Clark College employees gathered on September 18 to kick off the 2023-24 academic year during Opening Day festivities at O’Connell Sports Center.

Before staff entered O’Connell, they could stop by a Clark College Values table staffed by Student Ambassadors. They chose which of the values from the Strategic Plan they would like to focus on in their work this year, then attached the value card to a Clark lanyard. The six values are Social Justice, Partnerships, Innovation, Shared Governance, Continuous Improvement and Sustainability. Staff also could pick up a laminated pocket-sized Strategic Plan.

Inside O’Connell was a reunion atmosphere as faculty, staff, and board members reconnected.

The noise level rose in ever-increasing crescendos. The excitement was palpable. While staff members waited for the program to start, they:

• Enjoyed coffee and bagels hosted by IQ Credit Union.
• Stopped by the Clark College Foundation table to pick up an “O” Squad pin if they are donors.
• Got a new staff photo taken by Jenny Shadley from Communications and Marketing.

Welcome by Dr. Edwards

Wearing a blue baseball jersey with “Edwards” and the number “1” on the back, Dr. Edwards stepped up to the podium and welcomed staff to Opening Day. Dr. Edwards thanked IQ Credit Union for the morning refreshments. She also thanked Phi Theta Kappa students for organizing the school supplies drive, and faculty and staff for contributing to the drive.

Dr. Edwards introduced a video titled Penguin Executive Baseball that featured the college’s Executive Cabinet playing together as a team at Clark’s softball field. She talked about the importance of teamwork and working together to serve our students. Then she introduced her Executive Cabinet team members, who also sported baseball jerseys.

She announced two new funds Clark College Foundation is offering to our students:

• Clark College Innovation Fund serves as a catalyst for groundbreaking projects and transformative ideas within our campus community. Examples of potential initiatives include student-faculty research expeditions and the development of cutting-edge curricula in high-demand fields.
• Clark College Student Success Fund reinforces the college’s unwavering commitment to student success. It supports essential programs and wraparound services that have demonstrated a tangible impact on students’ well-being and educational achievements, such as financial advising, childcare assistance, rent relief, emergency grants, the campus food pantry, and transportation aid.

President Edwards discussed the equity-centered strategic plan, its tenets, and values. To learn more, visit https://www.clark.edu/about/governance/strategic_plan/.

Dr. Edwards closed by saying, “Here we are, at the beginning of a new academic year. Next week, we will welcome a new cohort of students who have put their trust in Clark College—and all of us collectively—to help them step onto a path toward succeeding in their academic goals, their careers, and in life.”

She added, “I recently came across a quote by author Michael Hyatt who said, ‘You lose your way when you lose your Why.’ I’m focused on the importance of our work and our ‘Why’ – its value in our lives, for our students, our teams, and our community. Like me, I hope you will remain sure-footed in your reason for being here and that we create a Community of Care for each other. As we begin this year, let’s not forget the joy, passion, and dedication that led us to this work and to Clark College.”

• Details of the Staff and Faculty Award Recipients
• Student Video 1: How do you define Clark College?
• Student Video 2: How does Clark College create a sense of community?
• Student Video 3: How have Clark College faculty and staff supported you?

ASCC 2023-24 President Emma Sturm introduced this year’s student government representatives.

Then she told her own story of being a returning student: “Coming back to Clark College has been one of the best decisions of my life so far. When I came back, I knew I wanted to be involved on campus and participate in clubs, which was something I hadn’t done the first time I had been at Clark.”

Board of Trustees Chair Cristhian Conseco Juarez spoke on behalf of the trustees: “We are committed to being a leader in inclusive excellence that strengthens the Southwest Washington community and is integral to our communities culturally, economic, and educational vitality. The hard and heart work that is done by our leadership team, faculty, and staff—all of you–contributes to making this tenet achievable. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank each of you for all you do and for making Clark College an inclusive and welcoming place for all.”

At the end of the program, Oswald led the way for a group photo taken by Jenny Shadley, who was situated in a high lift south of Scarpelli Hall, followed by a box lunch provided by Clark College Foundation in the courtyard by Anderson Fountain.

