specialist at the Teaching and Learning Center. Many in the college community are aware of Lorraine’s “high-quality work” and she “seems to always be able to lend a hand when called upon–she consistently finds time to help her coworkers.” Browne Leedy displays creativity and superior communication skills that are invaluable when planning and delivering many professional development activities each year. Her ability to plan, organize and manage events is why she is considered a key member of any new training initiative. Browne Leedy is described as a “valued college employee, excellent team member, subject matter expert, superior communicator, and terrific example of a high-performing employee.”

Kay Martinez works as a Custodian in the Custodial Services Department. Nominators describe Martinez as someone who works hard and always maintains a positive attitude. Though Martinez works tremendously hard to keep the STEM building looking its best, she always takes a moment to be courteous and to greet faculty, staff and students. Many view her as someone who is excellent at her job, has a strong work ethic, and will go out of her way to assist others. In fact, “Kay’s excellent work ethic and affability” come up in conversations with STEM faculty and staff. A nominator stated that Kay’s “dedication to Clark College should serve as a model for others.”

Hanna Maxwell is a Student Recruitment Specialist for the Enrollment Services Department and is described as an “essential” on the team. Maxwell is seen as someone who provides the best in customer service to students, parents, college partners, and community members while keeping a smile and positive attitude. A nominator stated, “no matter what the issue, she brings a determination to answer questions and find solutions in an accessible way.” Another wrote that she “brings a supreme level of care to her presentation and style. She has explained to hundreds, if not thousands, of students over her six months at Clark the benefits of a college education, and has helped many take the first step to changing their lives.”

Hannah Erickson is a Communications Specialist in the Communications and Marketing Department, but many know her as “the voice of Clark.” Being a steward of the voice requires masterful storytelling, openness, honesty, a caring nature, and the ability to be real and informative–all of which a nominator says Erickson represents. Erickson’s role can be challenging at times, but she always goes above and beyond and brings a “high level of integrity and dedication to her work.” One of her colleagues describes her as the “go-to for all things problem-solving. She is my sounding board from interpersonal work relationships, to navigating a project, to just finding the right word to make an email sound the way I want. She takes my ideas and makes them real with her great writing. I am happy to have her as my collaborator on all the things I do here at Clark.”

Tia Schmidt is an Administrative Assistant in the Nursing Department and sees things from an optimistic viewpoint. Her nominators describe her as “professional, respectful, thoughtful, mindful, and intentional in the way she approaches her job and her coworkers.” Unfailingly polite is how many view Schmidt’s interactions with faculty, staff and students, and she always seems to keep her eye on “the big picture.” A nominator wrote, “I have called on Tia repeatedly for assistance with a wide variety of needs/problems/challenges, and each time she has come through with information, guidance, resources, clarification, and direct help. She doesn’t complain or ask for any special acknowledgement–she just does her job to the best of her ability every day.”

Mitch Sott works in WPTE as a Maintenance Mechanic and is described as “indispensable” to the department–someone who “goes above and beyond the call of duty” to accomplish tasks. Students know Sott and the question isn’t, “What has Mitch fixed for us?” but rather, “What hasn’t he fixed for us?” Sott is described as positive role model, friendly, and a valuable asset to Clark College.  Nominators said his incredible work ethic is something for them to aspire to. “When we need something done, Mitch spends the time discussing it with us so that he knows exactly what we want and is able to accommodate our needs.”

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Haley Tucker

Thirty-Eighty Penguins got up and moving during the month of October for the second Walktober Challenge against the WSU Vancouver Cougars and the Lower Columbia College Red Devils. Collectively, Clark logged in 12,412,963 steps — earning second place in the college challenge. Way to go, Penguins!

The top three participants at Clark were:

• 1st Place: Haley Tucker 1,019,955 steps
• 2nd Place: Garrett Hoyt 953,790 steps
• 3rd Place: Travis Kibota 673,157 steps

Article and photos submitted by Vanessa Neal.

Clark College has recently welcomed three outstanding professionals to its leadership. Read more about

• Kelly Woodward, Vice President of Human Resources and Compliance
• Selena Castro, Dean of Student Enrollment and Completion
• Cathy Busha, Dean of Student Engagement

Kelly Woodward

Kelly Woodward

Kelly Woodward joined Clark as Vice President of Human Resources and Compliance November 3.

“As a major employer in this region with more than 1,000 employees, we are pleased to have a professional with such depth and breadth of experience to serve in this important role on our administrative team,” said Clark College Robert K. Knight.

