This year’s mechatronics students raised the bar – literally – for future classes.

On June 11, students Elijah Wolfe, Ryker Stuart, Kaneda Zeober-Hallman, and Josh Olsen presented their Mechatronics capstone to their faculty at the Columbia Tech Center. Their mission was to design and build a lift robot that could automate physically straining tasks, thus improving efficiency and safety in the warehouse and shipping industries.

Inspired by the robots used by companies like Amazon, the students spent about 10 weeks designing, testing, and refining their robot. They tested four prototypes in total, identifying weaknesses and finding solutions with each step, such as implementing safety and stability features. The final robot could lift 20 pounds, an impressive feat from only a seven-pound machine.

Each student took ownership of a different aspect of the robot’s production. Josh, who spearheaded the programming elements, credited his Robotics classes at Clark for giving him the knowledge needed for this project. For Ryker, who led the design process, this program provided him with in-depth knowledge that he can apply to real life, like when he’s volunteering with his local high school’s Robotics club.

The team approached this project as a business, always considering what a company might need for this to be implemented. By setting specific objectives – like providing training to a customer’s employees and monitoring a reduction in workplace injuries – they were able to monitor their progress and evaluate the project’s impact.

When addressing some of the changes they made, Ryker pointed out that it was initially “too robotic” in its movements, causing him to smile at the irony. “We wanted it to be smoother,” he clarified.

Of course, no Mechatronics presentation would be complete without a live demo. With a handheld controller, the team demonstrated their robot’s smooth navigation across the room and its ability to lift and carry 20-pound weights.

The students had to be organized from the get-go, Mechanics Professor Doug Miller explained. Since the wiring was encased in a transparent box, every piece they used would be visible. This means the team had to take appropriate steps to ensure their robot not only worked properly but also looked professional.

Professor Doug Miller praised his students’ teamwork, professionalism, and persistence. “I was impressed with the mechanisms of lifting the top and the phases they presented at each stage,” he shared with the audience. “If something didn’t work, they pivoted and tackled it.”

Mechatronics at Clark College

Mechatronics is a two-year program, combining skills from multiple engineering disciplines. Courses emphasize current concepts and technology by providing practical, hands-on experience with the latest industry standard equipment. Mechatronic Technicians can be found in a variety of fields, including aerospace, transportation, plastics production, and computer manufacturing.

Learn more on the Mechatronics page of the Clark website.

Photos: Clark College/Malena Goerl

On May 22, the latest cohort of the Clark College BUILD program gathered to celebrate completion of the BUILD program, surrounded by the cheerful “yellow” theme—with yellow smiley face balloons, yellow cake, and yellow roses.

Dubbed the “Yellow Cohort,” 22 graduates presented project ideas, reflected on their growth, and received certificates of completion in front of peers and college leadership, including President Dr. Karin Edwards.

What is BUILD?

BUILD—which stands for Building Understanding and Intercultural Leadership Development, is a year-long program led by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This year’s cohort is the 6^th to go through the program.

Participants spend the year having challenging conversations about equitable decision-making, challenging white supremacy culture, and thinking about the internal work required for us to be become allies and change-makers.

Each participant also works with a group to develop and present a project proposal for advancing equity and a sense of belonging at Clark.

After presentations, BUILD grads earn a certificate. But the work isn’t over. The hope is that the BUILD grads will continue to participate in the BUILD community, engage in lifelong learning about equity work, and be an advocate for change throughout the college community.

Project Proposals

Before graduation, BUILD participants presented projects they developed using the equitable decision-making tool.

Universal Event Attendance Tracking Tool Proposal

Lisa Barsotti, Byron Ford, Nicola Lippetti, Caitlin Malvar, Susan Martin, Carly Rae Zent

This group decided to design a project proposal that would promote a sense of belonging through a better understanding of how campus events reach students. The project would take advantage of the new advanced data-tracking tool, Watermark, that Clark is currently working to implement.

Their universal attendance tracking tool would create a database for departments across campus to use and track attendance at their events. That way, by looking at disaggregated data, departments could find patterns in what student populations are underserved, and change event design and promotion to better accommodate underserved students.

