Nicole Harris, Director of Student Equity and Inclusion, (second from the right) stood in the Diversity Center and greeted people coming through the doors to participate in the Black Student Union (BSU) Kickback on May 24. The informal event occurs every term.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion provided food, music, and games. Mostly, it’s about connection and community.
Harris explained, “This is a space for Black students, staff and faculty to gather to celebrate our accomplishments, Black Joy and share our stories.”
People took turns introducing themselves to the group. Some are current students. Some are current Running Start students. Some are future students who plan to enroll at Clark next academic year.
Then, it was time to fill their plates and gather together to listen to music, play games, and talk.
If you are interested in getting notifications for this event, please reach out to Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) at diversity@clark.edu or call 360-992-2292.
ODEI is located on the second floor of Gaiser Hall (GHL) 214. The elevator is located by Financial Aid.
Photo: Clark College/Susan Parrish
Guided Pathways
Left to right: Tosha Big Eagle, Workforce Educational Services (WES); Rosalba Pitkin, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and Amanda Harlan, WES.
Clark College held its first Guided Pathways and Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Fair on May 22 in Gaiser Hall. Geared for college faculty and staff, the event was a showcase for programs and departments to demonstrate their development of Guided Pathways framework.
Attendees viewed project exhibits and talked to project leads. They learned about projects and activities that connect students to sustainable career pathways through increased enrollment, improved retention and completion, reducing equity gaps, and ensuring robust program options and resources and culturally inclusive classroom environments.
What is Guided Pathways?
Clark College and other Guided Pathways colleges focus on making academic-to-career pathways clear for students.
Guided Pathways’ college framework provides students with clear program options, an understanding of how to identify the best options for them, support to develop a comprehensive plan for completion, tools for addressing and resolving any challenges along the way, and imbedded outcomes assessment. Internally, it is a vehicle for collaboration between departments toward student outcome goals.
Clark has an extensive Guided Pathways framework that will lead to improved student outcomes in the next several years.
How Clark is implementing Guided Pathways
Biology Professor Dr. Travis Kibota
Clark’s STEM programs displayed their robust plan for infusing Guided Pathways principles for STEM students transferring to four-year colleges.
Dr. Travis Kibota, a biology professor who is leading the Guided Pathways STEM transfer piece, said Clark is building connections with research communities at four-year institutions, including WSU Vancouver, Portland State University, Eastern Washington University, and others.
Dr. Roberto Anitori is a biology professor and the STEM lead for connecting Clark’s STEM students with undergraduate research opportunities. This summer two Clark biology students will participate in paid research internships in labs at WSU Vancouver.
Dr. Anitori said, “Undergraduate research—it’s the new, hot thing. Data backs it up, demonstrating it keeps students engaged.”
Left to right: Engineering Professor Tina Barsotti, Dean of STEM/WPTE Theo Koupelis, Math Professor and Division Chair Robert Weston and MESA Director Román Lara
Clark’s MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement) program is the lead for peer mentorship and enrichment for Clark’s STEM students. Román Lara, director of MESA, said MESA provides mentorships between students at Clark College and Washington State University Vancouver. It also provides opportunities for Clark students to participate in enrichment workshops at Portland State University.
In addition to STEM, exhibits from English, Math, College 101, Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) and Open Educational Resources (OER) and other emerging programs were represented.
Associate Director of Advising Tasaday Turner
Advising and Career Services have several projects in the SBCTC Guided Pathways 2022-2024 state work plan. The department participated in the Guided Pathways Fair with displays revealing useful information, such as the fact that more than twice as many Clark students choose to meet with academic advisors virtually as compared to in-person visits. Tasaday Turner, associate director of Advising Services, explained that her department is working to increase clarity on who is and who is not using their services.
She said, “It’s important for Advising to understand the populations we’re serving, and the populations we’re not serving. We want to dig deeper to ensure all students have access to advising.”
Additional Student Affairs areas participating in the Guided Pathways Fair included Entry Services, Credentials, Disability Support Services, and others.
Several displays highlighted the many outreach activities funded by Guided Pathways this academic year, including CTE Showcase Day, Level Up, Noche de Familia, Black Student and Family Day, and ODEI success coaches.
Director of Guided Pathways and Parterships Rhianna Johnson with Director of Programs at Workforce Southwest Washington Marnie Farness
Rhianna Johnson, Director of Guided Pathways and Partnerships and organizer of the fair, said about the Fair’s success: “It was great to see the turnout and engagement from the campus community. Exhibitors enjoyed putting together their displays and having the opportunity to share information in a livelier format than the typical slide deck. Some participants reported that they were surprised to learn how much activity has taken place during the year related to Guided Pathways.”
About Guided Pathways
Guided Pathways vision: A college that advances racial, social, and economic justice by achieving equitable student aspiration, access, economic progress, and educational and career attainment.
Guided Pathways mission: Creating an equitable system that prepares all learners to engage in a diverse society and workforce, achieve economic mobility through educational attainment, and contribute to a socially just society.
About Clark’s Strategic Enrollment Management Plan
With feedback and input from departments across campus, the SEM plan is designed to advance racial, social, and economic justice by achieving equitable student outcomes in terms of aspirations, access, economic progress, and educational and career attainment.
To equip their engineering students for success, professors Tina Barsotti and Carol Hsu encourage their students to create community by participating in campus and community outreach events, including STEM NERD Girls.
These outreach events available in Engineering program provide opportunities for diverse learners to explore and achieve their educational goals by promoting social connectedness through peer support, volunteering, networking, professional interaction, and mentoring.
“Building community fosters collaboration and connectedness,” said Professor Barsotti. “By providing these opportunities, the program encourages students to continue their paths in the STEM field. This helps us to retain students from systemically non-dominant groups.”
Engineering graduates remain connected
Four Engineering graduates who volunteered in outreach events also formed a study group when they were Clark students. Over the years, they have remained friends and continue to encourage each other as they transitioned to pursuing bachelor’s degrees, and now in the early years of their careers. They spoke on a panel at a Women in STEM tea on May 17 in the STEM Building.
Megan Sarygin, Gabriella Miller, Shiori Baba, and Marie Roza heeded their professors’ advice when they were STEM students at Clark College. They volunteered in NERD Girls and contributed to other outreach and campus events. After they graduated from Clark, they transferred to various universities, but they continued their study group as they faced the rigors of advanced STEM classes and projects.
Some years later, they still connect and remain friends. Now instead of seeking advice about college classes, they discuss the successes and challenges they are experiencing as young women working in male-dominated STEM fields.
Megan Sarygin
Profession: Field service engineer, Tokyo Electron US
Education:
Clark College Running Start student; Associate of Science, mechanical engineering, 2019
Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, minor in business administration, Washington State University Vancouver, 2021
Insights:
“Developing your social skills is very important, just like your hard skills. Social skills are just as important as your classes, getting good grades, and studying. Make connections. Work in a group. Work on your communications skills.”
“Ask for help. In a lab at WSU Vancouver, we were using a mill and a lathe to make small parts for a gyroscope. Using the lathe did not make sense to me. I was so far behind. The lab instructor was patient and opened up the lab on the weekend for extra work on the lathe. It was so nice to have it click in my brain.”
Clark College, Associate of Arts, mechanical engineering, 2018
Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, Washington State University Vancouver, 2022
Insights:
“When we were growing up, it wasn’t expected that a girl would go into a STEM field.”
“I wanted to work in a field where there are always questions to answer, opportunities to learn.”
“I was drawn both to aerospace and neuroscience. I asked myself: Space or brains?”
“Being able to make mistakes is sometimes harder for women. People can be more critical.”
Shiori Baba
Profession: Project engineer classified as civil engineer, Bonneville Power Administration
Education:
Bachelor of Science degree in geology/earth science, University of Washington, 2016
Clark College, supplemental prerequisite engineering classes to transfer to Portland State University
Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering, Portland State University, 2021
Insights:
“Networking is a scary term, but who you know is important. You don’t know who will be your boss or what opportunities may come up because of word of mouth.”
“My agency makes transmission lines and maintains substations. It’s been male dominated, but I’m seeing more female engineers now. BPA has been putting in efforts for more diversity within their workforce.”
“It’s okay to make mistakes. Just make sure you learn from your mistakes.”
Marie Roza
Profession: Senior emerging technology engineer, Skanska, the fifth-largest construction company in the world
Education:
Clark College Running Start student and Associate of Science degree in civil engineering, 2019
Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering, Portland State University, 2021
Insights:
“In engineering, there are so many options. You aren’t limited.”
“Construction is very male dominated. Only about 13% are women. But within my company, we have an amazing focus on diversity and inclusion.”
“Make your connections within your classes. It’s important to have a support system, especially as a woman in STEM. I could not have made it without these three.”
Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish
New tenured professors
Left to right: Marisol Moreno Ortiz, Tanya Diaz-Kozlowski, Thomas Olsen, Kathryn Anastasi, Amy VahnDijk, Jesse Kysar, Alejandra Maciulewicz-Herring, and Wade (William) Hausinger.
Nine outstanding educators were granted tenure unanimously by the Clark College Board of Trustees. They were honored at a college reception on May 16. These newly tenured faculty members are:
Katy Anastasi, Libraries
Dr. Tanya Diaz-Kozlowski, Women’s Studies
Wade Hausinger, Welding
Mark Keats, English
Jesse Kysar, Engineering
Alejandra Maciulewicz-Herring, Medical Assisting
Marisol Moreno Ortiz, Libraries
Tom Olsen, Digital Media Arts
Amy VahnDijk, Nursing
Tenure is awarded by the college’s Board of Trustees based on professional excellence and outstanding abilities in their disciplines. The granting of tenure is based on the recommendations of tenure review committees to the vice president of instruction, which are then forwarded to the president, who presents a final recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Recommendations are based on self-evaluations, tenure review committee evaluations, student evaluations, supervisory evaluations, and peer evaluations. The final decision to award or withhold tenure rests with the Board of Trustees.
Katy Anastasi, Libraries
Katy Anastasi earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in American studies from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota and her Master of Library and Information Studies from Queens College (City University of New York) in New York City. She began her career working in community college libraries in 2018 as an adjunct librarian and Open Educational Resources (OER) fellow at Borough of Manhattan Community College. After moving to Oregon in 2019, she began working at Portland State University as a reference librarian and OER publishing assistant.
Katy joined Clark College in Fall 2020 as a tenure-track reference and instruction librarian. She co-leads Clark College’s OER steering committee and serves on the library’s user experience committee, as well as the Clark College Faculty Excellence Award committee. Since 2020, she has worked collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students to develop culturally relevant academic library collections and library services for incarcerated students and their instructors at Larch Corrections Center. She received Clark’s Faculty Excellence Award in 2022.
Tanya Diaz-Kozlowski, Ph.D., Women’s Studies
Tanya Diaz-Kozlowski earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2001 and her Master of Science degree in college student personnel from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston in 2003. She earned her Ph.D. in education policy, organization and leadership with a focus in social and cultural foundations coupled with certificates in gender and women’s studies and Latino/a studies from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2015. She supervised, advised, and mentored students and co-created programs in residential life, Greek life, orientation, and cultural programs at Eastern Illinois University and at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2001-2008.
Tanya has diverse experiences teaching and advising undergraduate and graduate students, creating department level curricula and assessments, and teaching interdisciplinary undergraduate/graduate courses in gender, women’s, and sexuality studies and Latinx studies from teaching, advising, and mentoring students at Illinois State University and The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Over the last three years, Tanya has published peer-reviewed articles in The Association of Mexican American Educators Journal, The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education, and The Journal of Lesbian Studies.
Tanya started teaching at Clark College in Fall 2020. She completed the Teaching Squares program in 2021 and the college’s BUILD Program in 2022, a yearlong employee development program providing intensive training in power, privilege, and inequality.
William (Wade) Hausinger, Welding Technology
Wade Hausinger has worked in the welding industry for his entire career. He first learned welding, drafting and blueprint reading as an Evergreen High School student. At Clark College he earned his GED and completed leadership skills training. He has worked in the welding industry since 1989 and was certified for industry-related professional training on the job. He starting as a welding fabricator and working his way up to pipe fitter/welder, pipe shop foreman, shop welding foreman, and metal fabrication foreman. His former employers include Christensen Shipyard, Electro, Cascade General Shipyard and GI Welding.
Wade began teaching welding at Clark College in 2017 as an instructional technician and became an instructor the following term. He made tenure track in 2020.
Mark Keats, English
Mark L. Keats earned his Associate of Arts degree in English from Howard Community College. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese language and literature and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Maryland, College Park. He began teaching at Howard Community College and taught for six years before returning to graduate school, where he earned a Ph.D. in literature and creative writing from Texas Tech University. He taught for one year at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas before accepting a job at Clark College.
He began teaching at Clark College Fall 2020 as a tenure track candidate. He currently serves on the literature committee. He has participated in English and campuswide professional development and training.
Jesse Kysar, Engineering
Jesse Kysar earned an Associate of Science Transfer degree in physics at Lower Columbia College in 2011. He transferred to Washington State University in Pullman, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and a Bachelor of Science degree in material science and engineering, both in 2014.
While he was enrolled at WSU, he worked as a student researcher. After he graduated, he worked as an engineer I, industrial applications at nLight, which produces high-power semiconductor lasers and fiber lasers. He also worked as a mechanic and heavy equipment operator in the construction industry.
Jesse began teaching at Clark College as an adjunct faculty member in Fall 2018, then worked as temporary full-time faculty before starting his tenure journey in 2020. In addition to teaching in the engineering department, he also teaches materials science in the welding department. At Clark, he serves as the department lead in program outcomes assessment. He is one of two faculty experts on the advanced manufacturing curriculum leadership team.
Alejandra Maciulewicz-Herring, Medical Assisting
Alejandra Maciulewicz-Herring earned her Associate of Arts degree in pre-nursing at Clark College. She also earned a Certificate of Proficiency, medical assistant, Concorde Career College, Portland; Certificate of Proficiency, emergency medical technician, Linn-Benton Community College, Albany, Oregon; and an American Association of medical assistant certification.
Her career in the healthcare industry includes working as a medical assistant, pediatrics medical assistant, and an administrative medical assistant in internal family medicine, physical therapy, and pediatrics clinics. Her former employers include Allergy Clinic, Internal Family Medicine, Columbia Asthma & Allergy, Creekside Medical, Stargait Physical Therapy, and Miller’s Family Pediatrics.
Alejandra began teaching full time at Clark College in Fall 2020. She is involved with outreach events to promote the college’s Allied Health programs.
Marisol Moreno Ortiz, Libraries
Marisol Moreno Ortiz earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Oregon State University in Corvallis, a Master of Arts in English from Portland State University in Portland, and a Master of Library and Information Science from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisianna. Before entering her full-time library position at Clark College, Marisol worked part time at the library at Linn-Benton Community College, where she also taught information literacy and supported student learning.
Marisol began her current full-time position at Clark College as reference and instruction librarian in Fall 2020. She serves on a tenure committee and is a supportive member of the OER steering committee. Marisol is a mental health advocate, privacy advocate, and focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice in librarianship.
Thomas Olsen, Jr., Digital Media Arts
Thomas Olsen, Jr., earned his Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the University of Oregon, Eugene, and his Master of Fine Arts degree in film and television production (emphasis in film and television producing) from Chapman University, Orange, California. He is a documentary film producer through his company Anchor Pictures. Thomas also has taught at Portland Community College, Portland State University, Warner Pacific University, and The Art Institute of Portland.
Thomas began teaching at Clark College in Fall 2020 as a tenure-track professor. He serves as the advisor for the college’s Cinema Club and on the digital media arts advisory board. Thomas also volunteers for the Cannon Beach Historical Society and Museum.
Amy VahnDijk, Nursing
Amy VahnDijk earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Washington State University Vancouver and her Doctor of Nursing Practice as a family nurse practitioner at Washington State University. Before entering the teaching profession, she worked as a family nurse practitioner at The Vancouver Clinic. Amy has more than a decade of professional nursing experience.
Amy began teaching at Clark College in 2020 as a tenure track tenure candidate. She currently serves on the nursing library committee and nursing tenure track hiring committee.
Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley
Career Fair
More than 300 job seekers made connections with 70 employers during the Career Fair.
Gaiser Student Center was a hub of connection between employers and people seeking jobs during the Clark College Career Fair on May 17.
It was the college’s first in-person Career Fair since 2019. In total, 70 regional employers engaged with more than 300 students, alumni, and community members. The event was organized and hosted by the college’s Career Services team.
Open to all students, alumni and community members, the Career Fair offered job seekers opportunities to meet local employers representing various industries and programs of study, to find internships, part- or full-time jobs, and explore career opportunities.
Kirk Johnson, finance director at City of Ridgefield, stands at Washington Finance Officers table to connect with students and graduates in finance, accounting, and business regarding opportunities in government.More than 300 job seekers made connections with 70 employers at the Career Fair.A prospective employee connects with an ilani representative during the Career Fair.
The hall was filled with tables staffed by representatives eager to talk to potential employees about jobs and paid internships. At every table, employers were hiring.
Clark County consistently is looking to fill 40 to 50 positions, said Rori Jones, human resources representative. Some of the positions are entry level.
Thompson Metal Fab is hiring welder/fabricators, said Michael Moore, vice president of business development. The company has connections with the college’s welding program, but Moore added they also hire people without welding skills.
He said, “We’ll give you free training onsite and access to top-notch benefits.”
Matt Wadleigh of the YMCA is looking to hire preschool teachers, summer camp counselors, swim instructors and other positions. The key criteria?
“Patience,” he smiled. “And like to work with kids, families, and active older adults.”
FedEx is hiring package handlers and operations managers, said Susie Martinez, talent acquisition coordinator at FedEx. Martinez, a student at Mount Hood Community College, says FedEx offers tuition assistance up to $5,250 per year for employees who are college students.
The City of Ridgefield is hiring students pursuing a finance degree to fill part-time summer intern positions.
IQ Credit Union is hiring entry-level teller positions, including high school interns. It offers a week-long hands-on paid training.
Vancouver Public Schools and Evergreen Public Schools are hiring school bus drivers, paraeducators, and teachers.
Washington Department of Labor and Industry is hiring paid summer interns in many interest areas.
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center is hiring registered nurses, medical assistants, and pharmacy technicians.
Fresnius Medical Care is hiring dialysis technicians and dialysis nurses.
PharMerica is hiring pharmacy technicians.
And more…
“The overall response to the Career Fair experience has so far been overwhelmingly positive,” said Emily Meoz, director of advising and career services at Clark College. “Career Fair planning and day-of coordination was a success, thanks to partnerships with community members and departments across the college.”
Job seekers also had an opportunity to get a professional headshot photo taken in a photo booth for their LinkedIn accounts and other professional social media platforms.
Cath Keane, associate director of career services, said her team has been planning the event since October.
She said, “My greatest worry was: will people come? Will businesses come? We’re so pleased with the turnout. We have a waiting list of employers.”
Student success story
Left: Clark grad Michael Peterson is District Human Resource Specialist at Fred Meyer. Photo: Clark College/Susan Parrish
Clark College graduate Michael Peterson talked to people about career opportunities at Fred Meyer. After Peterson graduated from Clark in 2018, he transferred to WSU Vancouver, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in personnel psychology and human resources management in 2020. Now he’s the district human resources specialist at Fred Meyer. He says he covers hiring, onboarding and more for 15 stores.
He credits his two years at Clark as crucial to his success in a job and field he enjoys.
“I learned time management at Clark,” Peterson said. “I learned to balance my workload while going to school full time and working full time. I wouldn’t have been successful at WSU Vancouver if it weren’t for what I learned at Clark.”
Dr. Edwards chatted with students at Pizza with the President on May 16 in Penguin Student Lounge. The informal lunchtime event is presented each term by Associated Students of Clark College (ASCC) to provide students with an opportunity to ask any questions of Dr. Edwards.
ASCC President Casey Figone asked questions and fielded questions from other students. Here are highlights:
Increasing in-person classes: “We’d love to see more students on campus. We’re striving to get more in-person classes, with a goal of 60% of classes in person and 40% hybrid/online.”
Dr. Edwards
Encouraging students to get involved with civic engagement at all levels of government: “Going to Olympia and telling your stories as students is far more impactful than if I do it. Connect and find out what lawmakers are doing around student issues. Get involved at the state level, but also the local level. Find out who represents you.”
Dr. Edwards
Criteria for adding new programs: “What we look for in adding programs: Is there a need? Do we have the capacity to offer the program? Does the program lead to well-paying jobs?”
Dr. Edwards
Pizza with the President also is a time for the college president to ask students questions.
Left to right: Dr. Karin Edwards with Brooke Pillsbury and ASCC President Casey Figone
Dr. Edwards asked: “We are always trying to find ways to eliminate barriers for students and potential students. What are some of the barriers to attending Clark?”
ASCC President Casey Figone answered: “Transportation. High gas prices. High housing costs. To afford rent, students often have multiple roommates. Students don’t know how to find affordable housing.”
A discussion followed about resources for students to be informed. Dr. Edwards suggested College 101 and the college’s Financial Wellness Fair as starting points.
Dr. Edwards asked, “Was Clark ready for you? The college should be student ready, just as much as the students should be college ready.”
During the conversation, she told students: “This is a busy time of year for you, so hold onto your energy.”
Fun facts about Dr. Edwards and Pizza:
Dr. Edwards’ favorite pizza is sausage, onion, and pepperoni.
As a Brooklyn, New York native, she grew up eating thin-crust pies.
When she traveled back home to Brooklyn to visit her mother for Mother’s Day, she said, “I made a point to have pizza.”
Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish
Noche de Familia
Engineering professors Carol Hsu (bottom left) and Tina Barsotti (behind the table) help Liam and other children at the STEM table.
Clark College hosted Noche de Familia on May 9, a special night for Latiné families to learn about academic options and resources offered at Clark College. Offered every term by the college and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the free event included activities for kids and dinner for all.
Attendees had opportunities to speak with Clark representatives from Financial Aid, Transitional Services, Workforce Education Services, Disability Support Services, Counseling and Health Center, Career Services and more. Workshops were offered to explain the processes of applying for Clark College and applying for financial aid.
While parents found out more about Clark College, children busied themselves with facepainting and games. At the STEM table Engineering, Professors Tina Barsotti and Carol Hsu helped children build a contraption that demonstrated Newton’s Third Law of Motion. Diana Santos watched as her daughter, Ester, 4, inflated a balloon.
Through a student interpreter, a Clark College staff member asked Diana Santos if she was considering enrolling at Clark College. She paused a minute before answering, “I need basics.”
Diana and the interpreter headed to the Transitional Studies staff member to learn more about how she could get started with basic ESL classes.
Clark grad Ana Aquino-Barragan shared her story.
Moments later, a Clark graduate, Ana Aquino-Barragan stood at the podium and told her story in Spanish. When she first became a student at Clark College, she, too, needed the basics. She had not graduated from high school. She was not confident at speaking English.
She started with English as Second Language (ESL) classes through Transitional Studies. Her path was not easy. She stumbled. She struggled. She wanted to give up. But her teachers encouraged her to keep going.
Eventually, Aquino-Barragan earned her high school diploma, three Early Childhood Education certificates, and an associate degree in early childhood education. Today she is an early childhood education teacher. Next, she plans to start a bachelor’s degree program part time while she is working. Her goal is to be a schoolteacher.
Her daughters saw how hard their mother worked to achieve her goal – doing her homework and juggling a busy schedule. Along her challenging educational journey, she inspired her daughters.
Her oldest daughter dreams of being a doctor and is starting college. Another daughter who is about to graduate from high school aspires to be a teacher. And, her youngest daughter wants to be a dentist.
“I am proud that I have set the bar for my daughters,” Aquino-Barragan said. “I showed my daughters that you can fall, then get back up and keep going. I hope that by sharing my journey, I’ve inspired you to continue your education.”
Next, the college’s Diversity Outreach Manager Rosalba Pitkin spoke about the hardships of immigrant life: “It’s important to be educated in this country,” she said. “This information you hear today can help break that barrier to education. To have access. To take that first step.”
Left to right: Lizette Drennan, Financial Aid, President Dr. Karin Edwards, and Vanessa Neal, ODEI.
Left to right: Dean Gluesenkamp, Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Professor Mike Godson, and Dannie Nordsiden examine an electric car motor.Photo: Clark College/Susan Parrish
When Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and her husband, Dean Gluesenkamp, stepped into Clark’s Automotive Technology lab, it was familiar territory. The couple owns Dean’s Car Care in Portland and have spent their careers working in the business.
Don Gonser shows the congresswoman the Diesel Lab. Photo: Clark College/Kevin Damore
Automotive professors Dannie Nordsiden and Mike Godson showed the congresswoman and her husband around the shop, where students troubleshoot engines and their sophisticated computer systems. The 14,000-square-foot facility allows students an opportunity to work on real cars, trucks and electric vehicles donated by local dealerships and industry workers. With a program history that spans more than 40 years, Clark’s automotive program are producing top-tier automotive technicians with a strong focus on hands-on learning and partnerships with dealerships that include Toyota, Honda, Dick Hannah, and Audi.
The visit included a visit to the welding shop to see the aluminum boat that the students are making. Photo: Clark College/Kevin Damore
Throughout the two-year-program, all automotive students also get real-world experience working at paid apprenticeships in Vancouver auto shops. In their own repair shop, the congresswoman and her husband hire mechanics from local apprenticeship programs similar to Clark’s. Clark’s automotive technology program has regularly trained successful graduates for 40 years, with students moving on to work in auto shops and dealerships throughout southwest Washington and Portland metro area.
After seeing gasoline-powered cars in the shop bays, the group gathered around a dismounted electric motor from a Toyota hybrid that students had been working on. Clark’s programs have kept pace with new technology and market demands.
Next, the group toured the Welding Technology lab with professor Chad Laughlin and the Diesel Technology lab, where professor Don Gonser led the way to a red Peterbilt semitruck with the engine exposed. Gluesenkamp Perez stopped to peer into the engine before posing for a group photo in front of the enormous rig.
Left to right: Interim Vice President of Instruction, Automotive Professor Mike Godson, Dean Gluesenkamp, Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Diesel Professor Don Gonzer, and Automotive Professor Dannie Nordsiden. Photo: Clark College/Maureen Chan-Hefflin
Background
Photo: Clark College/Maureen Chan-Hefflin
During her 2022 campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania spoke often about her working-class roots, emphasizing support for small businesses, job training and local concerns, like the timber industry. Her family lives in rural Skamania County in the unincorporated community of Skamania, about 35 miles from Clark’s campus.
A graduate of Reed College with a degree in economics, she is a businesswoman and a politician. Gluesenkamp Perez has served on the Washington State Democratic Party executive committee since 2020. She has been a member of the Underwood Soil and Water District Conservation board of supervisors since 2018. Her new role as the U.S. representative for Washington’s 3rd congressional district began in January 2023.
If you are interested to learn more about the Clark’s Automotive program contact Hernán Garzón, Automotive Student Recruiter at automotive@clark.edu or 360-600-2098.
¡Celebración de Primavera!
Gaiser Student Center reverberated with families enjoying music, singing, dancing, and much more during ¡Celebración de Primavera! on the evening of May 5. The community event offered an evening of free, family-friendly activities that celebrated both Latino culture and the value of literacy.
Children of all ages listened to stories, made sock puppets, watched a puppet show, had their face painted, and made all kinds of handicrafts.
Families filled their plates with delicious food catered by Los Amigos restaurant, then enjoyed entertainment including lively dancers twirling colorful skirts, interactive music and dancing and a Spanish-language puppet show performed by Clark College Spanish students. Attendees participated in the storytelling, singing and dancing.
Highlights of the evening included:
Children’s interactive live music by Hugo Nava
Dancing by Folkloric Ballet group, performing dances from various parts of Latin America
Puppet show performed by Clark College Spanish students
Clark College student volunteers helping children with crafts including making crepe paper flowers and more
Clark College Spanish Club organized face painting and making sock puppets
Books for kids
Lilin shows Jessica the puppet she madeFace painting with Clark students Cole Werner and Justin CayambeClark students Maggie Lynch Lauren Roberts and Rocco Pacione made crepe paper flower crownsPuppet showOtto Guardado paints a purple butterfly on Itzel Puch’s face
Event organizer, Michelle Golder, offered many thanks to the event’s planning committee: Betsy Ubiergo and Erika Nava, Spanish faculty; Felipe Montoya, Spanish faculty and Spanish Club advisor; and Rosalba Pitkin, ODEI representative.
Clark College Spanish Club
Spanish Club promotes the Spanish-language culture around campus and its communities through events, fundraisers, and activities that provide an active learning experience for students and the community. To learn more, contact John Beck jhbeck1993@gmail.com or Advisor Felipe Montoya fmontoya@clark.edu
Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish
Model UN team earns honors
Clark’s Model UN Team: Lanie Smith, Professor Joseph Cavalli, Model UN program director, Tammy Pham, Kathryn Johnston, Kaden Bartley, Casey Figone and David Goebel
Clark College’s Model United Nations team earned honors at the 72nd session of Model United Nationals of the Far West, A Force for Good: Global Health and Development for a Sustainable Future from April 21-25 at Whittier College in Burlingame, California. Clark competed against 29 other colleges, most of them four-year institutions. See a list of all participating colleges and their assignments here.
Model UN activities were on hiatus during the COVID pandemic.
“It’s been three long agonizing years since the last Model UN Far West,” said Professor Joseph Cavalli, Model UN program director at Clark. “I am ecstatic to report that your Clark College MUN team won honors this this year, picking up where we left off in 2019. This year, in a highly competitive field, Clark College represented Malta and Vietnam.”
Topics included promoting the safe use of nuclear technology in the eradication of marine microplastics, protecting civilians—especially those with disabilities—in combat zones, and human rights and unilateral coercive measures such as sanctions.
Model United Nations is a simulation program in which hundreds of thousands of students worldwide participate in model sessions of the United Nations to advance their understanding of the principles and means by which international relations are maintained.
Clark’s student delegates recognized
“Special kudos go student delegates Kathryn Johnston, Lanie Smith, and Casey Figone,” said Professor Cavalli. “All three received the Mike McBride Outstanding Resolution Certificate Third Committee for their position paper on UCMs (unilateral coercive measures).”
Additionally, Kathryn Johnston and Lanie Smith were selected to chair committees at the MUNFW conference in 2024.
Professor Cavalli added, “Lanie was asked to chair one of the most challenging committees in the MUN universe, the Security Council. This is a big, big deal. Chairing a committee at MUNFW has always been the exclusive purview of the elite California universities as well as Arizona State and University of Arizona respectively. Keep in mind 95% of the student delegates competing are political science and prelaw majors.”
He added that on Clark’s Model UN Team, “Lanie, Kathryn, and Casey are physics, engineering, and computer science majors respectively. It is nice to see STEM mix it up with the liberal arts.”
In February, Clark’s Model UN team attended the NW Model UN Conference in Portland, its first in-person conference since the pandemic. Clark’s team represented Japan, Kenya, and Latvia. Topics included sustainable mountain development, Human Rights Council periodic reviews of Haiti, Japan and Israel as well as nonproliferation regarding the situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Two of Clark’s Model UN team members had been chosen to serve as leaders for the Portland conference. Casey Figone was Assistant Secretary-General of Conference Services. Lani Smith was Director of the Security Council, a much coveted position.