Woodward earned her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of South Carolina and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Juris Doctor degree from Seattle University Law School. She comes to Clark College after serving as Assistant Attorney General with the Labor and Personnel Division of the Washington Attorney General’s Office. She served in the AAG’s office for nearly three years, during which time she provided legal advice and representation to numerous state agency Human Resources Directors on complex labor and personnel matters, including Washington Parks, Washington Lottery, Department of Corrections, Department of Commerce, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and a number of community colleges, including Clark.

Prior to working at the Attorney General’s Office, Woodward worked in higher education administration for more than 15 years, both wit hin Washington State and in South Carolina. Her previous work experience includes continuing education program development, implementation, and marketing at a private university; serving as a Public Information Director for a large community college in South Carolina; and credit and non-credit program development, implementation and marketing for Olympic College in Bremerton, Wash. Woodward previously served as the first campus director of Olympic College Poulsbo, where she worked successfully with partners in instruction, student services, administrative services, and the college foundation to increase enrollments, build community engagement, and generate funds for the college. Her most recent role at Olympic College was as Director of Compliance, where she developed and instituted a comprehensive compliance program for the college.

Woodward has extensive experience in community activities, including serving as a board member for Leadership Kitsap, a community leadership program. She has served as a council member for the Kitsap County Human Rights Council, as a founding member of the North Kitsap Diversity Awareness Group, as a member of the Olympic College Tribal Relations Task Force, and the Olympic College Diversity Advisory Committee.

Woodward and her family live in Camas, Wash.

Dr. Selena Castro

Dr. Selena Castro

Dr. Selena Castro joined Clark as Dean of Student Enrollment on September 12. She brings a strong background in student affairs and a clear dedication to developing strong relationships, working collaboratively, and building services that support student success.

Dr. Castro has served as an administrator in Student Affairs and Academic Affairs both at California State University, Fresno and at Washington State University. She most recently served as Director of the University Advising Center and New Student Orientation. Prior to her tenure at CSU, Dr. Castro was the Director of Student Success and Transition Programs at WSU Pullman. She brings a wealth of experiences to her role at Clark that are aligned with the college’s work around guided pathways, enrollment, and student success initiatives.

Cathy Busha

Cathy Busha

Cathy Busha joined Clark as Dean of Student Engagement on November 28. She brings a strong background in working with students and a clear dedication to developing collegial relationships and developing services that support student success.

Busha (pronounced “boo-SHAY” — “kind of rhyming with ‘hooray!'” she advises) has served as an administrator in Student Affairs and as a faculty member at both Lewis & Clark College and Chemeketa Community College. She most recently served as Associate Dean of Students for Student Engagement at Lewis & Clark. Prior to her tenure there, she served as a full-time faculty in the Human Services program and part-time as the Diversity and Equity Coordinator at Chemeketa. Cathy brings a wealth of experiences to her role at Clark that are aligned with our student success and engagement initiatives.

In her role as Dean of Student Engagement, Cathy provides administrative oversight to Career Services, Counseling and Health Services, Disability Support Services, Student Conduct, Student Life, Student Success Programs, and the Veterans Resource Center.

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Clark staff, faculty, and students participated in a special Veterans Day photo on Nov. 10, 2016.

The Veterans Resource Center would like to thank everyone who participated in our Veterans Day photo on November 10. As you can see from the image, it was a huge success. We hope to grow this annual celebration so veterans in our community know how much we appreciate their service. Thank you for all you do for our veteran community.

This photo and article submitted by Kelly Jones.

Clark College’s Economic and Community Development program recently welcomed two talented leaders to its team. Francois Wevers joined ECD as the Director of Economic & Community Partnerships and Kelli Gizzi is the incoming Director of Professional and Personal Development.

About Francois Wevers

Francois Wevers

Francois Wevers has a long, rich and successful track record in sales and business management. He has most recently been the National Sales Manager for Lightspeed Aviation in Lake Oswego. Prior to Lightspeed, Wevers held a number of key sales management positions with Hewlett-Packard, based out of the United States, France and Germany. He has helped to build large new businesses, created new retail and commercial sales channels, and managed sales organizations in both Europe and the U.S.

Wevers has a Bachelor in Business Administration from Pacific Lutheran University, in Tacoma, and a DSCAF in Business Administration from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce, Le Havre, France. Wevers was born and raised in the Normandy Region of France and relocated to the Pacific Northwest in 1996. He and his wife, Bracy, have three daughters; they all live in the area.

About Kelli Gizzi

Kelli Gizzi

Kelli Gizzi is a veteran of both Intel Corporation and Motorola, Inc., where she held a number of key roles including marketing in emerging markets, online learning, enterprise channels, enterprise software, information technology, mobile apps, and social media.

