Dr. Karin Edwards, Clark College President, will deliver the 2021 State of the College Address to share the college’s vision, challenges, and accomplishments with the larger community. Due to COVID-19 it will be presented online via pre-recorded video.
The video will premiere on YouTube at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 4. The link for the video will be available on the college’s State of the College web page, which is posted at www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/stateofthecollege/index.php. During the 2:00 p.m. premiere, viewers will be able to comment and participate in a livestream discussion on YouTube.
Dr. Edwards will speak on how the college has responded to COVID-19, continuing budget challenges, and advancing racial equity in higher education. Two students will also share their own experiences at Clark College: Associated Students of Clark College President Josiah Joner and 2021 Transforming Lives Award nominee Tosha Big Eagle.
The video will run approximately 35 minutes in length.
This event was originally scheduled to take place on January 20 but was rescheduled due to technical difficulties. It is free and open to the public. The video will be captioned and has picture-in-picture American Sign Language interpretation. If you need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event, you should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-992-0901 VP as soon as possible.
Clark College hosts Northwest Regional Equity Conference
Registration is now open for Clark College’s 2021 Northwest Regional Equity Conference. This year’s theme is “Sharing Strategies for Equity and Anti-Racist Practices.”
The online, two-day conference aims to improve equitable, sustainable experiences and outcomes for historically under-represented students and employees of the higher education system through effective instruction and anti-racist supports. This year the conference will broaden its scope of topics beyond higher education.
Left to right: Rashida Willard, Randolf Carter ,and Michael Tuncap at the 2020 NWREC.
“We see racism playing out before our eyes, and conversations around anti-racism are as much needed right now as they have always been, but what is really needed is anti-racism in action,” said Rashida Willard, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Clark College. “We all benefit by sharing our experiences and learning from those who bring their expertise to these vital conversations.”
This conference has been broadened to include governmental, non-profit, and corporate sectors. It is really geared toward individuals across the nation who would like to broaden their social justice knowledge or remove institutional barriers for historically underrepresented populations.
Workshops include:
Bias and Discrimination in AI systems
A Call to Anti-Racism -Teaching Cultural Diversity to Health Care Students
Data Storytelling
Creating IMPACTful Mentoring Opportunities for BIPOC Students
Restorative Justice
Employee Engagement and Retention
Best Practices for Working with Incarcerated Students
Disability Justice
Building a Community of Collective Care
Making DEI Training Count: Overcoming Common Pitfalls
Creating Pathways for Native, Latinx and Afrocentric Education from High School through College
Equity in Student Conduct
“We created the conference last year because we saw a need to elevate the discussion, seek out best practices, and take action,” said Willard. “These are the very issues we are working on at Clark College. We are working on becoming anti-racist – not just on paper, but in everything we do. We want to share these best practices with community. We are in a time of seismic change as our nation grapples with systemic racism, politics, the pandemic and the economy. The Northwest Regional Equity Conference provides a pathway forward for communities ready to take the next step.”
Talila “TL” Lewisis a community lawyer, educator, and organizer whose work highlights and addresses the nexus between race, class, disability and structural inequity. Recognized as a 2015 White House Champion of Change and one of Pacific Standard Magazine‘s Top 30 Thinkers Under 30, Lewis engineers and leads innovative and intersectional social justice efforts that illuminate and address grave injustices within education, medical, and legal systems that have gone unaddressed for generations. A recent graduate of American University Washington College of Law, Lewis has received awards from numerous universities, the American Bar Association, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, American Association for People with Disabilities, the Nation Institute, National Black Deaf Advocates, and EBONY Magazine, among others. Lewis is a 2018 Roddenberry Fellow and a 2018 Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity.
Aaron Readeris a practitioner, poet, activist and educator, with extensive experience in diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. He has served higher education in a number of capacities over the last decade from teaching, social justice, education equity, and currently is the Vice President of Student Services at Highline College. In addition to his work in higher education he has a passion for poetry and spoken word. He has been identified as workshop leader, facilitator and speaker for colleges, summits and conferences. Reader has been recognized as a local spoken-word artist who has a powerful, emotional, real, and conscious style.
Dr. Angel B. Pérez has worked for over two decades to realize his belief that diversity and academic excellence go hand-in-hand, and that every young person who aspires to higher education should have the opportunity to achieve. A recognized thought-leader on issues of equity and access in American education, Peréz is a tireless champion for under-represented communities and a creative advocate for reform. Named by a Forbes article in 2019 as the most influential voice in college admissions, Peréz strives to build an educational ecosystem that better represents today’s America.
Get a Running Start at Clark College
High school students can learn how to take the next step in their education by attending one of four optional Virtual Running Start Information Night sessions hosted by Clark College.
The identical sessions will be held 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25; Tuesday, Feb. 9; Wednesday, Feb. 24; and Thursday, March 18. All four events, which are free and open to the public, will be held virtually over Zoom.
Running Start allows eligible juniors and seniors to earn college credit while they fulfill their high school graduation requirements. Running Start students attend Clark classes along with “regular” college students. They can choose from a full range of academic and professional and technical courses.
The program, which can significantly reduce the cost of a college degree, has proven popular in Southwest Washington. Some Running Start students are so motivated that they earn their associate degree from Clark at the same time that they earn their high school diploma. These annual information nights frequently attract hundreds of interested students and parents to the college.
These information sessions are for students and parents who want to know more about beginning the program in Fall 2021. While the sessions are completely optional, they are a good opportunity to hear current Running Start students candidly describe their experiences in the program and to learn about the program benefits, eligibility criteria, expectations, timelines, and more.
An American Sign Language interpreter will be available at each session. Additionally, the first session will be recorded and afterward available with translations into other languages online at www.clark.edu/runningstart.
Running Start students pay for books, transportation, and some fees, but do not pay full Clark College tuition. Students can attend part-time or full-time under the Running Start program. Fees are subject to change by the Washington State Legislature. A fee waiver is available for those demonstrating financial need.
Individuals who need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (VP) as soon as possible.
For more information on Running Start, visit the Clark College website at www.clark.edu/runningstart. For information about Running Start Information Nights, call 360-992-2078.
Honoring Dr. King by celebrating Black leadership
Clark College will honor the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Wednesday, January 20, with an online event celebrating Black leadership and creativity. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be hosted live on Zoom from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The event will feature guest speaker Dr. Andrew Jolivétte, Professor and Chair-Elect of the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of California, San Diego. His topic will be “Black Lives, Black Leadership: From Mattering to Thriving.”
The event will also include the singing of the Black National Anthem by GodSisterz as well as artwork from local artists Manny Dempsey and Hobbs Waters.
For more information about this event, including link to the Zoom meeting, visit www.clark.edu/cc/mlk.
Individuals who need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (VP), or visit Penguin Union Building (PUB) room 013, as soon as possible.
About Dr. Andrew Jolivétte
Dr. Andrew Jolivétte (Atakapa-Ishak Nation of Louisiana [Tsikip/Opelousa/Heron Clan]) is Professor and Chair-Elect of the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of California, San Diego as well as the inaugural founding Director of Native American and Indigenous Studies at UCSD. A former professor and Department Chair of American Indian Studies at San Francisco State University, he is the author or editor of nine books in print or forthcoming including the Lammy Award nominated, Indian Blood: HIV and Colonial Trauma in San Francisco’s Two-Spirit Community. His scholarship examines Native American, Indigenous, Creole, Black, Latinx, Queer, Mixed-Race, and Comparative Critical Ethnic Studies.
A Commencement like no other
Oswald was on hand to pass out yard signs to Clark College graduates.
Like all Clark College students, the Class of 2020 experienced plenty of challenges–academic, economic, and personal–along their educational journeys. But on top of the typical hurdles, they also faced something unprecedented in the college’s history: In March, they learned that their classes would be held completely online, as the COVID-19 outbreak forced the college to move into remote operations.
This Thursday, Clark College’s 84th graduating class will experience another “first,” as it is honored in the college’s first-ever virtual ceremony.
At 6:30 p.m. on June 18, guests and graduates can visit www.clark.edu/grad2020 to view a video of ceremonial remarks, a congratulatory message from staff and faculty, and customized slides of each participating graduate. These slides feature each graduate’s name as well as an optional photo and personal message.
The virtual ceremony will remain on the college’s website through the end of June, for those who want to watch it at a different time.
Last week, graduates also had the option to pick up free yard signs from the Bookstore through a socially distanced drive-through.
“We are all so proud of our students who have persevered,” wrote Clark College Interim President Sandra Fowler-Hill in an email to college employees. “Join me in congratulating the Class of 2020.”
Photo: Clark College/Tarek Kanso
Clark College Theatre presents “Bare”
Clark College Theatre continues its 2019-2020 season with the musical Bare by Jon Hartmere and Damon Intrabartolo.
Bare is a coming-of-age rock musical that
features a group of high school seniors at a Catholic boarding school who face
issues of sexuality and personal identity. As they struggle to come to terms
with who they are, and who the world thinks they should be, they seek answers
from their church, their friends, and ultimately, from within themselves.
The cast for Clark College’s production includes *Kloe Catchpole, *Sandra Fachial, Pearson Kunz, *Siniva Lee, *Kaila Ludvigson, *Sebastian Miranda-Givens, Aidan Nolan, **Linda Owsley, **Jared Pengra, *Laurence Sinclair, *Trinity Stegall, *Derek Slade Tucker, *Dea Whitley, **Sammy Williams, and *Natalie Worthy: The director is H. Gene Biby and April Brookins Duvic provides vocal direction. Note: Cast member names marked with a single asterisk are current Clark College students; double asterisks indicate Clark College alumni.
Show Dates: February 21, 22, 28, 29 and March 5-7. All show
times are at 7:30 p.m. in the Decker Theatre, Frost Arts Center, on Clark
College’s main campus.
Ticket Information: Students (with ID) $10; Alumni (with
membership) $10; Senior Citizens $16; General Admission $20. Tickets may be
purchased online at http://www.clarkbookstore.com/site_theatre.asp
or call 360-992-2815. View the entire Clark College Theatre season at www.clark.edu/cc/theatre.
If you need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event, contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (VP), or visit Gaiser Hall room 137, as soon as possible.
Columbia Writers Series welcomes Terese Mailhot
Terese Mailhot
The Clark College Columbia Writers Series continues its 2019-2020 season with national award-winning writer Terese Mailhot. This event, which is free and open to the public, will be held on Monday, February 24, from 11 a.m. to noon in Penguin Union Building rooms 258 A & B on Clark College’s main campus.
Terese Mailhot is from Seabird
Island Band. Her work has appeared in Guernica, Pacific Standard, Granta, Mother Jones, Medium, the Los Angeles Times, and elsewhere. She
is the New York Times bestselling
author of Heart Berries: A Memoir.
Her book was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for
English-Language Nonfiction, and was selected by Emma Watson as the Our Shared
Shelf Book Club Pick for March/April 2018. Heart
Berries was also listed as an NPR Best Book of the Year, a Library Journal
Best Book of the Year, a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year, a
Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year, and was one of Harper’s Bazaar‘s Best Books of 2018.
She is the recipient of a 2019 Whiting Award, the Electra Quinney Award for
Published Stories, a Clara Johnson Award, and she is also the recipient of the
Spalding Prize for the Promotion of Peace and Justice in Literature. She
teaches creative writing at Purdue University in Indiana.
The Columbia
Writers Series was launched at Clark College in 1988, bringing local, national
and international authors to the college and the region. This year’s lineup of authors will continue in the spring with
Subtext, a week-long festival beginning on May 18 and featuring a variety of
literary events.
Information
about the Columbia Writers Series is available at www.clark.edu/cc/cws.
This event is held on Clark College’s main campus at 1933 Ft. Vancouver Way. Directions and maps are available online. Individuals who need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services (DSS) Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (VP). The DSS office is located in room 013 in Clark’s Penguin Union Building.
Get a Running Start at Clark College
High school students can learn how to take the next step in their education by attending one of four optional Running Start Information Night sessions at Clark College.
The identical sessions will be held 7:00-8:00
p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5; Monday, Feb. 24; Monday,
March 9; and Tuesday, March 24. All four events, which are free and open to the
public, will be held in the Clark College gymnasium in the O’Connell
Sports Center, located on the southwest side of Clark College’s main campus.
Running Start allows eligible juniors
and seniors to earn college credit while they fulfill their high school
graduation requirements. Running Start students attend Clark classes along with “regular” college students. They can choose from
a full range of academic and professional and technical courses.
The program, which can significantly reduce the
cost of a college degree, has proven popular in Southwest Washington. Some
Running Start students are so motivated that they earn their associate degree
from Clark at the same time that they earn their high school diploma. These
annual information nights frequently attract hundreds of interested students
and parents to the college, which is why the college is hosting four sessions
this year. Clark College welcomed 2,428 Running Start students at
the beginning of the 2019 fall term.
These information sessions are for students and
parents who want to know more about beginning the program in Fall 2020. While
the sessions are completely optional, they are a good opportunity to hear
current Running Start students candidly describe their experiences in the
program and to learn about the eligibility criteria, expectations, timelines,
and more. Students and parents who live on the eastern side of the college’s
service district can also find out about expanded options available at Clark’s
East Vancouver location at Columbia Tech Center.