The Evolve Experience Proposal

Laura Borgman, Stephanie Leeper, Nathan Stewart-Otto, Jonathan Woofter

This group proposed a project designed to reach people who responded to the climate survey and believe that “if I don’t see bias, it doesn’t exist.” They proposed bringing in an organization called the Red Door Project, which has a program called “The Evolve Experience.”

This experience uses theatre techniques to promote empathy between extremely polarized groups and explore nuances in complex relationships. Group 3 wishes to invite the Red Door Project to work with Clark on a custom experience that will resonate with the Clark community.

Employee Features Proposal

Angelina Albulov, Cheyanne Pfeifer, Tina Jenkins, Frani Morris, Dennis Blew

This group noticed that the climate survey indicated a lack of sense of belonging among staff and faculty. They worked to create a project that might increase belonging as well as break down silos between departments.

They proposed having rotating highlights of individual employees on ClarkNet, where employees will encounter them when seeking other information. The highlights could include specific information about what the employee does, what questions they can help with, as well as personal hobbies. The project also advocated for an employee forum.

A Common Read Proposal

Michael Caldwell, Teresa Hay, Kelly Love, Suzanne Southerland, Christi Williams

This group also identified the lack of a sense of belonging among staff and faculty. They proposed a project that would help foster community and belonging through conversation—a common read!

To make the experience more equitable, they propose a multi-modal version of a common read with different ways of engaging with the text, including audio and film. They hope the common read would engage employees and offer an easy way to start a conversation when meeting new folks, as well as promote deeper conversations.

What’s Next?

BUILD members will continue to develop their project proposals! If you’re interested in getting involved, feel free to reach out to group members.

Applications for the next BUILD cohort will open in the fall. If you have any questions or are interested, reach out to Andra Spencer (aspencer@clark.edu).

When planting seeds in a garden, it’s important to distribute them evenly, giving each one space to grow and access the water, sunlight, and nutrients it needs to thrive. That’s the goal every season for our Bee Campus volunteers as they care for the garden just outside the STEM building. But this spring, the challenge of precise seed distribution caught the eye of a different group on campus – the Engineering department. From their windows overlooking the garden, an idea took root: what if students could build a robot to solve this real-world problem?

Spring 2025’s Challenge

That question inspired the theme for this term’s Engineering Design Competition, “Mission Bloom Bot,” where student teams were tasked with building an autonomous robot that could safely travel along a rope and drop two golf balls – each representing a seed – onto separate targets, all without any human interaction.

At the event, the teams presented their creations, sharing their design process, materials, mechanisms, potential weaknesses, and uses beyond the scope of the challenge. Then came the moment of truth: each team had five minutes to launch their bot and complete the rope run tied between two trees, with multiple attempts allowed if needed.

From Bee Gardens to Local Agriculture

While the challenge originated with the campus gardens in mind, many teams imagined broader applications in agriculture.

One team introduced their robot, the Quantamelon 2.0 Seed Dropper, a product they designed with farmers in mind. With the exception of the electronics, every component of their robot was 3D printed, resulting in a lightweight and durable build.

“We tried to keep the parameters of the competition in mind, including budget so that it’s easy to produce a lot of them,” said Philip, one of the team members. “3D printing makes it quicker to manufacture and cheaper to produce.”

The Quantamelon 2.0 Seed Dropper features a 12-volt battery and pulley system to pull the robot across the rope. A two-sided arm allowed it to drop the golf balls one at a time, releasing the second one after a set delay. The bot took only 35 seconds to complete its mission. But it wasn’t just functional; it was also fun to watch, decked out in colorful, friendly tones selected by team member Destiny.

Not every bot completed the challenge as planned. Some soared – dropping their golf balls precisely onto the targets, even hitting bullseye – while others struggled with mechanical issues or the unusually hot weather that week, which caused some components to warp or melt. Regardless of any challenges they faced, each team took their turn showcasing their hard work and problem-solving skills.

More about Clark’s Engineering Programs

Clark College offers an Associate of Science Transfer – AST2. It provides the foundation for a four-year Bachelor of Science engineering degree program with a focus in mathematics, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Students can pursue Major Ready Pathway (MRP’s) associate degrees in:

• Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering
• Computer and Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical, Civil, and Aeronautical Engineering
• Computer Science and Engineering

Photos: Clark College/Malena Goerl

Clark College’s Allied Health programs have been recognized as the 2025 Partner of the Year by ESD 112’s Career Connect Southwest! The Allied Health team – represented by Dean Dr. Scot Headley, Olga Lyubar, and Lisa Barsotti – was honored at the STEM Rising Star and Regional Partner Awards Ceremony at ESD 112 on June 9. The event served as a celebration of meaningful and strategic collaboration across southwest Washington.

“This partnership has helped bring greater alignment between education and workforce systems, opening doors for students to explore and pursue careers in high-demand healthcare fields,” said Chad Mullen, Network Manager for Career Connect Southwest. “Their commitment to innovation and student-centered programming makes them a standout example of what’s possible when education and industry work together.”

Clark’s Allied Health team has partnered with ESD 112 on multiple projects this year, including the Healthcare Pathways Education and Industry Summit on March 7 and a CTE Dual Credit workshop for local high school teachers on February 27.

Education Meets Workforce

This summer, Clark is hosting AH 104, a rural healthcare camp that serves as an introduction to the healthcare field and the many professions available as career choices.

Five high school students from Kalama and one from White Salmon will visit campus for two weeks to learn from Allied Health instructor Miranda Devault, in collaboration with multiple healthcare professionals from The Vancouver Clinic. Through this partnership, students will have the opportunity to shadow different healthcare professionals, an invaluable experience as each student is planning to go into the healthcare field when they graduate. This event is graciously being funded by the Clark College Foundation and Entry Services. Upon completion, the six students will also receive three college credits.

Our partnership with ESD 112 also benefits teachers! A STEM teacher’s experience – which kicked off June 16 at the ESD 112 Conference Center – allows four high school teachers from Vancouver Public Schools to earn 30 clock hours – 15 of them STEM clock hours – and a $1500 stipend for participating in the Learning from and in the Healthcare Field workshop. They will gain firsthand exposure to healthcare careers and the skills needed in the field by working alongside local healthcare professionals and technical staff at The Vancouver Clinic. Dr. Headley’s former colleague, Dr. Maranda Turner from George Fox University, will provide specialized facilitation on how to integrate healthcare themes into their curriculum, and participants will have the opportunity to share their insights with fellow educators at a professional symposium happening this fall.

Learn More

Learn more about the impactful work from this partnership:

• Clark College Health Care & Biosciences
• Allied Health Center of Excellence
• Career Connect Southwest

During their presentation, April Pereira, above, pointed at photos of their family members: their grandfather and great-grandfather. “They were my first allies.” Their older relatives always told them to be who they were.

At the queer students luncheon on June 2, Pereira shared how their childhood affected their identity and delayed them coming out as genderless and queer until later in life.

“I convinced myself that’s who I was”

Raised in the immigrant community of Fall River, MA, Pereira was “constantly under pressure to enculturate and assimilate”. The pressure increased when they moved from Massachusetts to California, where their interest in baseball and accent put them at odds with societal expectations. The AIDs epidemic, which raged on while they grew, added extra pressure to be “normal”.

“The more you adhere to ‘normalcy,’ the easier life was. So that’s what I did. I convinced myself I was a girl, and that’s who I became.” Pereira also cited their Gen-X attitude of pushing feelings aside as a way to cope with what was inside. “I was locking it in a closet all the time, and it came out in other ways.”

That included depression and post-partum depression, anxiety, unhealthy relationships, suicidal tendencies, and self-destructive actions.

How a collapse led to discovery

One day, the pressure became too much. They cracked in what they described as a Tacoma Bridge collapse, citing the famous 1940 incident. Finally going to therapy, they were diagnosed with gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia. They heard a clear message: “April, you need to be you… sit with your emotions.”

When Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) led them to intensive chemotherapy, they had hours to sit in a chair and little energy or brain power to do much but sit and think. Finally forced to sit with their emotions, they realized, “Why am I doing this to myself? Why am I letting other people define me? Why am I making space for others while making myself small?”

They overcame cancer. And they dug into their identity, revisiting their childhood years when their first allies stuck up for them. They learned more about their heritage. “We are a non-gendered culture. Gender is an action; it is a verb. We are egalitarian.” They realized, “Gender wasn’t something I had to think about as a kid.”

Pereira, motivated by showing up for their family, did the work to explore their identity and embrace being a person without gender. They came to understand it as a lifelong journey. “There was a time when identity was treated as a destination instead of the journey it is… It’s a practice. It’s a way of living.”

Today, April has been cancer-free for over a year and is strongly involved with the local queer advocacy community.

LGBTQIA2S+ Resources

• Local resources for those in the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
• Queer Agenda, a student-led club for those in the queer community and their allies.
• Email Bevyn Rowland if you’re interested in the Queer Employee Resource Group.

About Diversity Luncheons

Hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, these luncheons highlight voices in our community. Each term, the series includes a Queer Student Luncheon, a Students with Disability Luncheon, and a Students of Color luncheon. The event provides both meaningful conversation and a delicious free lunch.

While this is the last luncheon this quarter, the series will start up again in the fall term.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

This year’s Juneteenth celebration had us “Feelin’ Some Kinda Way” as Poet Sylvia Welch would say! Held on June 9, Clark employees, students, and community members came together to honor our history as we celebrated a collective journey towards freedom and equality through food, music, and poetry.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth (“June” plus “nineteenth”) is more than a day off or having cookouts. It’s a day to reflect on the struggles, the resistance, and the unwavering determination of those who came before us. On June 19, 1865, the news of freedom finally reached more than 250,000 enslaved people of Texas, the last to be officially recognized as free.

As stated in an article from The New York Times’s archives: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.” (General Orders, Number 3; Headquarters District of Texas, Galveston, June 19, 1865.)

On June 17, 2021, former President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States and marking a pivotal moment in American history. Juneteenth signifies the end of a brutal system and the beginning of a long journey towards racial equality. It reminds us of the resilience and hope within our community.

Soulful Flavors

Chef Earl Frederick, pictured above center, from Culinary Arts prepared a feast of soul food for the event, the mouth-watering scents of Jamaican jerk chicken and Taino roasted pork wafting through the air as attendees joined the line that wrapped around the Student Center.

Plates were piled high with servings of various foods that reflect Black history and culture:

• Taino Roasted Pork
• Jamaican Jerk Chicken
• Creole Shrimp Gumbo
• Coconut-Ginger Rice
• Arroz con Gandules (Rice and Pigeon Peas)
• Tomato-Avocado Salad with Pikliz (Haitian Pickled Vegetable Relish)
• Freedom Punch (Hibiscus Drink)
• Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes

Storytelling through Performance

The theme of this year’s performance was “Feelin’ Some Kinda Way.” It was a powerful collaboration between MarcusAntonio Gunn and Syliva Welch as they intertwined their songs and poems into one impactful performance.

Intertwining their artistry, Sylvia and MarcusAntionio shared the strengths, vulnerabilities, and observations of the Black experience. Whether it be through MarcusAntionio’s rendition of Go Down, Moses – his operatic voice filling the room with images of resilience – or by exploring how closely lived experiences are tied to identity through Sylvia’s poem, “Still Here,” from her latest collection, Feelin’ Some Kinda Way. Each act captivated the audience with their themes of hope and perseverance. With flawless transitions between each song and poem, the artists highlighted how, no matter what your craft may be, we are all on this journey together.

As we honor Juneteenth, we recognize that our stories weren’t just recorded in books – they were painted in murals, woven into songs, and whispered across generations. Art has served as a powerful form of nourishment and empowerment, which has always been at the core of our survival, healing, and liberation. It carried our truths, and it held our joy when Black joy and identity were criminalized. We are reminded that Juneteenth is not a day to mourn – it’s a day to reclaim.

