Dr. Travis Kibota steps forward to receive his Presidential Coin on Opening Day 2013. Typical of Kibota’s spotlight-averse personality, he told President Knight he thought someone else probably deserved the coin more.

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 Opening Day 2013 on September 11. They were:

Karen Wynkoop

Before coming to Clark in 2005, Director of Business Services Karen Wynkoop had already had a distinguished career in higher education. She served as Assistant Vice President of Equity and Diversity and as Organizational Development Specialist at Washington State University; prior to that, she worked at The Evergreen State College in a variety of positions, starting as an accountant and concluding her time there as Associate Vice President for Academic Budget and Financial Planning.

Knight said that Wynkoop “has provided strong and steady leadership of the college’s financial management system and budget process during years of rapid growth as well as dramatic cuts in state funding,” adding that she “is widely recognized throughout the state as one of the premier business officers in the system.”

Dani Bundy

During her 10 years at Clark College, Dani Bundy has worked in Eligibility Programs, Credentials, Advising, the Vice President of Student Affairs Office, and Financial Aid. She is currently Assistant Director of Financial Aid. Knight commended Bundy for “never [leaving] a department without implementing a new enhancement that improved efficiencies.”

Knight added that because Bundy is a Clark alumna herself, “she understands the external and internal barriers that students encounter along their educational paths. Because of this, she is always thinking of solutions that will benefit students.”

Dr. Travis Kibota

Biology professor Travis Kibota has worked at Clark for almost 20 years. During that time, he has twice served as interim dean and is currently division chair of Life Sciences. “He has great vision, is a team player, and has a perfect handle on all of the dynamics of how Clark College works,” said Knight.

Knight added: “He eagerly works with people throughout the college as a connector, which makes him successful in the roles he plays as a faculty member, in administration, on committees, and as a grant developer.”

Cindy Heck

Planning and Effectiveness Administrative Assistant Cindy Heck began working at Clark while still a student here, interning with the Legal Secretary program in 1995. That led to a part-time position, which moved to fulltime in 1998.

“Cindy’s ability to see the big picture, attention to detail, practical nature, outstanding work ethic, and sincere care for others all make her an obvious choice for the Presidential Coin,” said Knight.

Heather King

Business and Health Sciences Administrative Assistant Heather King also got her start at Clark as a student, graduating in 1991 and returning, after receiving her B.A. from WSU, for a Certificate of Proficiency in Clinical Office Assistant in 1998. She began working at Clark as a fiscal specialist in the Office of Instruction, moving to BHS in 2009.

“She is the thread that hold the BHS unit together,” Knight said. “Her years of dedicated service to Clark College in many areas of the institution; her commitment to students, faculty, and staff; her service on multiple committees are but a few oft he reasons she is receiving this coin.”

On Opening Day 2013, Exceptional Faculty Award plaques were presented to, left to right, Darcie Thompson (accepting the award for her mother-in-law, Mickey Thompson), Patti Serrano, Bruce Elgort, Tony Chennault, and Mike Arnold.

Clark College President Bob Knight announced the recipients of the 2013 Exceptional Faculty Awards during the 2013 Commencement ceremony on June 20; they were presented with engraved plaques during Opening Day on September 11. This year, five faculty members—two part-time instructors and three full-time professors—received the award, which honors excellence in teaching.

The Clark College Exceptional Faculty Awards are presented annually to full-time and part-time faculty members in recognition of exemplary work performance, positive impact on students, professional commitment, and other contributions to the college. Nominations are 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.

This year’s Exceptional Faculty Award recipients are:

Mike Arnold

Mike Arnold, Health and Physical Education

Mike Arnold began teaching at Clark College in 1989 and over that time has taught everything from archery to weight lifting, as well as coaching athletic teams. His students praise him for helping them improve not only their bodies, but their minds and characters as well. “Not only does he want you to do well in his class, he wants you to do well in life,” wrote one student in his nomination.

Another student wrote, “Mike Arnold is one of the most caring, respectable, honest and genuine people I have ever met. He is willing to help any student that is in need. … He is more than a teacher; he is a friend and a mentor.”

Tony Chennault

Tony Chennault, Biology

“Simply put, Tony Chennault is the best professor I have ever had,” wrote one student in nominating Chennault for the Exceptional Faculty Award. Many students praise Chennault for making a notoriously difficult series of classes—namely, Human Anatomy and Physiology—fun and understandable.

Chennault, who also teaches Human Biology, began teaching at Clark in 2008 and received tenure in 2011. He strives to make his students feel comfortable as they tackle challenging material, providing them with helpful study tips and mnemonic tricks for learning anatomical terms. “I believe this award is a reflection of having a job that I truly love and am passionate about, and I take pride in bringing that passion and energy to class every day, trying my best to make learning the science of the human body fun for the students as I have fun, too,” he said.