Gizzi lives in Battle Ground with her husband, Jim, and daughter, Jenna—all avid soccer fans. Gizzi has a strong community focus and has served on the board of directors of the Women’s Center for Leadership, a greater Portland nonprofit, for four years—the past two years as the board president. Gizzi is also a parent volunteer for Battle Ground Citizens for Better Schools.

Gizzi has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri – Columbia. While Gizzi is a longtime resident of the area, she has also lived and worked in other countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan.

About Clark College Economic and Community Development

Clark College Economic & Community Development (ECD) is Southwest Washington’s premier provider of workforce training and non-credit learning, serving more than 10,000 people annually. These elements are part of ECD’s vision to maintain and continually develop its status as the region’s premier provider of classes, seminars, certificate programs and training opportunities that serve the residents and businesses of the Southwest Washington region.

Clark’s 30th Hood to Coast relay team looks fresh and ready for the challenge at the beginning of the race.

For the 30th straight year, a hardy team of Clark College Penguins banded together to run the annual Hood to Coast relay race, a grueling 199-mile course that starts at Timberline Lodge on the slopes of Mount Hood, goes through the Portland metropolitan area and over the Oregon Coast Range, and finishes on the beach of Seaside, Oregon.

The race traditionally occurs the Friday and Saturday of the weekend prior to Labor Day weekend. Slightly more than 1,000 twelve-person teams participate in the relay. Clark’s team is one of the longest-standing teams in the race’s 35-year history. Because Clark has fielded a team for more than 20 years, it has a lifetime guaranteed entry as long as it continues to field a team, thereby avoiding the highly competitive lottery entry system that other teams have to use.

Tired but triumphant, Clark’s 30th annual Hood to Coast team poses at the finish line.

“Temperatures in the mid-90s on Friday August 26th made the running difficult,” reports team co-captain and Vice President of Instruction Dr. Tim Cook. “Once the sun went down, the night runs down Highway 30 into the Coast Range were full of stars and perfect running weather. The team finished in Seaside about 5:00 p.m. after starting approximately 34 hours earlier on Mt. Hood. It was 199 hours of smelly vans, little sleep and lots of Penguin camaraderie!”

This year’s team included: Tim Cook, Instruction; Kushlani de Soyza, Women’s Studies faculty; Lizette Drennan, Financial Aid; Kael Godwin, Planning and Effectiveness; Haley Gordon, Event Services; Chris Jacob, Athletics; Darcy Kennedy, Chemistry faculty; Kim Marshel, Credentials; Joe Pitkin, English faculty; Paul Raines, Facilities Services; Jenny Walsh (volunteer); Vanessa Watkins, Enrollment Services. The team is supported by generous donations made through the Clark College Foundation.

More HTC history: The 2005 team poses at the end of the Hood to Coast relay race.

For Clark history buffs, here’s the lineup for the original 1987 HTC team, which comprised mostly science faculty, as well as then-Athletic Director Roger Daniels: Dave Allen; Dean and Berna Deanne Blackburn; Wayne and Susan Colony; Roger Daniels; Mike Greenwood; Bob MacKay; John Martin; and Mike and Carol Pick. At the time, the race finished in Pacific City, had 11 runners, and just 186 teams.

Interested in joining the 2017 team? These persevering Penguins are looking for at least one more runner, as well as volunteers to help with driving and supporting the team. Find out more at this year’s kickoff meeting on Thursday, September 29 at 2 p.m. in JSH 127.

For the 13th year in a row, Clark College employees donated backpacks and supplies to 52 school-aged children of Clark College students.

Names of children are gathered and referred by Workforce Education Services, Financial Aid, Veterans Affairs, Child & Family Services, and the Diversity Center. Each child is asked their favorite color and characters so the donors can find a backpack that is specific to that child.

This year, the Backpack Project provided 55 backpacks, adding to the grand total so far of over 730 backpacks collected throughout the years – thank you!

Here are some expressions of thanks from students and their children after receiving their backpack:

“Just wanted to say THANK YOU!!!! for all you have done for me through my college life, along with helping me with school supplies and a backpack for my son for the last two years also. It helped us out so very much, I am off to my new educated life. Thank You All, You Will Be Missed.”

“Thank you for the backpacks. I loooooove them I can’t wait to go back to school.”

“Thank you for your kindness and for the school supplies. I hope that everyone that goes to school in Clark College does really good.”

This article was contributed by Cindy Heck

Photos: Clark College/Cindy Heck

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.”