Clark College is hosting a free workshop for women interested in advanced manufacturing and the mechanical trades on Thursday, September 9 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Clark College’s main campus. 

This roll-up-your-sleeves event is designed specifically for women to learn about the exciting career opportunities that are available in the mechanical and advanced-manufacturing fields. Guests will be able to tour the college’s Automotive, Diesel, and Welding labs, participate in hands-on activities, and speak with professors.  

Closed-toe shoes and long jeans are required; long-sleeved shirts are recommended. Safety goggles and masks are required and will be provided. 

Properly trained technicians are in high demand in the advanced manufacturing and mechanical industries, and these careers can be rewarding both financially and professionally. However, a recent study found that only 1 in 3 manufacturing professionals are women. 

“We know that, even in this day and age, women can be discouraged from pursuing careers in fields like automotive technology and welding,” said Armetta Burney, Clark College Interim Dean of Workforce Professional Technical Education and STEM. “And yet for years we’ve seen our female students succeed in these programs and enter the workforce. The college is holding this event in hopes of showing women the range of career opportunities available to them.” 

Two $1,800 scholarships will be made available to students who attend this event and enroll in a Clark College Automotive, Diesel, or Welding program by fall 2022. One scholarship was made available by Madden Industrial Craftsmen, the other through an anonymous donor.  

Women interested in attending the event can learn more at https://tinyurl.com/yfb6e6qk or contact Hernan Garzon at hgarzon@clark.edu. The event is free and open to the public, though prior registration is encouraged. Guests will meet in the Automotive Technology lab on Clark College’s main campus (near the Orange 1 parking lot), 1933 Ft. Vancouver Way. Maps and directions 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 360-992-0901 VP, as soon as possible.   

Clark College expressly prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran or military status, citizenship, immigration status, or use of a trained guide dog or service animal in its programs and activities. Learn more at www.clark.edu/nds.    

On June 17, students and faculty lined up in Clark College’s Red parking before crossing Ft. Vancouver Way to Christensen Soccer Field for the college’s 2021 Commencement ceremony. The ceremony, held outdoors in chairs spaced 6 feet apart, allowed for no guests due to Covid-19 safety precautions. It was, in many ways, a first: The first ceremony on the soccer field, the first without guests (though some proud family members lined up on a hill above the field to cheer on their grads), and the first presided over by Clark College President Karin Edwards.

“It is an honor and privilege to stand here before you tonight,” said Dr. Edwards as she addressed the Class of 2021, as well as some members of the Class of 2020 who were making up for missing an in-person ceremony the previous year. “This time last year, we could not assemble on campus or anywhere due to the coronavirus.”

Many speakers at the podium remarked on the unique challenges faced by this graduating class: pandemic, quarantine, a massive switch to online learning, and a turbulent environment of political strife and racial inequity.

And yet, as novel as this year’s ceremony was in many ways, there was much that remained the same: tassels were turned, caps were tossed, and the look of pride on graduates’ faces as they crossed the stage was as incandescent as ever. As is tradition, the recipients of both the Exceptional Faculty Awards and the Community College Presidents’ Scholarship in Honor of Val Ogden were announced. All told, more than 500 Penguins marched to receive their commemorative scrolls and celebrated their achievements together.

View more photos of Commencement 2021 on Flickr.

A fully captioned video from the live-stream of the ceremony will be available at www.clark.edu/go/grad by July 3.

Clark College celebrated the emancipation of Black enslaved people with its inaugural Juneteenth Drive-Through Cookout on Friday, June 11. The event was organized by the college’s Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and culinary programs. Clark College’s McClaskey Culinary Institute and ODEI provided 100 boxed lunches for students. 

In an email to the college community, Rashida Willard, Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, explained the significance of Juneteenth, which is also known as Emancipation Day and Freedom Day: “On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended, and that Black slaves were now free, nearly two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Many celebrate this holiday honoring Black culture through social gatherings, cookouts, and time with family.”  

Cuisine instructor Earl Frederick said, “Barbecue is recognized as a Black contribution to American culture. It was slaves who passed through the Caribbean, cooking animals over pits on sticks. This style of cooking called barbacoa translates now into what we know as Southern barbecue. They also picked up seeds from hot peppers in the Caribbean, which became an important flavoring for the pork in the South.” 

Cuisine students made smoked turkey, baked beans, collard greens and cornbread. Students in Professional Baking and Pastry Arts made individual hand pies for dessert. Clark’s students made all the food except for barbecued pork, which was donated by Donnie Vercher, owner of Daddy D’s Southern Style BBQ. (Vercher’s daughter, Ramona Vercher, is a Clark College alumna and recipient of the 2013-14 Community College President’s Award.) On the morning of the event, cuisine students were busy in the kitchen packing 100 lunches in boxes highlighting significant people and events in Black history.  

Students had signed up in advance to receive the lunches. During the event, students drove into the parking lot west of Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute, rolled down their window and were handed a boxed lunch from a cuisine student.   

Despite persistent rain, it was a party. Deejay Mark Kernell played Earth, Wind and Fire’s “September” as he spun what he called “good ‘70s and ‘80s R&B, backyard barbecue music.” 

Nearby, Clark College President Karin Edwards chatted with Frederick, who was busy stirring a pot of Caribbean-style paella at the wood-fired grill. A pot of gumbo simmered alongside it. 

Frederick said his maternal grandmother, a sharecropper from North Carolina, told him stories about the significance of barbecue. 

“My grandmother told me that barbecue is something that Blacks and whites in the South share,” he said. “When tobacco was harvested in the fall, it was all-hands-on-deck with Blacks and whites working together doing the harvest.” 

Workers hung tobacco leaves in tobacco barns that have slats to let air through. To prevent spoilage, this work had to happen quickly, so a big oak fire was built to cure, dry and smoke the tobacco. Throughout the night, workers stoked the fire, which accumulated hot coals.  

Frederick explained, “The tradition developed to roast a pig using those hot coals. People dug a hole in the ground, put hot coals in the bottom of the pit, put a grate over the coals, and put a butchered pig on the grate to slowly cook the pig. Everybody—black and white—ate the pig together. Something that didn’t happen any other time.” 

Next year when Clark College holds its second annual event, Juneteenth will be a state holiday, thanks to legislation passed in May. The law will go into effect in 2022. 

This will be the first time that the ceremony is held on the soccer field. Traditionally, the college’s Commencement ceremonies have been held at Sunlight Supply Amphitheatre. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the college’s 2020 Commencement ceremony was held completely virtually. This year, as restrictions on public gatherings began to lift, the college surveyed graduates to learn which format of ceremony students preferred: virtual, drive-through, or in-person. The in-person format was the top choice of survey respondents. 

“Our students have navigated through so much this academic year—pandemic, economic downturn, social unrest, struggling with issues like job loss and food insecurity,” said Clark College President Karin Edwards. “It was important to us that we honor their achievement with a ceremony that met their hopes, while still conforming with public health guidelines.” 

Other noteworthy highlights of this year’s ceremony: 

• About 525 graduates are expected to participate in this year’s ceremony, out of approximately 1,650 graduates from the entire academic year. 
• Graduates include those receiving Bachelor of Applied Science and associate degrees, as well as certificates and high school diplomas or equivalents. 
• The Class of 2021 will include the first graduates from the college’s new Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Services degree program. 
• Some of the participants are members of the Class of 2020. When that year’s Commencement was moved online, the college invited graduates to participate in the next in-person ceremony. 
• The ceremony will be led by Dr. Edwards, and will be her first Clark College Commencement as president of the college. 
• The student speaker is Jaelyn Sotelo, a Running Start student who is transferring to University of Washington to pursue a career in political advocacy. Introducing her is student government president Josiah Joner, also a Running Start student, who is in the third generation of his family to attend Clark College and is transferring to Stanford University in the fall. 
• Also speaking are: Clark College Board of Trustees Chair Rekah Strong; faculty union president Suzanne Southerland; and Interim Vice President of Instruction Dr. Genevieve Howard. 

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. 
 

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.  

“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.”  

For more information about NWREC: http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/student-support/diversity-and-equity/equity-conference/index.php. Those who need accommodation due to a disability can contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314, 360-991-0901 video phone. 

Keynote Speakers 

Talila “TL” Lewis is 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 Reader is 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.  

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.  

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. 

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 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.