Bruce Elgort

Bruce Elgort, Computer Technology

Bruce Elgort has only been teaching at Clark since winter quarter 2013, but already he has made a huge impression on his students. “I was worried when I started his class that I wouldn’t be able to learn the material or properly grasp the concepts, but after I was in Bruce’s class for an hour, I felt confident and comfortable and able to learn anything,” wrote one nominator.

While Elgort is relatively new to teaching in a college setting, he has a long career in computer technology. He has worked for major technology companies, including Sharp and Underwriters Laboratories, and launched his own successful software company. When he teaches courses about programming, HTML, and PHP coding, he brings real-life experience from the work world into his classroom—a classroom that extends into the virtual realm through help sessions conducted via social media. “In today’s hyper-connected, ‘always-on’ world, the ability to extend the physical classroom is something that has become an integral part of all my work at Clark,” Elgort says.

Patti Serrano

Patti Serrano, Business Administration

Patti Serrano has had plenty of time to develop fans at Clark College—she began teaching here in 1981, beginning by teaching Fashion Merchandising before transitioning to Business Management and Marketing courses. During that time, Serrano has demonstrated leadership at the college time and again. She helped draft the college’s Strategic Plan and participated in the college’s last three accreditation efforts, as well as serving on countless committees to improve college functions; she has also served as head of the college’s Business Department and chair of the Business Division. Additionally, she is a committed educator.

“Having known Patti Serrano for over thirty years, I have personally seen the many, many hours she has devoted to helping her students with guidance in professional and personal advice,” said one coworker. “She has been a positive force for hundreds of students.”

Mickey Thompson

Mickey Thompson, Paralegal

Mickey Thompson entered the legal profession in 1977, and she brings both a depth of knowledge and a great enthusiasm about paralegal work to her teaching. Students point to the countless hours she has spent serving as the advisor to the Clark College Law Club and to her patience when guiding them through the thicket of legal terminology.

“She’s compassionate, organized, strict, and funny all at the same time,” wrote one student in her nomination. “Legal procedure is tough and complicated, and Mickey makes sure that all of her students understand the course material and have a good grasp on the concepts.”

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Concert Choir performing at Union Square, directed by Pavel Kovalenko, student director.

Eighty-eight members of the Clark College Concert Band and Concert Choir represented Clark College by performing in San Francisco, California, the week after spring quarter ended. The tour and performances culminated a year of concerts presented by these two Clark College music groups.

During the trip, which occurred June 23-26, the groups performed two concerts together, followed by individual choral and band workshops taught by nationally recognized conductors. One performance was service-related: The groups gave a free concert at the San Francisco Veterans Administration Community Living Center. It was a moving experience for the students. Following the performance, student Jessica Banks called it “amazing” and “a beautiful experience.”

The second performance served a public-relations function: This free concert at Union Square promoted Clark College’s excellence and drew a large crowd that responded with enthusiasm to the students’ skill and talent.

The Band and Choir each had opportunities to be rehearsed by notable music educator/conductors. The Concert Choir worked with world-renowned conductor Elena Sharkova of the Symphony Silicon Valley; students came away from the experience edified and validated for their work and passion for singing. Choir member Isabelle Wilson said afterward, “I am leaving San Francisco amazed and coming home so inspired. Not only by our performances this week, but the heart and talent and laughter that went along with it. This was a weekend I won’t forget because of my Concert Choir family. I was inspired after working with Elena Sharkova, and I am inspired by all of you. Thank you for making my year.”

The Concert Band worked with Charles R. Barrett at San Francisco State University, taking away new skills and insights to performing that will benefit them technically and musically.

Both groups attended a professional chamber music concert at the Davies Symphony Hall, which for many of the students was a new experience. Band director Rich Inouye commented, “This tour really represents the comprehensive education we try to provide at Clark. It was the perfect balance of culture, education, and performance, and the students really had a great experience.”

Photo: courtesy of April Duvic

Roger Hinshaw, Bank of America’s president in Oregon and Southwest Washington, and Monique Barton, senior VP of corporate social responsibility, at the bank’s offices in Portland. In July, they presented a $15,000 gift for Clark College’s Volunteer & Service-Learning program.

Bank of America has donated $15,000 to Clark College’s Volunteer & Service-Learning program to prepare more than 1,000 students with valuable on-the-job training. The funding will assist with community partnerships and program expenses.

The Volunteer & Service-Learning program places students in more than 100 community nonprofits and governmental organizations, including American Red Cross, Boys and Girls Clubs, Columbia Springs, Habitat Store, and Hazel Dell Community Garden. Students receive experience that promotes their personal growth and contributes to their understanding of course material.

For example, Clark students have volunteered to build homes with Evergreen Habitat for Humanity; students taking Spanish have read bilingual versions of children’s books at local elementary schools as a service-learning component of their classes. These experiences not only enrich the students’ education, they can give students the real-world work experience that can lead to paying jobs.