About the Artists

MarcusAntonio hails from a family steeped in tradition—ministers, storytellers, musicians, and vocalists. Though surrounded by talented instrumentalists, he found his true calling as a vocalist. His journey led him to Albany State University, an HBCU, where he was admitted through a presidential selection recognizing his vocal talent. There, he became the first in his family to receive formal vocal training, studying under Dr. Leroy Bynum and Dr. Deanna Weber with a concentration in Classical Technique.

Inspired by Georgia’s Civil Rights legacy, MarcusAntonio focused on Negro Spirituals—music that speaks to resilience, identity, and hope. He draws from icons like Jessye Norman and William Warfield, and his repertoire includes works by Burleigh, Hogan, and Moore. At ASU, he performed with the Jazz Band, Theater Troupe, and Advanced Choral Ensemble, and is a proud charter member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia’s Rho Delta Chapter.

Sylvia Welch lives in Woodland, Washington, and is a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, great-grandmother, a world traveler, adventurer, a fabric artist, and last but hardly least, an author. She began writing poetry at the age of 73, published her first book at the age of 75, and is working on her next poetry book.

Sylvia grew up in the 50s, during a time of obvious racial inequities and attended college in the mid-60s when racial, social, and political injustices were prevalent and the times were only slightly better for most African Americans. Those times produced lessons and experiences that have led to emotions, feelings, and actions that have helped her age into understanding. Her hope is to continue to do so because she has learned that understanding, like the light of day and darkness, doesn’t come all at once.

Celebrate Juneteenth in the Community

We encourage Clark employees and community members to get involved with organizations and community events to celebrate Juneteenth, including the 4^th Annual Juneteenth Freedom Celebration in Vancouver on June 14, where Clark’s ODEI will be tabling. For questions or more information, reach out to diversity@clark.edu.

View more photos on our Flickr page.
Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

This year’s OSWALD Awards Ceremony was a Penguin star-studded event with over 100 students being recognized for their outstanding achievements. As guests arrived, they had the opportunity to pose in front of the camera with props for fun photo-ops and fill their plates with delectable refreshments.

Following heartfelt introductions from Dr. Edwards and ASCC President Gurraj Singh Dhami, award recipients from each category were individually called to the stage as an ASCC member shared glowing comments from each nomination—testimonies of the passion and dedication of Clark’s students.

Students were recognized in the following categories:

• The Academic Awards are presented to students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their academic endeavors. These students have taken every opportunity to learn and go above and beyond to submit exceptional work. They are dedicated to their studies and display skills and abilities to make them lifelong learners.
• The Student Employee Awards are given to students who have an outstanding attitude toward work and build cooperative and collaborative relationships with others.
• The Outstanding Student in the Department Awards are given to students with outstanding course work who demonstrate intellectual pursuit and make extra efforts for the department. 
• The ASCC Program Awards recognize students who are involved with programs that provide students with out-of-class opportunities to enhance their learning experience, engaging them in educational, cultural, and social events.

The Penguin Award

This year, there were seven nominees for the prestigious Penguin Award – an annual tradition, awarded to a student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to the Clark College community. This award is based on student performance in academics, leadership, community, and college service.

When Dr. Edwards announced her name as the winner, Jude Georgeades-Tambara was in shock, immediately turning to hug fellow nominee Malina Siharath. The room erupted in applause as families, friends, staff members, and fellow students celebrated Jude’s win.

“Over the past two years, I’ve watched Jude grow in confidence and leadership skills.” Darci Feider shared in Jude’s nomination. “Now as a third-year Student Ambassador, Jude continues to impress with her ability to connect authentically with both prospect and current student. Her infectious enthusiasm and positive attitude make her a joy to work with and a strong representative of our college.”

Well done, Penguin Award Nominees!

• Edith Aranciaga
• Veronica Bustillos
• Mary Chavez
• Jude Georgeades-Tambara
• Ashlynn Runnels
• Malina Siharath
• Seth Stigall Barranco

Student Employee Awards

Outstanding Student in the Department Awards

ASCC Program Awards

Photos: Clark College/Malena Goerl

Wearing a Clark Pride t-shirt and standing beneath a rainbow balloon arch, Dean of Student Engagement Cath Busha, above, stepped up to the mic. With warmth, honesty, and humor, they reflect on the winding journey of embracing their identity.