Opening Day is part of a multi-day orientation and training for faculty organized by the Clark College Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). The keynote address was given on Tuesday, September 19 by emareena danielles, who led work related to reducing harm, rebuilding trust in the educational system, and maintaining the humanity and dignity of students in the classroom. Danielles is the author of Building a Trauma-Responsive Educational Practice: Lessons from a Corrections Classroom.

Download a copy of the photo here.

So much to learn—and so little time!

Perhaps those thoughts were repeated often by staff participating in Staff Development days on August 15 and 16.

Clark College employees spent two days learning together on campus during Staff Development Days. The annual event allows staff time to connect with other staff on campus, learn valuable skills, and share department information. The event formerly was called Teaching and Learning Days.

Six concurrent breakout sessions offered more than three dozen professional development opportunities focused on a variety of topics. New features this year included supervisor training series, micro learning sessions, and opportunities for department meetings.

Lighter, just-for-fun sessions included genealogy and propagating house plants. Many thanks to the staff members who painted colorful designs on 140 rocks during the summer. Before the event, the rocks were hidden around campus and staff were encouraged to walk the campus to search for rocks.

Many thanks to the staff who organized Staff Development Days: Alyssa Voyles, Vanessa Bural, Andra Spencer, Carolyn Stark, Degundrea Harris, Haley Tucker, Joey Hicklin, Lindsey Schuhmacher, Michelle Golder, Tre Sandlin, and Wendé Fisher.

Thanks to the bookstore for providing free ice cream treats on the second day that soared above 100 degrees.

Departments including Human Resources, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Disability Support Services, Entry Services, Transitional Studies, Facilities Services, and others presented overviews of their department’s focus.

In her welcome to staff, Dr. Edwards noted that Staff Development Days supports the connection to the college’s Equity-Centered Strategic Plan by reinforcing employee engagement, empowerment, and excellence. She also called attention to those people impacted by the recent devastating wildfire on Maui.

Alyssa Voyles, Director of Employee Equity and Engagement and one of the event organizers, said, “The goal of Staff Development Days is to provide opportunities not only for staff to participate in necessary trainings, but also to provide a space for folx to reconnect, take a step away from their desks to breathe, and get excited about the upcoming year.”

Alyssa added, “We felt that this year was a big success, with bonding over rock painting, packed sessions covering necessary Clark skills and knowledge, and people getting to spend time in person with colleagues they only ever work with on Zoom! And the free ice cream provided by the bookstore always helps.”

PPI training sessions were offered on subjects including antisemitism, DACA, equitable decision making and more.

Andra Spencer’s training, Combating Antisemitism: Understanding and Taking Action, was very well attended. She defined what anti-Semitism is, how it has evolved and is shown in contemporary expressions. By promoting empathy and fostering dialogue, the goal was to inspire participants to become active agents in combatting anti-Semitism and fostering inclusivity and allyship.

Andra Spencer, program manager in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, said, “The ODEI team is working to have our training sessions be both data-informed and shaped by feedback from the college community. Through feedback we have received through the Climate Survey and other venues, we have learned that antisemitism is an area Clark staff would like to learn more about. We were excited to provide this training for the first time and to see such a positive response! We continue to hear from attendees about the positive learning experience in this workshop and the new things they are still thinking about.”

So many people streamed into Rosalba Pitkin and Katia Quintero’s presentation about DACA that more chairs had to be brought from another room.

“We didn’t expect so many people to be interested in DACA,” said Rosalba.

She told the participants, “We thank you for coming and for your interest in helping these students. We hope that this presentation and others like it will help cultivate greater empathy and understanding for these students.”

Katia reminded participants that DACA applies not only to some Clark students, but also to some college employees.

Katia said, “It’s gratifying to have so many Clark employees interested in learning more about DACA and how it impacts not only our students, but also our employees.”

Staff gathered for morning coffee and chatting and later headed to the bookstore for free ice cream treats. A delicious lunch was provided on both days. Relaxing chair massage sessions were available, too.

To conserve resources, the conference did not provide disposable water bottles. Instead, staff members refilled their own water bottles at water-refill stations. Rather than the conference printing hundreds of programs, staff members were encouraged to access the online program or print their own program.