Running Start students pay for books,
transportation, and some fees, but do not pay full Clark College tuition.
Students can attend part-time or full-time under the Running Start program. Fees
are subject to change by the Washington State Legislature. A fee waiver is
available for those demonstrating financial need.
Clark College is located
at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way in Vancouver, Wash. Parking will be available in the
college’s Red lots on the east side of Fort Vancouver Way and in the Purple Lot
on the west side of Fort Vancouver Way. Driving directions and parking maps are
available at www.clark.edu/maps.
Individuals
who need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully
participate in this event should contact Clark College’s Disability Support
Services Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (VP), or visit Penguin Union Building (PUB) room 013, as soon as possible.
For more
information on Running Start, visit the Clark College website at www.clark.edu/runningstart. For information about
Running Start Information Nights, call 360-992-2078.
Celebrating MLK Day with untold history
A still from the documentary Buffalo Soldiers of the Pacific Northwest.
Clark College will honor the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Tuesday, January 21, by exploring a little-known aspect of the local African-American experience: the “Buffalo Soldiers,” all-black regiments who served in the U.S. military in the 19th century. The event will include both a screening of parts of a documentary film called Buffalo Soldiers of the Pacific Northwest and a collection of historic memorabilia related to Buffalo Soldiers. All events are free and open to the public.
The film screening will take
place at noon, followed by a discussion with some of the individuals involved
in creating Buffalo Soldiers of the
Pacific Northwest as well as members of the non-profit group Buffalo
Soldiers of Seattle. The history display will be on view from 11:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. All events take place in Gaiser Student Center on the Clark College
main campus. Clark College is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver.
Driving directions and parking maps are available at www.clark.edu/maps.
Buffalo Soldiers of the Pacific Northwest examines
the history of African-American regiments formed by the U.S. government in the
1860s to help secure its interests in the West. These often-forgotten soldiers
served their country in many capacities—everything from constructing roads to
fighting in battles. The 56-minute documentary film, which is currently in post-production,
explores the history and legacy of this region’s Buffalo Soldiers.
In honor of Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service to others, Clark College encourages your
donation of hair and skin care products for African-American families served by
YWCA Clark County.
Individuals who need
accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event
should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at
360-992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (VP),
or visit Penguin Union Building (PUB)
room 013, as soon as possible.
Clark College hosts sand mandala construction
Tibetan monks making a sacred sand mandala in Cannell Library during their 2012 visit.
Clark College will host a group of four Tibetan Buddhist monks from South India from Monday, January 13, through Friday, January 17, as they construct a sand mandala in Cannell Library on the college’s main campus.
All events are free and
open to the public; they are co-sponsored by Clark College International
Programs, Clark College Libraries, and Dharma Light Tibetan Buddhist
Association of Vancouver. (Full schedule printed below.) Cannell Library is
located on Clark College’s main campus at 1933 Ft. Vancouver Way in Vancouver,
Washington. Maps and directions are available at www.clark.edu/maps.
Anyone needing
accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event
should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at (360)
992-2314 or (360) 991-0901 (VP), prior to the event.
This project can be
appreciated simply as a beautiful and intricate time-based art form. But
according to Tibetan Buddhist belief, a sand mandala is meant to create a
profound experience of compassion for any who attend. The positive effects of a
sand mandala construction are believed to radiate out over the entire region,
blessing the environment and the beings therein, in an effort for world peace. The
mandala is destroyed in the closing ceremony, as a lesson in the impermanence
of all phenomena. The opening and closing ceremonies will include traditional
Tibetan Buddhist chanting and music. The closing ceremony will also include a
procession to the Columbia River, where a small portion of the colored sand
will be poured into the water as a form of blessing.
This video shows a 2012 sand mandala construction–the last time the college hosted such an event.
Schedule of events
Opening Ceremony
Monday, January 13,
12:00 – 12:30 p.m.
Mandala Construction
Monday, January 13,
12:30 pm – 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 14, 10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 15,
10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 16,
10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Friday, January 17,
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Public Talk
Tuesday, January 14, 12:00
– 1:00 p.m.
Venerable Lobsang Dawa, with the help of translator Lobsang Dhondup,
will speak about the history and meaning of the sand mandala, as well as the
importance of compassion in daily life.
Closing Ceremony:
Friday January 17, 2:00
– 3:00 p.m., followed a procession that leads to the Columbia River from 3:00 –
3:30 p.m.