The Bank of America grant will boost the resources for such major events as Career Days, which needs more than 100 volunteers to operate successfully. It will also allow the program to offer more service-learning opportunities; elevate awareness of career- and service-learning; and finalize new relationships with local businesses. Additionally, Bank of America employees will volunteer their own time to participate in Career Days and to educate students about personal finance.

Clark College President Robert K. Knight said the college’s primary goal is to improve the rate of post-secondary completion. “As a result of the alignment with Bank of America, Clark anticipates students will receive high-quality work history experiences—particularly for students with little or no previous work experience—through service learning and community engagement experiences, and opportunities for civic and community engagement, career exploration, life and soft-skill development,” he said.

“Providing grants to local nonprofit organizations that support career readiness is part of Bank of America’s broader effort to help create economically vibrant communities,” said Roger Hinshaw, Bank of America’s president in Oregon and Southwest Washington. “As part of that, we’re proud to support Clark College’s Career Service-Learning Program, which helps prepare college students to enter the workforce and, in turn, support our local economy.”

Clark’s Career Services department, which oversees the Volunteer & Service-Learning program, has a history of aligning college classroom learning with current community needs; promoting personal growth of college students through reflection about self, society and the future; combining experiential with academic instruction to focus on critical thinking and civic responsibility; and organizing on- and off-campus events that provide quality service opportunities for Clark College students, faculty and staff.

Jaimee Keck shows off one of her favorite yoga poses, an activity she got interested in after joining the Biggest Loser Challenge

The results are in from the Clark College Fitness Center’s first “Biggest Loser” challenge, and the winner is: Clark student Jaimee Keck, who lost 41 pounds over the course of the 10-week event. “While I am happy to have won the competition, I am also proud of everyone who competed for making an effort to improve their health,” she said.

Fitness Center Manager Garet Studer said he came up with the idea for the challenge by seeing similar events, in which participants register to be part of a weight-loss contest, held at other colleges and recreation centers. “We never dreamed it would have as much interest as it did,” he said. “We were thinking 20 people [would sign up], max. Just two weeks of posting the event, we were already over 50 applicants.”

In the end, 24 contestants finished the challenge, which ran through winter quarter. Each contestant was assigned a team at the beginning of the quarter, led by a certified Clark College personal trainer coach. Each team met once a week for a one-hour session; their progress was tracked through weekly weigh-ins posted on a reader board. On average, each contestant lost 12 pounds by the end of the quarter.

“A lot of people want to work out and lose weight but have no idea how to get started and stay motivated,” said Studer. “The Biggest Loser program is designed to help with those two things. Our personal trainers work in group settings to design exercise programs and give direction as to how to safely and effectively lose weight.”

Studer said the Fitness Center is planning to host another Biggest Loser challenge during the 2014 winter quarter.

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Left to right, Associate Vice President of Corporate & Continuing Education Kevin Kussman, Vice President of Student Affairs Bill Belden and Vice President of Instruction Dr. Tim Cook meet with the residents of White Salmon to discuss potential course offerings in a satellite location.

As the economy of the Columbia River Gorge has developed, so have its needs for a more highly trained workforce. Recently members of two Gorge school districts reached out to Clark College to help meet those needs.

Representatives from Clark College recently attended two public meetings in the Columbia River Gorge to hear public input and gauge interest in offering college-level classes to the communities of Klickitat and Skamania counties. The public meetings were hosted by the Stevenson-Carson School District and the White Salmon Valley School District. Held at the Wind River Education Center in Carson and at the Columbia High School Library in White Salmon during February and March, the meetings were well attended by a cross-section of prospective students, business leaders, educators and economic development advocates.

More than 200 people attended the meeting in Carson, indicating the interest was there for college-level classes. Although there was a smaller number in attendance in White Salmon, the participants there clearly stated the need for educational programming to train for workforce needs, particularly for the growing high-tech sector in the Gorge. What Clark College officials still need to determine is how many and what types of classes to offer.

“Clark has explored the option of offering for-credit classes in the Gorge before, but we know that demands change with changing economic times,” said Clark College President Bob Knight. “We really needed to hear that the interest was there for a model that we could fiscally maintain and one that would be sustainable for the workforce needs of these communities.”

Columbia High School principal Troy Whittle gives Clark College insight into the high school population in White Salmon.

Clark College is already offering adult basic education and ESL classes through the WorkSource offices in Stevenson and White Salmon and will continue those classes. The proposed expansion would bring general education offerings to the region–classes that would have broad appeal and that also could be taken by Running Start students.

“White Salmon Valley School District is excited about developing partnerships with Clark College and Stevenson-Carson School District for expanding college-level course opportunities that will better meet the growing needs of our students, adult learners, and communities,” said Dr. Jerry A. Lewis, Superintendent of White Salmon Valley School District.

Clark College may begin offering a limited number of classes this summer; the formal kickoff is scheduled for fall quarter in September. Classes in Skamania County will be offered at the Wind River Education Center, formerly the middle school for the Stevenson-Carson school district. A location for White Salmon classes is being discussed.

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley