Clark College Independent 2014 winter quarter staff include, left to right Caitlin Calsbeek, Emma Fletcher, Cloe Beck, Aleksi Lepisto, Kyle Souvenir, Tra Friesen, Kenneth Zummach, Tyler Urke, Robert Berman, Ryan Rutledge, Brody Voge, Tyler “Charle” Brown, Evan “Smiles” Jones, Alejandra Magallanes, Ester Manea and Bradley York. Photo: The Independent/Bradley York

Clark College students who publish the print and online editions of The Independent captured two national awards at the Associated Collegiate Press 30th annual National College Journalism Convention, held Feb. 27-March 2 in San Diego.

In addition to attending more than 72 workshops and training sessions while at the convention, The Independent staff won third place in a “Best of Show” competition among more than 30 community colleges from across the country that publish weekly newspapers. The Clark College student staff also captured 10th place among large schools — both community colleges and four-year institutions — that produce news websites.

This was the first award for The Independent‘s online publication, said Clark journalism instructor Dee Anne Finken, who advises the student staff. She said the acknowledgement is evidence the student staff’s digital-first emphasis is working, and noted that the staff’s success in the print category was a step up from last year, when Clark students finished seventh at ACP.

Finken and adjunct instructor Jeff Bunch accompanied the 12 students who attended the three-day conference, which also included workshops on everything from the basics of newswriting to the future of journalism in the digital age, each led by experts in the field. Other workshops featured faculty from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University and the Poynter Institute along with New York Times Public Editor Margaret Sullivan.

Editor-in-chief Aleksi Lepisto said Clark students are committed to publishing a high-quality news product and will continue to work hard to do even better next year. “If we do good work, people will see it,” Lepisto said.

Lepisto said the issue the staff submitted in the “Best of Show” judging featured a solid representation of the quality coverage for which The Independent staff has become known. It included a feature story about a Clark anthropology instructor who is also a ghost hunter and archeologist; a look at some of the issues faced by the growing blind student population at Clark; a commentary about a lack of political awareness among students; and an update on the popularity of the food carts on campus.

Finken and Lepisto said they were grateful for support from the Associated Students of Clark College, which helped fund the trip.

Finken noted that student news teams are in a similar situation as professional news outlets when it comes to figuring out best practices for operating in the rapidly evolving news landscape.

“It’s challenging right now,” Finken said. “We have one foot in developing the fundamentals, but we also have to look ahead to develop more ways of storytelling and delivering the news. But we are up for the challenge.”

In addition to Lepisto, Finken and Bunch, the following student staff members represented The Independent at the conference: Esther Manea, Emma Fletcher, Tyler Urke, Tyler “Charlie” Brown, Tra Friesen, Nate Nienaber, Alejandra Magallanes, Kenneth Zummach, Brody Voge, Ryan Rutledge, and Robert Berman.

Other staff members are Caitlin Calsbeek, Evan Jones, Daniel Hampton, Bradley York, Cloe Beck, Killian Bailey, Boyd Lainhart, Kyle Souvenir and Kait Terrel.

Independent staff contributed this article.

The 2014 Iris Award honorees: Kris M. Henriksen, Program Coordinator at the Clark County Department of Community Services; Kristy Weaver, Senior Vice President/Team Leader at Pacific Continental Bank; and Sherri McMillan, owner of Northwest Personal Training.

Three women who are leaders in youth advocacy; health and wellness; and business and banking are the winners of the 2014 Iris Awards, honoring women of achievement in Southwest Washington.

The awards will be presented to Kris M. Henriksen, Program Coordinator at the Clark County Department of Community Services; Sherri McMillan, owner of Northwest Personal Training; and Kristy Weaver, Senior Vice President/Team Leader at Pacific Continental Bank.

Henriksen, McMillan, and Weaver will be honored on March 13 (five days after International Women’s Day), in Clark College’s Gaiser Student Center. Following a 5 p.m. reception, the awards ceremony will begin at 6 p.m.

Tickets are on sale through the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $35.00 per person. Seating is limited.

The Iris Awards are supported by Clark College, the Clark College Foundation, Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and the Vancouver Business Journal, which publishes the “Women in Business” directory, the only Portland/Vancouver metro area directory of businesses that are owned, directed or managed by women. The Iris Award winners will be featured in the 2014 “Women in Business” directory.

The 2014 Iris Award Recipients

Kris M. Henriksen

Kris M. Henriksen is the Program Coordinator at the Clark County Department of Community Services. For the past 10 years, Henriksen has been the driving force behind creating, developing, and sustaining TeenTalk, a peer-to-peer support line that is youth-led and continually evolving.  The program has received national recognition for its innovative, youth-driven marketing plan.

For her work, Henriksen received the Anne Turner Excellence in Volunteer Management Award in 2011. She has recruited and trained more than 170 youth volunteers.

Henriksen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in behavioral sciences from Concordia University and has put in more than 350 training hours in Building on Developmental Assets, Mental Illness Awareness, Crisis Response, Wraparound Team Facilitation, Community Networking, Cultural Competency, Building on Natural Supports, Mediation Skills, Motivational Interviewing, Developing Family Strengths, Youth Advocacy, Interpersonal Communication, and Humanizing the Workplace.

Outside of her day-to-day work, Henriksen is certified to teach Youth Mental Health First Aid classes in the community. She has helped to coordinate Challenge Day programs in two local high schools each year for the last four years, and volunteers as part of the City of Camas Board of Adjustments, Children’s Sharing Project.

Sherri McMillan

Sherri McMillan is the owner of Northwest Personal Training, celebrating its 14th anniversary in downtown Vancouver. Her company has been recognized as the BBB Business of the Year, Chamber of Commerce Community Builder Award winner and voted No. 1 Fitness & Training studio by the Columbian and the Vancouver Business Journal.

McMillan holds a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology and has been inspiring the world to adopt a fitness lifestyle for nearly 25 years. She has received numerous industry awards including 2010 CanFitPro International Fitness Presenter of the Year, 2006 IDEA Fitness Director of the Year, 1998 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, and 1998 CanFitPro Fitness Presenter of the Year.

In addition to being a fitness trainer, McMillan is a fitness columnist for various magazines and newspapers (including the Columbian); author of five books and manuals including Go For Fit – the Winning Way to Fat Loss, and Fit over Forty; featured presenter in various fitness DVDs; international fitness presenter; and a spokesperson for Nike, Schwinn and PowerBar.

She is also the Event Director for a number of very successful local events including the Girlfriends Run for a Cure, the Girlfriends & Dudes Triathlon, the Summer Solstice and March Muddy Madness. She has participated in numerous community fundraising events including Dancing with the Stars and Glamorous Gams and has raised nearly $500,000 for local charities over the years. She can be found running, biking or hiking with her daughter, Brianna, and her son, Jackson.

Kristy Weaver

Kristy Weaver is the Senior Vice President and Southwest Washington Team Leader at Pacific Continental Bank, focusing her efforts on developing commercial and non-profit relationships. With nearly 25 years of experience in the banking industry, Weaver’s professional and action-oriented style complements the overall management of Pacific Continental Bank.

Weaver serves on the board of directors at the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, the Children’s Center, and the Legacy Health Salmon Creek Hospital Foundation. Weaver also actively participates in a variety of community and civic organizations including the Community Foundation Professional Advisory Council and Vancouver’s Downtown Association’s First Friday Artwalk.

She graduated from Northwest Intermediate Commercial Lending School and the Western Banking School of Bank Management. She is currently enrolled in Pacific Coast Banking School, a national graduate school for banking, and will complete her program this summer.

Weaver is a native of Washougal who calls Vancouver her home. She has been married to her husband, Kevin, for nine years. They are devoted to their dog, Jackson, who was adopted from the Humane Society of Southwest Washington.  Avid golfers, they love to retreat to Manzanita, Oregon whenever time allows. The most valued things to Weaver are family, friends and community.

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

“Abu Ghraib” sculpture by Rex Silvernail

Clark College’s Art Selection Committee recently honored the legacies of two local artists by placing their work in Cannell Library.

In fall 2012, friends of the late Rex Silvernail approached Clark College about receiving one or more of his artworks. Silvernail, an accomplished sculptor, had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and wanted to ensure that his art would be kept available to the public after his death. Clark is among many institutions that stepped forward to house his work; others include the Portland Art Museum, Hallie Ford Museum, Maryhill Museum, Fort Vancouver Historic Reserve, and the Fort Vancouver Regional Library.

Silvernail was born in Tacoma, Wash. He earned his MFA from Northern Illinois University and later received a Fulbright Scholarship to attend the Kitanmax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art–the first non-Native person to do so–where he learned traditional methods for manipulating wood. He became known for an artistic style that blended contemporary Western techniques with ancient traditions of craftsmanship, creating works that emphasized his interest in environmentalism and world peace.

“Shilo” wood and paper sculpture
by Rex Silvernail

Silvernail died in April 2013. By then the Art Selection Committee had already begun the process of accepting and placing two of his works: Shilo and Abu Ghraib. The former is a joyous piece made in honor of Silvernail’s granddaughter; the latter has been called “one of his strongest anti-war statements.” Together, they provide a cogent summary of Silvernail’s breadth of subject matter as an artist.

“We chose to place the pieces where they would have maximum visual impact and viewing accessibility,” said Art Selection Committee member and art professor Lisa Conway. “We wanted a space that would enhance the dimensional qualities of these unique pieces, and allow for them to be really set apart from, yet showcased within, their surroundings. After months of considering various sites across our campuses, the committee chose the library location. Cannell Library continues to be a great place to view art on campus.”

The third piece placed in Cannell is a large bronze casting plaque known as “The Lincoln Medallion.” It depicts a young Abraham Lincoln sitting beneath a tree, reading a book, with the inscription “I will study to prepare myself and maybe someday my chance will come.” It was made by George B. Clausen, the father of recently retired business technology professor John Clausen. The younger Clausen, together with his sister, Grace Sorensen, donated the piece to the college in memory of their parents.

Bronze casting plaque of Abraham Lincoln by George B. Clausen, donated by retired business technology professor John Clausen and his sister, Grace Sorensen

George Clausen was, like Lincoln, a self-taught man. He quit high school in order to support his family when his own father became ill, teaching himself the trade of architectural drafting. He also taught himself bronze casting; his works were housed in, among other places, the Oregon State Capitol and the Vista House. In 1937, when he created the mold for the Lincoln Medallion, he was working at the Portland Art Museum.

John Clausen and his sister wanted their father’s medallion to be placed at Clark College–and specifically in Cannell–because of its theme of education and reading.

These three pieces are just the most recent to be sited by the Art Selection Committee, which is responsible for selecting art through the Washington State Arts Commission Art in Public Places Program. This program facilitates the acquisition, placement, and stewardship of artwork in state-funded building projects. One-half of one percent for art funds is generated by new construction projects in state agencies, community colleges, universities, and public schools. Local committees representing project sites make all final artwork selection decisions.

In addition, the Art Selection Committee is responsible for acceptance and location of donated art objects, markers and monuments (other than instruction/gallery items) and the purchase and location of art objects acquired through means other than the Art in Public Places Program. The committee monitors and makes decisions regarding the maintenance and care of all college art objects.

Currently, the college’s art collection includes almost 300 artworks in media as varied as metal sculpture, painting, line drawing, and textiles.

Before we toss those 2013 calendars in the recycling bin, we wanted to pause for a moment to savor the year that was. Members of the college’s Communications and Marketing staff went through the Clark College Flickr site and pulled out some of their favorite images from the past year. Whether it’s a challenging Theatre production, a response to rural residents asking for more educational opportunities, or the proud smile on a scholarship recipient’s face, these photographs tell the story of the college’s ongoing mission to enhance the community through learning. We can’t wait to see where that story takes us in 2014!

2013 State of the College

President Bob Knight explored the strengths and challenges of Clark during his annual State of the College address in January 2013.

Basic Education Open House

Winter quarter 2013 opened with a big change for Clark's Adult Basic Education/English as a Second Language services, which moved from Town Plaza to the T Building on the main campus.

51st Annual Jazz Festival

Seattle's Roosevelt High School I took the 2013 Dale Beacock Memorial Sweepstakes Award during the 51st Annual Jazz Festival in January.

MLK Keynote Speaker Dr. Darryl Brice Clark College

Martin Luther King Jr Day Keynote Speaker Dr. Darryl Brice spoke at Clark College on Tuesday, January 22.

Theatre musical production: RENT

Clark College gained praise for its ambitious production of this Tony Award-winning musical during winter quarter.

Spencer West: The Power of We

In March, Spencer West shared his inspirational story of his climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Classes in the Gorge Information Nights

In March, Clark officials met with members of the Stevenson-Carson and White Salmon communities to discuss offering classes in the Columbia River Gorge.

Mature Learning turns 40

On March 29, Mature Learning celebrated its 40th anniversary with a half-day event at CTC.

Washington State Science Olympiad

On April 13, Clark hosted students from Washington state high schools and middle schools competing in more than 50 different events at the Washington State Science Olympiad.

Library Snapshot Day

On April 17, Clark College Libraries celebrated Library Snapshot Day with the unveiling of new READ posters featuring members of the Clark College community.

Sakura Festival

Prof. April Duvic leads the Women's Choral Ensemble during the 2013 Sakura Festival in April.

Career Days: Clothing Closet

Career Days 2013 began with the Career Clothing Closet, which provides students with free professional clothing for the career-related events to come.

Artist-in-Residence Shantell Martin

Shantell Martin's residency at Clark College culminated with a digital drawing performance with Clark College student jazz musicians Max Wike, David Floratos and James Powers in the Archer Gallery.

Alumni Student Dinner

George Welsh and President Bob Knight congratulate Outstanding Alumni Award recipient Prof. Michael Greenwood '61 at the Alumni Student Dinner in June.

Pheonix Unveiling and Student Art Show

Kesha Fisher, left, unwrapped new issues of Clark's literary and arts journal, Phoenix, at its unveiling in May.

Spring Thing

ASCC celebrated the end of spring quarter with its annual Spring Thing celebration.

Commencement 2013

Little did Ramona Vercher know as she waited in line to participate in Commencement that she would be named the Presidential Scholarship recipient during the ceremony.

GED/High School Completion Ceremony 2013

Dena Brill celebrates after receiving her GED during the GED/High School Completion Ceremony. Brill is the first ABE graduate to become president of the Associated Students of Clark College.

Opening Day

In September, before the beginning of fall quarter, Clark College employees and trustees greeted Opening Day with awards, updates, and a little dancing.

Columbia Credit Union Simulation Pharmacy Simulation Lab Opening

Clark College President Robert K. Knight and Columbia Credit Union President Steve Kenny cut the ribbon signifying the official opening of the simulation pharmacy.

Student Staff Softball Game

On October 3, students and staff participated in the annual students vs. staff softball game--and, bucking tradition, Team Staff won, with help from new softball coach Mandy Hill.

Elementary Science Olympiad

Students from Harney Elementary School at the Benthic Bugs competition during November's Elementary Science Olympiad.

Educating for the Seventh Generation

Dancing at Clark's annual celebration of indigenous cultures in November.

Theatre presents: "Curse of the Starving Class"

The final moments of the "Curse of the Starving Class" by Sam Shepard, Clark College Theatre's fall quarter production.

"Attend" by Mike Rathbun

Mike Rathbun hand-crafted his custom installation "Attend" and painstakingly assembled it inside Archer Gallery.

International Education Week

German professor Julian Nelson, right, translates as one of his students reads a German children's poem during the International Read-In, a part of Clark's observation of International Education Week in November.

The staff of the 2013 Phoenix posing during the journal’s unveiling in spring. Art professor Kathrena Halsinger, far right, is their advisor.

Congratulations to the staff of Phoenix. Clark’s literary and art journal just won third place in the Western-Pacific division of the Community College Humanities Association‘s 2013 Literary Magazine Competition.

“I think the quality of Phoenix is a reflection of the quality of the strong arts program that the college, and the greater community, continue to support,” says art professor and Phoenix advisor Kathrena Halsinger. “The arts are the stuff of life and therefore are relevant to all. We really work hard to be inclusive and get people across campus to be involved. We’ve also been fortunate to be supported by our departments and the ASCC to keep the program strong.”

Katie Brown ’98, who was named Washington state’s 2014 Teacher of the Year, displaying her pride in Shuksan Middle School, where she has taught for 11 years.

Clark College ’98 alumna Katie Day Brown was named Washington state’s 2014 Teacher of the Year in an awards ceremony held on September 23 in Seattle.

Brown (whose last name was Day when she attended Clark) says that Clark was a crucial part of her educational journey. A graduate of Fort Vancouver High School, she began college at the University of the Redlands in California but realized that it wasn’t the right fit for her. However, her intended transfer destination–Western Washington University–wouldn’t accept her out-of-state credits.

“So I went back home and thought of Clark,” she says. “They immediately said, ‘OK, we can work with you.’ They got my credits to transfer and I was able to start as a sophomore. I don’t really know what decision I would have made if Clark hadn’t worked with me. It really helped me continue my education without any interruption.”

Brown adds that Clark was where she took her first anthropology class. “It was one of my favorite classes,” she says. “That’s what sparked my interest in anthropology.”

Indeed, after receiving her associate degree with honors from Clark in 1998, Brown went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from WWU in anthropology in 2000. Originally, she didn’t plan on becoming a teacher, but found herself drawn to the profession after what she calls a “series of aha moments”: volunteering at a high poverty school in college, playing soccer with kids while studying in Costa Rica, and listening to Alaskan tribal elders teach young people about their history as an AmeriCorps volunteer. She returned to WWU to earn a teaching certificate in 2003 and then earned her master’s degree in education from Seattle Pacific University in 2009.

Brown now serves as the English Learner Learner specialist at Shuksan Middle School in Bellingham, Washington, where she has earned praise for her ability to collaborate with her colleagues to respect diversity and serve students who may be experiencing language barriers.

As Washington state’s Teacher of the Year, Brown will serve as an ambassador for the teaching profession in 2013-14 while continuing her work at Shuksan. She also will be considered for national Teacher of the Year, which is awarded by the Council of Chief State School Officers. President Obama will announce the winner in a special ceremony at the White House in the spring.

Brown says that she remains a strong advocate for community colleges. “Here at Shuksan, whenever we talk about college, I make sure to include community college in the conversation,” she says. “It can be a really great option for the right student.”

Photo courtesy of Katie Day Brown

“The World Filled Up” by Stephen Hayes

Clark art instructor Stephen Hayes is having a 30-year retrospective at Lewis & Clark College’s Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art. The show opened September 10 and runs through December 15.

“I have admired Stephen’s work since I met him more than 20 years ago, when I was the director of Maryhill Museum and we had a small exhibition of Stephen’s work,” says Hoffman Gallery director and curator Linda Tesner. “Since then I’ve made sure to follow his career. He is a fantastic painter and his work has only become more and more interesting. I love that he is able to capture the spirit of place without making a slavish likeness; it is as if he is able to evoke the landscape as much as paint it.”

“Stephen is the best kind of instructor at Clark, with tons of real-world experience, fabulous skills, and the passion to share it all with his students,” says Clark art department chair Lisa Conway. “Stephen is a consummate professional, and a virtual icon among West Coast painters. The Hoffman Gallery at Lewis & Clark is a prestigious institution, and it is heartening to see a great artist get this level of respect and recognition.”

Hayes began teaching at Clark about two years ago after he gave a presentation as part of the Archer Gallery’s Clark Art Talks. Members of the Art Department faculty approached him after his lecture to ask if he would be interested in teaching at the college. Hayes says that working with Clark students in classes like Drawing I and Two-Dimensional Design helps him examine his own artistic process, as well as that of his students.

Stephen Hayes in a self-portrait

“Teaching always keeps you reminded that you are in a process yourself,” he says. “When you have to explain something to someone who has no idea what you’re talking about, that really forces you to establish clarity for yourself. That in turn has an impact when you enter the studio: You have more clarity.”

Hayes sounds humbled by having a gallery focus on his entire body of work. “It’s pretty awesome, obviously,” he says. “One doesn’t get this opportunity very often. … It’s fantastic to be able to look back and to see both the continuity and the changes in direction along the years.”

Hayes says he doesn’t plan to tell his students about the show. “There are posters around, so they may well find out about it,” he says. “But I’m not making them take a special field trip or anything.”

Images courtesy of the Hoffman Gallery

Joe Jenkins basks in his colleagues’ applause as he receives his Exceptional Classified Staff Award.

Opening Day is traditionally the occasion for announcing the yearly Exceptional Classified Staff Awards, which recognize two classified employees for their contributions to Clark College. Recipients receive a glass plaque and $1,000, funded through an anonymous donor’s contributions to the Clark College Foundation.

The 2013 Exceptional Classified Staff Award winners were:

Joe Jenkins

Joe Jenkins, Academic Advisor

Joe Jenkins was described in his nomination as having a relatable sense of humor and high energy that keeps students engaged and aware. “He helps others think outside of the box and communicates in an easy, friendly manner,” the nomination read. “He is active in identifying student needs, and has advocated for greater course offerings so students can complete their degree requirements in a timely manner. His expertise and knowledge has led to increased student retention and engagement.”

Jennifer Wheeler

Jennifer Wheeler, Information Technology Services

In her nomination, Jennifer Wheeler was described as “one of the most diligent, collaborative and consistent members of the college community.

“She is delightful, professional, personable and respectful of the diverse individuals who work and go to school here,” the nomination comments continued. “She takes pride in her work, but more importantly in the effect it has on the success of the entire college. She is always upbeat and exemplifies a can-do spirit for Clark College.”

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