Keynote by Parfait Bassalé

The second day opened with an inspiring presentation by Parfait Bassale, immigrant, artist, reconciler, and belonging strategist. The musician and songwriter played his guitar and sang his original song, “Safe House.”

When he finished singing, he said, “I see you. I hear you. I’m with you.”

Then he talked about three levers of belonging required for people to feel connected, at work or in any group:

1. Connection/representation
2. Visible support and care
3. A sense of agency; a person feeling their voice matters and they are being heard

To create connection, he asked Clark staff members to ask these questions: “How do we create opportunities for connection and for our stories to come out? How do we show support and care for each other? How do we allow for more voices to be shared? How can I be more present?”

Later, on social media, Parfait shared a photo of him standing with Clark College staff: “What a gift it was to remind dedicated professionals that all it takes is one person to make the difference to produce an experience of belonging for another human being.”

Director of Guided Pathways and Partnerships, Rhianna Johnson, said Parfait’s presentation caused her to reflect about what it means to have a sense of belonging at work.

“To me, it means feeling seen, heard, and respected,” Rhianna said. “It means trusting that others have your back. People need training, guidance, and tools to excel in their roles. Folks feel a sense of belonging when they are confident in their position and understand how they fit into the bigger picture. It also means feeling included in the group.” Listen to Parfait Bassalé’s song here.

Safe House by Parfait Bassalé

Verse 1: I see you with a limp from afar I see all of you I am curious about you What has brought you this far? I have time. Do you?

Chorus: Where do wounded birds fly When they’re trying to survive? I have wondered this for a while now. Yeah. Where do wounded birds fly When they’re trying to survive? Will I be a safe house? A safe house.

Verse 2: I hear you. All these scars from before. I do have some, too. Tell me, how I can support you? Your story isn’t my truth. So, what needs have you?

Verse 3: I am with you. As you heal from these wounds.

You rekindle my youth. I will journey alongside of you As you grow wings anew. I will soar with you.

Safe House words and music copyright by Parfait Bassalé. Used with permission.

Note: This is a new series to introduce the Clark College community to fellow college employees. We want to tell stories about what you do when you are not at work: hobbies, interests, travels, volunteer work. Did you volunteer at an elephant preserve over the summer? Walk the Camino de Santiago? Climb a mountain? Learn to sail or flyfish or make cheese? Send your ideas to ComMark@clark.edu.  

You might know Terri Anderson, program coordinator for the college’s Dental Hygiene program. But did you know she ran in the Boston Marathon for the first time on April 17, 2023? Here’s a fun Q&A to learn more about Terri’s passion for running and her experience running the Boston Marathon. 

Q: How long have you been running?  

TA: I began running around 2001 after I joined a local gym, where I got into the sport of triathlon: swim, bike, run. I did triathlons for 17 years. 

Q: What was your impetus to want to run in the Boston Marathon?  

TA: A running friend had run the Boston Marathon for 14 years, but I wasn’t interested. Then as time went by, I started looking at bucket list items and got this crazy idea to qualify for the Boston Marathon with my friend. This spring I ran my first Boston Marathon, while she did her 15^th.  

Q: How do you qualify to run in the Boston Marathon? 

TA: Certain marathons are qualifying races. They base your qualifying time on your gender and age. For me, I needed a 4:35 (4 hours, 35 minutes), but I wanted a cushion. I chose to go for a 4:20. I qualified with a 4:18 in the Newport, Oregon Marathon on June 4, 2022. I was very pleased. I got notified that I qualified and registered on the first day.  

Q: What was your first marathon? 

TA: My first two marathons were competing in Ironman Triathlons, competitions where you swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and then run a marathon, which is 26.2 miles. My first Ironman was in Penticton, British Columbia in 2011. I ran the Portland Marathon in 2013 to see if I could qualify for Boston, but I started out too fast and I hit the wall with five miles to go. I missed qualifying by five minutes.  

I did a second Ironman in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in 2016. A serious bike accident in a timed trial race by Frenchman’s Bar Park in 2018 ended my road riding and my triathlons. Then I got more into running. That’s how my interest in running the Boston Marathon came about.  

Q: This year’s Boston Marathon marked 10 years since the 2013 bombing at the marathon. What was that like? 

TA: There were memorial presentations where the two bombs went off in 2013. We walked from our hotel to get to packet pick-up a few days before the race, and we had to walk past the finish line. When we saw how close one bomb was to the finish line, both my friend and I broke down.  

Q: Were you nervous about running in the Boston Marathon?  

TA: The day before the race, I started getting anxious. I’d heard about Heartbreak Hill between miles 20 and 21. My friend had run the Boston Marathon 14 times before, and said she gets nervous every year. My friend is Catholic. The day before the race, we went to a lovely, beautiful old church. The priest blessed us for our race the next day. 

Q: Tell us about race day.  

TA: The night before the race, we went to bed early. On race day, depending on your starting time, they bus you an hour to the start line, where you wait. My biggest concern was to not start too fast, to pace myself, because I had to run 26.2 miles. My pace goal was 10 minutes per mile, and I held to it. As you run, Boston residents come out to cheer you on. It’s Patriots’ Day there, a holiday. The cheering made me run faster, so I had to slow down. Then I started up Heartbreak Hill—and I made it!  

Q: What was it like as you approached the end of the marathon? 

TA: Right after Heartbreak Hill, at mile 22, my quads said, “Had enough. Don’t want to do this anymore.” It was a struggle. I forced myself to keep on pace. When I made that left turn onto Boylston Street—the finish line street—the sound of the crowd was deafening. I felt the energy. It almost seemed like the street was vibrating. I sped up. Passed people.  

Once you cross the line, they have you walk several blocks, so the runners crossing the finish line don’t cause a bottleneck. Someone gave me a bottle of water. Someone else gave me a space blanket. That night, we joined other marathoners at The Black Rose, a local Irish pub for a post-marathon tradition. We all wore our medals. It felt very ‘Boston.’ 

Q: It was your first trip to Boston. What were the highlights?  

TA: We arrive several days before the marathon to explore Boston. We went to a lot of great restaurants and ate a lot of delicious Italian food! Those people in Boston know how to eat. We ate a lot of pasta and salads every day before the race. On race day, I wasn’t hungry. The day after the race, we had lobster rolls. 

Our hotel was right on Boston Harbor very near to the Boston Tea Party Museum. We walked everywhere. Never took a taxi. Boston Commons was beautiful. We walked along part of the Freedom Trail. We saw the Paul Revere statue near Old North Church.   

Q: Will you run the Boston Marathon again? 

TA: For me, it’s a one-and-done experience. It’s quite costly: airfare, meals, and hotel for five nights.  

Q: What’s next for you?  

TA: Three of us have qualified for the New York City Marathon, and we hope to run in November 2024. I’ve never been to New York and have only seen it in movies and TV. The route starts on Staten Island and you run through all five boroughs. The race ends in Central Park in Manhattan. My friend, Anita, tells me that the New York Marathon is not as difficult as the Boston Marathon.  

Q: What advice would you offer to someone who would like to start running, but doesn’t know where to begin?  

TA: It’s never too late. I was in my 40s when I started running and doing triathlons. I got involved through my gym. Find a running group or a running club that has running events. I got my advice from people I met at the gym. Start small. Jog and walk to build up your endurance and lung capacity. I only know one or two people who run alone. I need friends to hold me accountable to do a 15-mile run at 7:30 in the morning. I have lifetime friends from running. It’s been an amazing experience.  

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. 

You scream. I scream. We all scream for ice cream! 

Clark College Executive Council took turns wheeling the ice cream cart around campus to deliver free ice cream treats to all staff on Monday, July 10, as we kick off the first day of the summer term.  

All the childhood favorites were represented: Popsicles, drumsticks, ice cream sandwiches, Fruit & Freeze bars, Toll House cookie ice cream sandwiches. For those who avoid dairy, like DJ Scates in the Office of Instruction, there were nondairy fruit-flavored Popsicles. 

Despite cloudy skies, some raindrops, and cooler temperatures, staff emerged from their offices to enjoy a cold, sweet treat and to chat with colleagues.  

Clark President Dr. Karin Edwards wrote to staff: “It was great to see so many of you today as Executive Cabinet made our way across campus, pushing an ice cream cart, sharing gratitude and sweet treats, and celebrating the start of a new term. We greeted Welding students, participants of Girls Inc., tutors, deans, staff, and faculty from various departments, and ended our tour at the Child and Family Center.” 

A good time was had by all. 

Summer Term 2023 

On July 10, the first day of the summer term, we welcomed 1,897 new and continuing students, including: 

• 76 bachelor’s degree-seeking students 
• 22 international students 
• 33 Running Start students 

We anticipate summer enrollment to continue to increase as students finalize their registration by the July 18 deadline. Many thanks to all who helped our students register and prepare for their summer classes. 

Dr. Edwards added, “Wherever they are in their education journey, I’m inspired by the continued dedication and persistence of our students. Thank you to our faculty and staff for your critical role in helping our students succeed.” 

Congratulations to Clark College adjunct piano instructor Melissa Espindola Terrall, who recently received a Fulbright grant for the 2023-2024 academic year.  

Melissa will travel to Mexico to study and conduct research in piano at Conservatorio Nacional in Mexico City. Her research will focus on Mexican classical piano repertoire as she works to publish an anthology of music from this era. While abroad, Terrall will also perform recitals featuring the work of Mexican and American composers.  

The Fulbright program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between Americans and people of other countries. The U.S. Student Fulbright program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected based on academic or professional achievement, as well as their record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields. Fulbright grants provide funding for round-trip travel, maintenance for one academic year, health and accident insurance and, where relevant, tuition. 

Terrall lives in Portland. She earned a master’s degree in piano performance from the University of Kansas in 2022. 

Learn more about Melissa and hear her play: https://www.melissaterrallpiano.com/ 

Photo credit: ilumina photography

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. 

Clark College welcomed a new trustee and said farewell to an outgoing trustee at its June 7 Board of Trustees meeting. 

Board President Paul Speer and Clark President Dr. Karin Edwards welcomed Marilee Scarbrough to its governing board and thanked Trustee Rekah Strong, who has served on the board for a decade. She is the executive director of Educational Opportunities for Children and Families.  

Dr. Edwards said, “Rekah has been a champion for Clark College. She cares deeply about students and their families and promotes education as an equalizer for those who have been marginalized. Her intentional actions and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion have fostered meaningful cultural change during her tenure here.” 

Marilee Scarbrough, an attorney, has been general counsel for the Vancouver School District since 2011. Previously she served as the policy and legal services director for Washington State School Directors’ Association, and attorney for the Washington State House of Representatives’ Higher Education Committee. Scarbrough holds a Juris Doctor from University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Whitman College.  

“I am excited to serve my community in this new role,” said Trustee Scarbrough. “I look forward to working with the Clark College board and administration to inspire learners to excel, transform lives, and strengthen our increasingly diverse community.”

2023-24 Board of Trustees 

• Chair Paul Speer
• Vice Chair Cristhian A. Canseco Juarez 
• Jeanne Bennett  
• Denise Gideon 
• Marilee Scarbrough 

About Clark College Board of Trustees 

Each of the five members of the college’s Board of Trustees is appointed by the governor of Washington and serves a five-year term. They must live within the college’s service district, which includes Clark, Skamania and western Klickitat counties. 

The board seeks to ensure the quality and relevance of college programs and provides stewardship of public resources. The board is responsible for strategic planning, development and approval of college policies, and approval and oversight of the operating budget. Learn more here. 

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Bruce Elgort, a professor in Clark College’s Computer Technology department, was granted tenure unanimously by the Clark College Board of Trustees on May 24. 

Tenure is awarded by the college’s trustees based on professional excellence and outstanding abilities in their disciplines. The granting of tenure is based on the recommendations of tenure reviews 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 evaluations by the faculty member being considered, the tenure review committee, students, supervisors, and peers. The final decision to award or withhold tenure rests with the Board of Trustees. 

Bruce Elgort earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in electrical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey. He earned his Master of Science in engineering management from New York University, New York.  

Experience in the field 

Prior to teaching, Bruce worked for more than three decades in the field, including Elguji Software (founder/CEO); Sharp Microelectronics (strategic business operations, IT manager), and Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (office services and IT manager, manager of marketing and communications, and electrical engineer). In addition, he was an independent international consultant for more than a dozen clients including Price Waterhouse Cooper, US Social Security Administration, US Department of Agriculture, Washington State Department of Transportation, Honda and more. Bruce is recognized by IBM and Amazon Web Services for being an innovative thought leader in cloud and artificial intelligence technologies. 

Bruce joined Clark College in 2012 as a Computer Technology instructor. He serves on the Universal Design committee and Advanced Manufacturing committee. He is called on by staff and faculty as an accessibility expert. Bruce has received the Exceptional Faculty Award twice. 

Teaching philosophy  

You’ll find this technology professor working hard to inspire and challenge his students with meaningful web development and programming experiences. Bruce loves to tinker and test the boundaries of existing and emerging technologies, to then guide hungry minds through memorable, educational journeys to showcase with passion the ever-evolving innovations of society.  

Photos provided by Bruce Elgort

Nine outstanding educators were granted tenure unanimously by the Clark College Board of Trustees. They were honored at a college reception on May 16. These newly tenured faculty members are:

• Katy Anastasi, Libraries
• Dr. Tanya Diaz-Kozlowski, Women’s Studies
• Wade Hausinger, Welding
• Mark Keats, English
• Jesse Kysar, Engineering
• Alejandra Maciulewicz-Herring, Medical Assisting
• Marisol Moreno Ortiz, Libraries
• Tom Olsen, Digital Media Arts
• Amy VahnDijk, Nursing

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.

Katy Anastasi, Libraries

Katy Anastasi earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in American studies from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota and her Master of Library and Information Studies from Queens College (City University of New York) in New York City. She began her career working in community college libraries in 2018 as an adjunct librarian and Open Educational Resources (OER) fellow at Borough of Manhattan Community College. After moving to Oregon in 2019, she began working at Portland State University as a reference librarian and OER publishing assistant.

Katy joined Clark College in Fall 2020 as a tenure-track reference and instruction librarian. She co-leads Clark College’s OER steering committee and serves on the library’s user experience committee, as well as the Clark College Faculty Excellence Award committee. Since 2020, she has worked collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students to develop culturally relevant academic library collections and library services for incarcerated students and their instructors at Larch Corrections Center. She received Clark’s Faculty Excellence Award in 2022.

Tanya Diaz-Kozlowski, Ph.D., Women’s Studies

Tanya Diaz-Kozlowski earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2001 and her Master of Science degree in college student personnel from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston in 2003. She earned her Ph.D. in education policy, organization and leadership with a focus in social and cultural foundations coupled with certificates in gender and women’s studies and Latino/a studies from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2015. She supervised, advised, and mentored students and co-created programs in residential life, Greek life, orientation, and cultural programs at Eastern Illinois University and at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2001-2008.

Tanya has diverse experiences teaching and advising undergraduate and graduate students, creating department level curricula and assessments, and teaching interdisciplinary undergraduate/graduate courses in gender, women’s, and sexuality studies and Latinx studies from teaching, advising, and mentoring students at Illinois State University and The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Over the last three years, Tanya has published peer-reviewed articles in The Association of Mexican American Educators Journal, The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education, and The Journal of Lesbian Studies.

Tanya started teaching at Clark College in Fall 2020. She completed the Teaching Squares program in 2021 and the college’s BUILD Program in 2022, a yearlong employee development program providing intensive training in power, privilege, and inequality.

William (Wade) Hausinger, Welding Technology

Wade Hausinger has worked in the welding industry for his entire career. He first learned welding, drafting and blueprint reading as an Evergreen High School student. At Clark College he earned his GED and completed leadership skills training. He has worked in the welding industry since 1989 and was certified for industry-related professional training on the job. He starting as a welding fabricator and working his way up to pipe fitter/welder, pipe shop foreman, shop welding foreman, and metal fabrication foreman. His former employers include Christensen Shipyard, Electro, Cascade General Shipyard and GI Welding.

Wade began teaching welding at Clark College in 2017 as an instructional technician and became an instructor the following term. He made tenure track in 2020.

Mark Keats, English

Mark L. Keats earned his Associate of Arts degree in English from Howard Community College. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese language and literature and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Maryland, College Park. He began teaching at Howard Community College and taught for six years before returning to graduate school, where he earned a Ph.D. in literature and creative writing from Texas Tech University. He taught for one year at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas before accepting a job at Clark College.

He began teaching at Clark College Fall 2020 as a tenure track candidate. He currently serves on the literature committee. He has participated in English and campuswide professional development and training.

Jesse Kysar, Engineering

Jesse Kysar earned an Associate of Science Transfer degree in physics at Lower Columbia College in 2011. He transferred to Washington State University in Pullman, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and a Bachelor of Science degree in material science and engineering, both in 2014.

While he was enrolled at WSU, he worked as a student researcher. After he graduated, he worked as an engineer I, industrial applications at nLight, which produces high-power semiconductor lasers and fiber lasers. He also worked as a mechanic and heavy equipment operator in the construction industry.

Jesse began teaching at Clark College as an adjunct faculty member in Fall 2018, then worked as temporary full-time faculty before starting his tenure journey in 2020. In addition to teaching in the engineering department, he also teaches materials science in the welding department. At Clark, he serves as the department lead in program outcomes assessment. He is one of two faculty experts on the advanced manufacturing curriculum leadership team.

Alejandra Maciulewicz-Herring, Medical Assisting

Alejandra Maciulewicz-Herring earned her Associate of Arts degree in pre-nursing at Clark College. She also earned a Certificate of Proficiency, medical assistant, Concorde Career College, Portland; Certificate of Proficiency, emergency medical technician, Linn-Benton Community College, Albany, Oregon; and an American Association of medical assistant certification.

Her career in the healthcare industry includes working as a medical assistant, pediatrics medical assistant, and an administrative medical assistant in internal family medicine, physical therapy, and pediatrics clinics. Her former employers include Allergy Clinic, Internal Family Medicine, Columbia Asthma & Allergy, Creekside Medical, Stargait Physical Therapy, and Miller’s Family Pediatrics.

Alejandra began teaching full time at Clark College in Fall 2020. She is involved with outreach events to promote the college’s Allied Health programs.

Marisol Moreno Ortiz, Libraries

Marisol Moreno Ortiz earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Oregon State University in Corvallis, a Master of Arts in English from Portland State University in Portland, and a Master of Library and Information Science from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisianna. Before entering her full-time library position at Clark College, Marisol worked part time at the library at Linn-Benton Community College, where she also taught information literacy and supported student learning.

Marisol began her current full-time position at Clark College as reference and instruction librarian in Fall 2020. She serves on a tenure committee and is a supportive member of the OER steering committee. Marisol is a mental health advocate, privacy advocate, and focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice in librarianship.

Thomas Olsen, Jr., Digital Media Arts

Thomas Olsen, Jr., earned his Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the University of Oregon, Eugene, and his Master of Fine Arts degree in film and television production (emphasis in film and television producing) from Chapman University, Orange, California. He is a documentary film producer through his company Anchor Pictures. Thomas also has taught at Portland Community College, Portland State University, Warner Pacific University, and The Art Institute of Portland.

Thomas began teaching at Clark College in Fall 2020 as a tenure-track professor. He serves as the advisor for the college’s Cinema Club and on the digital media arts advisory board. Thomas also volunteers for the Cannon Beach Historical Society and Museum.

Amy VahnDijk, Nursing

Amy VahnDijk earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Washington State University Vancouver and her Doctor of Nursing Practice as a family nurse practitioner at Washington State University. Before entering the teaching profession, she worked as a family nurse practitioner at The Vancouver Clinic. Amy has more than a decade of professional nursing experience.

Amy began teaching at Clark College in 2020 as a tenure track tenure candidate. She currently serves on the nursing library committee and nursing tenure track hiring committee.

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley