On Thursday, April 18, Clark College’s 2019 Sakura Festival will honor the historic ties of friendship between the sister-cities of Vancouver, Washington, and Joyo, Japan.

The
festival will begin at 1:00 p.m. with opening remarks near the Royce E. Pollard
Japanese Friendship Garden, which is located next to the Beacock Music Hall on
Clark’s main campus. Dignitaries who are scheduled to speak include Mayor Anne
McEnerny Ogle, Clark College President Bob Knight, Japanese Consul General
Takashi Teraoka, and Clark College Japanese Scholarship recipient Kiho Takedoa.

The
opening ceremony will include a koto performance by Yukiko Vossen and a
performance by the Clark College Women’s Choral Ensemble. The koto, a stringed
musical instrument, is the national instrument of Japan.

From
2:30 to 3:30 p.m., the Sakura celebration will continue in the Gaiser Student
Center, where guests will enjoy family-friendly cultural activities including
performances by the Clark College Japanese Cultural Club, traditional
calligraphy by Sora Shodo, a greeting from the college’s Child & Family
Studies program, and drumming by members of Takohachi TakoQ. Cookies and tea
will be served. Information about the Sakura Ceremony is available at www.clark.edu/cc/sakura.

All
events are free and open to the public. The Sakura Festival is sponsored by
Clark College, the City of Vancouver, and the Vancouver Rotary.

Clark
College is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver. 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 the Penguin Union Building room 013.

High
school students and their families have an opportunity to attend a free Running
Start Information Night at Clark College on Wednesday, March 13, from 7:00-8:00
p.m. in the O’Connell Sports Center gymnasium on Clark’s main campus.

The
information session, which outlines the process for entering the Running Start
program in fall 2019, is open to the public with no registration required.
Attendance is optional but encouraged as attendees will hear from Running Start
participants and learn about the program’s eligibility criteria, benefits, and
more. 

Running
Start allows eligible juniors and seniors to earn college credit while
fulfilling their high school graduation requirements. Participants in the
Running Start program attend Clark classes alongside the general college
population. They can choose from a full range of academic and professional and
technical courses, as
long as the students meet the criteria
and the classes are college-level. 

The
program, which can significantly reduce the cost of a four-year college degree,
has proven popular in Southwest Washington. In addition to the potential cost
savings offered through participating in the program, Running Start also
provides an opportunity for students to challenge themselves academically.

According
to Christina Smith, an instructor in Clark’s Department of English, there are a number of qualities that Running Start students can
foster in order to successfully navigate the college environment. “Curiosity, deep desire to learn, and willingness to
ask questions in and out of class—these are the traits and skills that lead to
success in college,” said Smith.

Reid Brown, a current Running Start student, emphasized that
frequent communication with professors can be helpful, along with utilizing
services such as tutoring and meeting with advisors. “The environment at Clark
is very inviting to young students and there are many resources available to
help them with the transition into the college community,” said Brown. 

With
careful planning and dedication, some Running Start students earn their
associate degree from Clark by the time they complete high school. One such
student is Maria DeBartolo, who will graduate this
June with her high school diploma and an associate degree in Nursing from
Clark. “I will be ready to enter a nursing program, which is something that I
never thought I would be able to do at 17 years old,” she said. 

Running
Start students pay for books, transportation, and some fees, but do not pay
full Clark College tuition. Students can be part-time or full-time in Running
Start. 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 360-992-2366.

Five women representing
exceptional leadership, philanthropy and community service are the winners of
the 2019 Iris Awards, honoring women of achievement in Southwest Washington.
They will be recognized at an awards reception on Thursday, March 7.

Awards
will be presented to Ann Fischer, founder of the Healthy Equitable Living
Project; Stacey Graham, president of the Humane Society for Southwest
Washington; Rekah Strong, executive director of Educational Opportunities for
Children and Families; and Lynn Valenter, vice chancellor for finance and
operations at Washington State University Vancouver. H-RoC, a non-partisan
political action committee dedicated to the advancement of elected and
appointed female leaders in Southwest Washington, has chosen Columbia Springs Executive
Director Maureen Montague for the Iris Award they sponsor.

