Many of us value our pets as sources of comfort, companionship, and protection. But what if it turned out that they were also teaching our children valuable lessons that could help them be better adults? Clark College psychology professor Dr. Mika Maruyama tackles the crucial role animals can play in early childhood development during her Faculty Speaker Series presentation, “Why Do We Need a Pet? Effects of animals on children’s socio-emotional development,” held Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. in the Ellis Dunn Community Room (Gaiser Hall room 213) on Clark College’s main campus.

“In America, most people own or have owned a pet, but they may not realize that these animals can actually improve your health and well-being—lowering blood pressure, reducing anxiety, and, in the case of children, strengthening emotional development,” says Dr. Maruyama, who has published numerous articles and book chapters on the topic. “This talk could apply to anyone in the fields of social science, psychology, early childhood education, women’s studies, or nursing, as well as anyone interested in social issues like interpersonal violence and how our pets can help us raise healthy children.”

Dr. Maruyama shares her intriguing research findings, which suggest that children learn more than we suspect from animal companions. The daily interactions they have with pets can help develop the important quality of empathy. Likewise, studies show that when children regularly mistreat animals, we need to pay attention—as it could be a warning sign of further violence to come as the child grows up.

This presentation is free and open to the public. 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 may contact Clark’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (video phone) or email dss@clark.edu within one week of the event.

This presentation is part of Clark’s prestigious Faculty Speaker Series. The theme for this year’s series is “Microbes, Pets, and Puppets: What Animals Can Teach Us.” The final presentation, “Bilingual Puppetry: a Project-Based Learning Exploration” by Spanish professor Elizabeth Ubiergo, is scheduled for May 12.

About Dr. Mika Maruyama

Dr. Mika Maruyama is a tenure-track professor teaching both general and lifespan psychology at Clark College. A native of Japan, she has studied the psychological relationship between animals and human development in both American and Japanese society as well as social issues including animal cruelty, domestic violence, child maltreatment, and juvenile delinquency. She has contributed to numerous academic journals, handbooks, and textbooks, including Animal Abuse and Developmental Psychopathology (2010, APA Books), Human Development (2008, Wadsworth Publishing), and International Handbook of Theory and Research on Animal Abuse and Cruelty (2008, Purdue University Press). Dr. Maruyama earned her bachelor’s degree from Utah State University and both her master’s and doctorate degrees in psychology from Portland State University. She began teaching at Clark in 2011.

Award-winning author Jess Walter reads at the 2015 winter quarter installment of Clark College’s Columbia Writers Series.

During the 2015 winter quarter installment of its renowned Columbia Writers Series, Clark College will welcome best-selling writer Jess Walter, whose award-winning work was recently deemed “captivating” by the New York Times and “bad-ass” by Esquire magazine.

A former National Book Award finalist and winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award, Jess Walter is the author of six novels, one book of short stories, and one nonfiction book. His 2012 novel, Beautiful Ruins, was both a No. 1 New York Times Bestseller and a New York Times Notable Book of 2012, as well as Esquire‘s Book of the Year and NPR Fresh Air’s Novel of the Year. His 2009 novel, The Financial Lives of the Poets was Time magazine’s No. 2 Novel of the Year. His most recent book, the 2013 collection of short stories called We Live in Water, was described by the Seattle Times as “[s]tories that twist and plumb, delivering unexpected laughs while playing with what it is we think we know … Walter has emerged as one of the country’s most dazzling novelists … so freakishly, fiendishly good, it isn’t fair.”

Walter’s work has been translated into 30 languages, and his essays, short fiction, criticism and journalism have been widely published, in Best American Short Stories, Best American Nonrequired Reading, Harper’s, Esquire, McSweeney’s, Byliner, Playboy, ESPN the Magazine, Details and many others. He lives with his wife Anne and children, Brooklyn, Ava and Alec in his childhood home of Spokane, Washington.

Walter will read from some of his works and discuss his writing process from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 11, in Foster Auditorium on Clark’s main campus. The event is free and open to the public. 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.

The Columbia Writers Series was launched at Clark College in 1988, bringing local, national and international authors to the college and the region. Information about the Columbia Writers Series is available at www.clark.edu/cc/cws.

Dental Hygiene students work in the new Firstenburg Family Dental Hygiene Education and Care Center.

The Clark College Dental Hygiene Program will hold a free children’s dental clinic on Saturday, February 7 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the main campus of Clark College. The event will take place in the newly remodeled Firstenburg Dental Hygiene Education and Care Center in the Health Sciences Building.

Dental hygiene students from Clark College will provide care under the direct supervision of licensed dental hygienist and dentists. Services will include cleanings, sealants, x-rays, and fluoride for children ages 18 and under. Appointments can be scheduled by calling the Dental Hygiene Business Office at 360-992-2158.

This has been an exciting time for the Dental Hygiene program. Its recently approved Bachelor of Applied Science degree–the college’s first-ever baccalaureate degree–will begin taking students in fall 2015. The program also recently opened the Firstenburg Family Dental Hygiene Education and Care Center. The $3.3 million facility renovation was funded by donations from a variety of entities including the Firstenburg Foundation, Roy and Virginia Andersen Endowment, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, John A. and Helen M. Cartales Foundation. Renovations of the space allow the program to serve more students and more patients–particularly children and underserved populations.

Clark College is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver, WA 98663. 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, contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at or (VP), or visit Penguin Union Building room 013 as soon as possible.

Associate Director of Running Start Linda Calvert, far left, helps students at an open house held by the Bookstore in 2012.

High school sophomores and juniors can learn how to take the next step in their education by attending one of two optional Running Start Information Night sessions at Clark College.

The identical sessions will be held 7:00-8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14 and Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015, in the Clark College gymnasium in the O’Connell Sports Center, located on the southwest corner 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/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. 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. According to Associate Director of Running Start Linda Calvert, these annual information nights frequently attract hundreds of interested students and parents to the college, which is why the college hosts two sessions. In fall 2014, Clark College welcomed 2,044 Running Start students, 140 more students than the previous academic year.

These information sessions are for students and parents who want to know more about beginning the program in fall 2015. Calvert explains, “These optional sessions provide a great chance to hear current Running Start students candidly describe their experiences in the program. You’ll also hear about the eligibility criteria, testing procedures, deadlines, and more.”

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. Fee waivers and limited textbook assistance are available for those demonstrating financial need.

“Running Start is not for everyone,” notes Calvert. “It requires not only college-level skills, but also college-level maturity. Successful program participants who flourish under the academic rigor of Running Start are generally self-motivated and looking for additional academic challenges. Students frequently tell us that they like the learning environment at the college and the ability to gradually sample the college environment.”

Clark College is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way in Vancouver, Washington. 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.

Nominations are now open for the 2015 Iris Awards. The winners will be announced in January, and the recipients will be honored at a reception and ceremony on Thursday, March 5, 2015, from 5 p.m. to  7 p.m. in Clark College’s Gaiser Student Center. Tickets will go on sale in late January.

Following in the tradition of the Southwest Washington Women of Achievement Awards, this year’s ceremony marks the 30th anniversary of the college’s annual recognition of women’s contributions to the community. The event began in 1985 at Clark College as a photography exhibit during Women’s History Week. Over the years, the event developed into a larger awards program and ceremony. In 2012, the Iris Awards were introduced with the same focus as previous events: celebrating the lasting and far-reaching contributions of women in Southwest Washington and beyond.

As in the past, the awards will be presented in observation of International Women’s Day (March 8). Three Iris Awards may be presented annually. One recipient may be selected in each of three areas: service in the public sector, service in the private sector, and philanthropic leadership. Anyone may submit a nomination. Additionally, more than one person can fill out a nomination form for the same nominee or provide letters of recommendation.

The awards are sponsored by Clark College, the Vancouver Business Journal, the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, and the Clark College Foundation.

Nominations must be received by Friday, December 19, 2014.

In fall 2014, Clark College welcomed its largest-ever class of international students, many of whom will be participating in International Education Week.

On November 17, Clark College hosts its seventh celebration of International Education Week. But in many ways, Clark’s celebration began months earlier, with the launching of its new Intensive English Language Program (IELP) at the beginning of this fall quarter.

This program replaces the college’s former English as a Non-Native Language program, which focused solely on the upper levels of pre-college English. The IELP offers intensive English-language instruction, but broadens the curriculum to also include lessons about American culture and U.S. educational expectations. This approach better prepares international students to succeed at Clark and other American institutions of higher education. It also allows them to be admitted at Clark without submitting an English-proficiency test, as was previously required. As a result, 90 new international students enrolled in the IELP for fall quarter, bringing Clark’s total international enrollment to a record-setting 213 students from 29 different countries.

“Instituting an open admission policy that does not require the submission of a standardized English proficiency test allows Clark to compete with other community colleges and English language programs in the region that also offer open admissions,” says Director of International Programs Jane Walster. “It also allows the college to recruit from a larger pool of prospective students around the world, not just those students with specific standardized test scores.”

International Student Recruitment & Outreach Manager Jody Shulnak says Clark’s adaptation of the IELP has helped her attract students during her international recruitment trips, which have included countries like China, Vietnam and Japan in the last year alone.

International students enjoy strong support at Clark, as well as field trips to local attractions like the Vista House in the Columbia Gorge.

“Clark offers comprehensive support services for international students, which I believe really sets us apart in the region,” says Shulnak. “We also have strong university partnerships that provide students with a seamless pathway to earn their bachelor’s degree in the U.S.”

Brazilian student Paulo Giacomelli says he has appreciated his experience at Clark. “The atmosphere at Clark College is great,” he says. “It made it easier for me to attend classes, get involved in activities, and be successful.”

With its strengthened support for international students and frequent events that, like International Education Week, allow those students to share their respective cultures with the Clark community, the college is growing more and more global with each year. Currently, the college’s goal is to achieve an international student population of 300.

“When students from other countries decide to study at Clark, the entire community benefits,” says Shulnak. “It is an exciting learning opportunity for everyone.”

“As global and local become more intertwined, we must all engage in the process of understanding our own culture and those of our neighbors at home and abroad,” adds Walster.

This year’s International Education Week events include presentations by international students about their home cultures, an exhibition by international students and international nonprofits, and screenings of films with international flavor. Visit the event’s web page for a full schedule of events.

Students compete in the Rocket Boat Rally during the 2014 Elementary Science Olympiad.

Normally, you wouldn’t encourage kids to drop eggs on your floor. But this Saturday, all the rules got bent (or possibly refracted) at Clark College’s seventh annual Elementary Science Olympiad, where third-through-fifth graders tested the limits of physics with egg drops and challenged their engineering skills with rockets powered by vinegar and baking soda.

Students from Eisenhower Elementary celebrate an unbroken egg after dropping it from the balcony of PUB 161.

Twenty-four teams from 22 different schools in 10 different districts (including one team each from Cowlitz and Pacific counties) participated in this year’s olympiad, making for a total of 328 elementary students participating–Clark’s largest-ever attendance for the event.

“Interest level this year was amazing and meant we had to work just to squeeze all the teams in,” says Clark STEM Coordinator and biology instructor Erin Harwood, who coordinates the event. “We couldn’t say no when there was so much enthusiasm!”

The event’s size meant the need for even more support from the college community–which, as in years past, stepped in to volunteer. In all, 67 members of the Clark community–including students, faculty, staff, and even a dean–spent their Saturday morning helping young scientists compete in five different event categories. “Four out of five events were new this year, making for an exciting and challenging year,” says Harwood.

Engineering instructor Carol Hsu gets participants excited at the 2014 Elementary Science Olympiad.

This year, Chief Umtuch Middle School (Battle Ground) and CAM Academy (Battle Ground) vied for top honors in each competition (see PDF for full list). But as pictures from the fun-filled event show, when young people gather to celebrate science, everyone’s a winner.

Pictures: Clark College/Jenny Shadley. See more pictures in Clark’s Flickr album.

Clark College Veterans Club member Steve Mitchley hangs a ribbon from the Honor Tree that will be displayed during this year’s Veterans Day celebration.

Members of the Clark College Veterans Club and Associated Students are staffing a table outside of Gaiser Student Center from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. all week in advance of the college’s Veterans Day celebration on November 10. Members of the college community are invited to write holiday cards to be sent to members of the military serving overseas. They can also add ribbons to an Honor Tree that will be displayed during Monday’s celebration.

Ribbons are color-coded.

• White ribbon: in memory of a loved one who gave/lost their life in service
• Blue ribbon: in honor of a loved one who is serving
• Red ribbon: you are currently serving or have served
• Yellow ribbon: general support and thanks to all veterans and service members
• Black ribbon: in recognition of someone who was a POW/MIA
• Purple ribbon: in honor of Purple Heart recipients

A Clark College student hangs a ribbon on the Honor Tree and fills out a holiday card to be sent to a servicemember overseas.

This is the second year that the college is hosting a Veterans Day celebration. Last year, the event included the presentation of a grant from the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington that helped start and staff the college’s Veterans Resource Center, which opened earlier this year.

The college is always closed on Veterans Day, so each year the celebration takes place on the day before or after the official holiday. This year’s Veterans Day celebration takes place 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Gaiser Student Center. In addition to the honor tree and card-writing station, it will include a Presentation of the Colors, guest speakers, free food and refreshments, and kid-friendly activities. It is open to the all members of the Clark College community, regardless of military status, and to the greater Southwest Washington community as well.

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

In its 2014-15 season, Clark College Theatre takes its audience on a wild trip across the border—whether that’s the border between two countries, between propriety and hedonism, or between reality and art. With the announcement of its three productions—Night of the Iguana, The Rocky Horror Show, and bobrauschebergamerica—the college’s Theatre Department continues its push to provide work that challenges, entertains, and provokes.

The season opens with Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams. Often considered the last great play written by that classic American dramatist, this provocative exploration of sin and virtue is set in the dusty swelter of a ramshackle Mexican resort, where defrocked minister T. Lawrence Shannon has come to escape both the law and his own inner torment. He’s seeking solace, but instead finds the sultry widow Maxine and the quiet artist Hannah—a gathering of lost souls that quickly ignites into scenes of passion, despair, and surprising poignancy. Nominated for a 1962 Tony Award for best play, this is a major work by one of theatre’s most respected and celebrated writers. The production is directed by Mark Owsley and runs Nov. 7 – 22.

Cast includes: Garrett Dabbs (Pancho), Linda Mathews Owsley (Maxine Faulk), Steven Koculis (Pedro), H. Gene Biby (The Reverend T. Lawrence Shannon), Philip Graves  (Wolfgang), Rianna Workinger (Hilda), Nathan Willbanks (Dorph), Sam Ruble (Herr Fahrenkoph), Madison Harris (Frau Kahrenkoph), J.D. Carpenter (Hank), Emily Wells (Miss Judith Fellowes), Elana Mack (Hannah Jelkes),  Kiara Goulding (Charlotte Goodall), Zak Campbell (Nonno), and Wayne Yancey (Jake Latta). Production includes strong language and adult themes.

Show Dates: November 7, 8, 14, 15, 20, 21, and 22. All show times are at 7:30 p.m. November 15, there will also be a 2:00 p.m. matinee.

Ticket Information: Students (with ID) $9; Alumni (with membership) $9; Senior Citizens $11; General Admission $13. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Clark College Bookstore in Gaiser Hall, 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 or (VP), or visit Penguin Union Building room 013, two weeks before the event.

“Educating for the Seventh Generation” is a night of sharing music, dance, and traditions.

On Friday, November 7, Clark College will welcome the community as it hosts “Educating for the Seventh Generation,” a celebration of indigenous cultures.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the Gaiser Student Center on Clark College’s main campus. The event will begin at 5 p.m., with free food and refreshments served. A performance by Native American flutist and flute-maker Isaac Trimble will begin at 5:45 p.m. The Welcome Address and opening ceremonies for a powwow will begin at 6 p.m. Closing ceremonies will take place at 10 p.m. Vendors and informational booths will be present 5:00 – 10:00 p.m.

This is the sixth year that Clark College has coordinated and hosted an event in honor of Native American Heritage Month. It is one of four signature events hosted by the college annually to celebrate diverse cultures.

This year, the celebration will include the announcement of an effort to create a new scholarship. Entitled the Dream Catcher Scholarship, this fund would go toward the tuition of a Native American student studying at Clark.

“Studies show that Native Americans experience some of the highest poverty rates of all racial groups in the U.S.,” said Anna Schmasow (Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota Oyate Tribal Member), an office assistant at Clark College who has been integral to the organization of Educating for the Seventh Generation. “I believe that education is the most effective tool in escaping poverty. A scholarship fund can help students who are in need attain a successful career.”

Longtime community organizer and celebration committee member Becky Archibald (Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Member) said she hoped the Dream Catcher Scholarship would make college more accessible to Native American youth, many of whom have historical and cultural reasons to distrust educational institutions. “It helps to soften that step, to create that sense of inclusion,” she said. “The scholarship fund would promote the idea that college is possible for the Native American youth in today’s world. It would assist students in bringing their dreams and goals together through higher education.”

According to organizers, “Educating for the Seventh Generation” references “our responsibility to teach the future Seventh Generation to maintain our resources, traditions and customs. It is the way of caring and preserving for the Seventh Generation, which is a true sustainable practice.”

See images from last year’s celebration in Clark’s Flickr album or watch the following video to learn more about this annual event.