The
award ceremony takes place in Gaiser Student Center on Clark College’s main
campus. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the ceremony begins at 6:00 p.m. The event
is open to the public and tickets are on sale through the Greater Vancouver
Chamber of Commerce at https://www.vancouverusa.com/events/details/2019-iris-awards-reception-18904. The cost
is $35 per person. A table sponsorship, which includes eight tickets, can be
purchased for $310. Seating is limited. 

Clark College is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver. Driving
directions and parking maps 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), or visit Penguin Union Building room
013, by February 26.

About the Iris Awards

The
Iris Awards follow in the tradition of the Southwest Washington Women of
Achievement Awards, which began in 1985 at Clark College. In 2012, the event
was reintroduced as the Iris Awards, still celebrated on or around
International Women’s Day (March 8) and with the same core mission: honoring
the lasting and far-reaching contributions of women in Southwest Washington and
beyond.

This
year’s awards are sponsored by Clark College, the Clark College Foundation,
the Vancouver Business Journal, the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce,
and H-RoC.

The 2019 Iris Award Honorees

Ann Fischer

Ann Fischer is the founder of
the Healthy Equitable Living Project (HELP), a food pantry located at the First
Presbyterian Church in Vancouver. HELP was launched in 2013, when the Vancouver
Health Department asked if the church could assist local schools in serving
families who were experiencing food insecurity. Fischer began by soliciting
donations from neighborhood grocery stores to help five families. Over the past
six years, HELP has expanded to serve between 50 and 60 families from 14
different schools.

Through the food pantry,
Fischer makes sure people are not only fed, but fed well. Fischer hand-selects
many of the products that the pantry offers, with a focus on high-quality,
nutritious, and organic foods. It is not unusual for Fischer to remember
individual patrons’ specific dietary needs, from vegan to gluten-free. She also
created the pantry’s Breakfast Club, where families are served a hot breakfast
while they wait to shop, giving them a chance to build community and
friendships.

Fischer has a long record of service in the community, ranging from supporting her local church to organizing fundraisers for children’s organizations. For 25 years, she ran an antique shop called Turnabout that offered assistance to people who were transitioning their living situations.

Stacey Graham

Stacey Graham has served as president
of the Humane Society for Southwest Washington (HSSW) since 2013. Graham’s
career spans 40 years leading for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Her
wide-ranging work experience includes positions in the Oregon Legislature
and Oregon Governor’s Office, as well as key roles in public
relations and advertising agencies, the United Way of the
Columbia-Willamette, and the Vancouver-based First Independent Bank. 

Graham joined the HSSW team
charged with creating a sustainable and effective business model; raising the
level of awareness and visibility of the Humane Society in the local community
and animal welfare industry; and dramatically increasing the save rate of the
animals in care. Under her leadership, HSSW launched
a five-year, $6 million capital campaign. In 2018, HSSW was named the Best
Nonprofit in Clark County. 

Graham’s community service
includes serving as city council president in her hometown of Stayton,
Oregon; on the boards of the Clark County YWCA, The Historic Trust, the
Lighthouse Community Credit Union, Nonprofit Network of Southwest
Washington, Metropolitan Family Service, Northwest Pilot Project, Portland
Radio Project and H-RoC; and on the Empower Women + Girls steering committee. Graham
has helped develop strategic plans for many local nonprofits, including North
County Community Food Bank, Vancouver Symphony, Partners in Careers, Clark
County Arts Commission and Pink Lemonade.

Rekah Strong

Rekah Strong is a highly
accomplished public and non-profit executive. She currently serves as the executive
director for Educational Opportunities for Children and Families (EOCF), the
largest early learning organization in Southwest Washington.

Prior to this position,
Strong served as chief of operations and equity officer for the United Way of
the Columbia-Willamette and chief diversity and inclusion officer for Clark County.
Earlier in her career, Strong spent more than a decade working for the State of
Oregon to improve outcomes for children and families in Oregon’s child welfare
system. 

Strong has a long record of public service and community involvement in Southwest Washington. During her tenure with Clark County, she helped lay the initial framework and push for the Clark County Freeholder process and expansion of the Clark County Council. More recently, she was reappointed by Governor Jay Inslee to serve as a Clark College trustee and actively advocates for education. She was also recently selected as the newest board member of Clark County’s Developmental Disability Advisory Board, and has served on the boards of We Reign Youth Foundation and Southwest Washington Chapter Red Cross.

A Clark College alumna,
Strong earned her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and master’s degree in
Social Work from Portland State University. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D.
in Social Work Research. 

Lynn Valenter

As the vice chancellor for finance
and operations at Washington State University Vancouver, Lynn Valenter leads a
range of functions including budget and accounting, capital planning, dining
services, facilities operations, human resources and public safety. She began her
career at WSU Vancouver more than 20 years ago, holding roles as facilities and
auxiliary services manager and director of finance and operations before being
named as vice chancellor in 2015. Valenter has been instrumental in increasing
WSU Vancouver’s public engagement and service during an important period in the
campus’s growth.

Valenter’s engaged,
enthusiastic, and equitable leadership style has been of service to both the
university and the local community. As an active member of Empower, she
supports initiatives that help local girls and women, and she is a frequent
volunteer with Winter Hospitality Overflow, an organization that helps people
in need during the winter months. Her board service includes Camas Civil
Service, Institute for Metropolitan Studies at Portland State University,
Columbia Credit Union, H-RoC, Greater Portland Inc., and the Columbia River
Economic Development Council. In 2016, Valenter was honored by the Portland Business Journal as a part of
their Women of Influence in the nonprofit category.

Maureen Montague

It is no exaggeration to say
that Maureen Montague has been involved in the Southwest Washington region her
entire life. A graduate of Hudson’s Bay High School, she returned to Vancouver
after earning her bachelor’s degree from Lewis and Clark College in Portland
and began working for Janus Youth Programs, serving at-risk youth in a shelter
setting.

After leaving her job to
become a stay-at-home mother, Montague remained deeply involved in her
community. A visual artist and a published writer, she volunteered at local
arts nonprofits and was a founding member of North Bank Artists. These
activities gave her experience with grant-writing and collaborating with
partner organizations on events, skills that would become useful in her
developing career. Additionally, her writing skills led her to be recruited to
serve on the digital team for President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election
campaign.

In 2013, Montague was hired
as the executive director of North Bank Artists, where she organized the
Vancouver Arts District with community partners. In 2016, she was named the
executive director of Columbia Springs, an environmental education nonprofit
and protected urban natural area on the Old Evergreen Highway in Vancouver. Her
work is focused on financial sustainability, program development, and
improvement of all community services.

Clark College Theatre continues its 2018-2019 season with the 2012 revamped version of the musical Godspell.

Godspell 2012 is a masterful retelling of the original musical sensation, injected with contemporary references and dazzling new arrangements. It was the first major musical theatre offering from three-time Grammy and Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, Children of Eden), and it took the world by storm. A small group of people help Jesus Christ tell different parables by using a wide variety of games, storytelling techniques, and a hefty dose of comic timing. An eclectic blend of songs, ranging in style from pop to vaudeville, is employed as the story of Jesus’ life dances across the stage.

The cast includes: Jacqueline Baxter, Andrew Hallas, Sammy Williams*, Breanna Kurth, Christina Taft**, Moe Lewis, Danielle Neblock*, Michelle Eussen **, Colin Smith* and Janoah Stegall*. 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: Feb. 22 and 23, March 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9. 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.

For more photos of the show, visit Clark’s Flickr album.

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.

The Clark College Automotive Technology department welcomes prospective students and their families to its annual Open House on Wednesday, February 20, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

This
event is free and open to the public, though organizers ask guests to RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/clark-college-automotive-open-house-tickets-55283786293.
It takes place in the college’s automotive shop in Building AA-1 on Clark’s
main campus at 1933 Ft. Vancouver Way. The closest parking is in Orange Lot 1.
For maps and directs visit www.clark.edu/maps. Light refreshments will be served.

Guests will be able to tour the program’s 14,000 square-foot facility, meet with faculty and staff, connect with local dealership managers, and speak with professional technicians about career opportunities. They will also be able to learn about the college’s Dealer Ready programs, which allow students to earn income and work experience through internships during the course of their degree program.

About the Clark College Automotive Technology Department
With a program history that spans more than 40 years, Clark College’s Automotive Technology department has received community recognition for producing top-tier automotive technicians and for its focus on hands-on learning and partnerships with dealerships that include Toyota, Honda, Dick Hannah, and Audi.

The Clark College Columbia Writers Series continues its 2018-2019 season with noted poet Claudia Castro Luna. This event, which is free and open to the public, will be held on Thursday, January 31, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in Gaiser Hall room 213 on Clark College’s main campus.

Claudia Castro Lunais the Washington State Poet Laureate. She served
as Seattle’s Civic
Poet from 2015-2017 and is the author of the Pushcart-nominated Killing Marías (Two Sylvias Press)
and This City, (Floating Bridge Press) and the creator of the
acclaimed Seattle Poetic Grid. Born
in El Salvador, she came to the United States in 1981. She has a Master of Arts
degree in Urban Planning, a teaching certificate, and a Master of Fine Arts in
poetry. Her poems have appeared in Poetry Northwest, La Bloga,
Dialogo and Psychological Perspectives,among others. Her non-fiction work can
be read in several anthologies, among them This Is The Place: Women
Writing About Home, (Seal Press). Castro Luna is currently working on
a memoir, Like Water to Drink, about
her experience escaping the civil war in El Salvador. Living in English and
Spanish, she writes and teaches in Seattle. Since 2009, she
maintains Cipota bajo la Luna, a blog with reflections,
writing, and reviews.

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 with:

Winter

• February 2019 (date TBA): Elizabeth McCracken, award-winning
  fiction writer.

Spring

• May 20, 2019: Alexis Madrigal, author, journalist, and staff
  writer at The Atlantic.
• May 21, 2019: Gina Oschner, award-winning author and Clark
  alumna
• May 22, 2019: Release of Phoenix,
  Clark College’s award-winning arts and literary journal

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.

Clark College President Robert K. Knight will deliver the annual State of the College address on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 11:00 a.m. in Gaiser Student Center.

During his speech, President Knight will address the college’s ongoing work to better meet the needs of students and the community. Among the things he will highlight are the college’s progress on implementing the “Guided Pathways” model of higher education. He will also convey the excitement created by fresh voices in the college’s leadership and by an ambitious new fundraising campaign launched by the Clark College Foundation. Additionally, he will update the community on the college’s progress toward implementing its five-year Social Equity Plan.

President Knight will also showcase the achievements of the college’s highly regarded academic and technical programs, including the launch of its third bachelor’s degree program, the recognition of its Pharmacy Technician program as No. 1 in the country, and the historic significance of the college’s nursing program graduating its 130th class. He will also share the findings of the college’s accreditation report, which was recently released by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Looking ahead, President Knight will advocate for the Washington State Legislature to pass a capital budget that provides for much-needed improvements in the state community and technical college system, including Clark College’s new advanced-manufacturing training center at the Clark College at Boschma Farms location in Ridgefield. He will also explain the need for the Legislature to pass an operating budget that addresses longstanding salary inequities in the system.

The State of the College address, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 11:00 a.m. in Gaiser Student Center on the college’s main campus. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Clark College is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver, Wash. Driving directions and parking maps are available at www.clark.edu/maps.

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 360-991-0901 (VP), or visit Penguin Union Building room 013, as soon as possible.

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2019 Iris Awards, which honor outstanding women in Southwest Washington. The winners will be announced at the end of January, and the recipients will be honored at a reception and ceremony on Wednesday, March 7, 2019, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. in Clark College’s Gaiser Student Center. Tickets will go on sale in January.

Award criteria and nominations forms are available at www.clark.edu/cc/irisawards. Nominations must be received by January 11, 2019. A list of past award recipients can be found at http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/iris/iris-award-honorees.php.

The Iris Awards follow in the tradition of the Southwest Washington Women of Achievement Awards, which began in 1985 at Clark College. In 2012, the event was reintroduced as the Iris Awards, still celebrated on or around International Women’s Day (March 8) and with the same core mission: honoring the lasting and far-reaching contributions of women in Southwest Washington and beyond.

One Iris Award recipient may be selected in each of four areas: service in the public sector; service in the private sector; philanthropic leadership; and leadership in the promotion of civil discourse, teamwork, collaboration and cooperation. This last category is a new addition to the Iris Awards, sponsored by H-RoC, a non-partisan political action committee dedicated to the advancement of elected and appointed women leaders in Southwest Washington.

Anyone may submit a nomination, and more than one person can fill out a nomination form or provide letters of recommendation for the same nominee.

This year’s awards are sponsored by Clark College, the Clark College Foundation, the Vancouver Business Journal, the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, and H-RoC.

Dr. Fumiaki Kubo

Clark College will host a renowned Japanese academic for a lecture on Japan-U.S. relations on Thursday, December 6, at 11:00 a.m. This event, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Gaiser Hall room 213, located on Clark College’s main campus at 1933 Ft. Vancouver Way. The closest parking is in the Green Lot. Directions and maps are available online.

Dr.  Fumiaki Kubo will give a lecture entitled “U.S.-Japan Relations under Trump and Abe: Challenges and Hopes.” This event is sponsored by the Consular Office of Japan in Portland.

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.

About Professor Fumiaki Kubo

Dr. Fumiaki Kubo has been the A. Barton Hepburn Professor of American Government and History at the Graduate Schools for Law and Politics of the University of Tokyo since 2003. He is affiliated with the Japan Institute for International Affairs as a Visiting Scholar, as well as the Tokyo Foundation as a Senior Research Scholar. He studied at Cornell University in 1984-1986, Johns Hopkins University in 1991-1993, and Georgetown University and the University of Maryland in 1998-99. In addition, he was an Invited Professor at SciencesPo in Paris in the spring of 2009, and a Japan Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in 2014.

Dr. Kubo attended the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo and received his B.A. in 1979 and Ph.D. in 1989. He is the author of many books which include: Modern American Politics (with Hitoshi Abe), Ideology and Foreign Policy After Iraq in the United States, and A Study on the Infrastructure of American Politics. In 1989, he received the Sakurada-Kai Gold Award for the Study of Politics and the Keio Gijuku Award.

In 2001 and 2002, Dr. Kubo served on the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Study of Direct Election System of the Prime Minister. Since 2007, Dr. Kubo has been a member of the U.S-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON). In February, 2015, he became a member of the Japan-US Educational Commission. From June, 2016, he is the President of the Japanese Association for American Studies.

Clark College Theatre begins its 2018-2019 season with The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl.

A 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist, The Clean House is a romantic comedy about loss, love, change, and redemption. A career-oriented doctor has hired a quirky Brazilian maid who hates to clean and instead longs to be a comedienne. The doctor is deserted by her husband, who leaves her for his mistress, a passionate, older woman upon whom he recently performed a mastectomy. Sarah Ruhl’s play reminds us that there is humor and beauty to be found in life’s most unlikely messes.

This production’s cast includes:  Danielle Neblock, Becky Morin, Amy Baldwin, Kyle Reese, and Dee Harris.  The director is Mark Owsley. With the exception of Dee Harris, who is an employee of Clark College, all cast members are current students.

This show contains adult themes, language, and content.

Show Dates: November 9, 10, 15, 16, and 17. All show times are at 7:30 p.m. in the Decker Theatre, Frost Arts Center, on Clark College’s main campus. Maps and directions are available at www.clark.edu/maps.

Ticket Information: Students (with ID) $10; Alumni (with membership) $10; Senior Citizens $12; General Admission $15. Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.clarkbookstore.com/site_theatre.asp, or call 360-992-2815.

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 Penguin Union Building room 013, as soon as possible.