Cath was speaking to a room full of teens at the YWCA’s Queer Couve Youth Summit, an event designed for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13-18 to connect, build community, and explore their cultural identities together. It was, Cath noted, the kind of supportive space not readily available when they were navigating their own identity in the 1980s and 90s.

Their keynote, titled “Queer History and Resilience,” wove together powerful threads: a timeline of queer history, moments from their own life, and the unspoken pressures many queer people have carried across generations. They shared with listeners the stories from their tomboy childhood to being a first-generation college graduate, to fulfilling their childhood dream of becoming a teacher.

But the reality of that dream proved more complicated.

After coming out in the 1990s, Cath discovered that living openly as their authentic self in the workplace was not without consequence. Subtle yet persistent acts of hostility—like a women’s clothing catalog appearing anonymously in their school mailbox week after week—served as chilling reminders of just how precarious visibility could be.

Cath ultimately made the decision to step away from K-12 education; they couldn’t imagine spending an entire career hiding such a fundamental part of who they are. They pursued graduate school and non-profit work, seeking spaces where authenticity didn’t come at the cost of belonging.

Years later, they found their way back to education – this time, in higher ed. Now at Clark, Cath shared, things are different. Today, they’re not just allowed to be visible; they’re celebrated. They described the joy of working in a place where their identity is welcomed and where they can be open, proud, and fully present.

To close their keynote, Cath invited participants to reflect on a personal question: what do you love about being who you are? Amid the realities of pain and struggle, Cath encouraged them to make space for joy. Their words perfectly embodied the theme of the event: My Joy, My Pride.

At nearby vendor tables, participants could take home a reminder of Cath’s story with Clark College Pride stickers and mugs, provided by the Clark College Foundation – a small but colorful reminder of the affirming community cheering them on.

Celebrate Pride in the Community

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be representing Clark at Vancouver’s Pride Block Party, Saturday, June 14, 12-7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Learn more on the event’s Facebook page.

Photos: Clark College/Malena Goerl

Clark College made history on May 30 with its first-ever Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration, an evening of food, dance, and storytelling hosted by the Korean Culture Club.

Held at the Student Center, the space was transformed into a vibrant celebration of Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Pacific Islander cultures. Local AAPI-owned vendors lined the room, offering handcrafted goods, boba tea, and banh mi sandwiches while students, staff, and community members browsed, ate, and connected.

The energy was electric, with speakers and performers taking center stage throughout the evening. Clark College President Dr. Edwards welcomed guests with a video message, followed by opening remarks from Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Brown. Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle read a special proclamation recognizing AAPI Heritage Month in the City of Vancouver.

Guests also had the opportunity to join Leslie Lew, one of the evening’s keynote speakers known globally as the “Warrior, for a free self-defense seminar. Leslie gave participants the tools they needed to protect themselves and reminded them of the strength they should always carry.

“Stand in your power,” she told onlookers as she demonstrated how to escape a chokehold. “You don’t have to be the strongest person in the room to be powerful.”

The event also featured speeches by community leaders, including Michael Tuncap, former director of the Pacific Islander Student Commission at UW Seattle, and a high-energy performance by PacifikWest, a Portland-based K-pop performance and cover dance group.

For Clark student Melina Doan, pictured left – who established the Korean Culture Club in 2022 and, along with serving as club president is also the event’s creator – the celebration was deeply personal.

“Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month at Clark is so important because it gives voice and visibility to students who often feel unseen,” Melina said. “This event meant everything to us. For so long, AAPI students haven’t seen themselves reflected or celebrated on campus. To finally have a space where our cultures, languages, dances, and stories could shine — it was powerful. It wasn’t just a celebration; it was a moment of visibility, pride, and community.”

The evening was the result of months of planning and collaboration between student clubs, local organizations and small businesses, and dedicated volunteers, truly spotlighting the strength, creativity, and resiliency of the AAPI community.

“For so long, I have wanted an event for AAPI students to speak their truths at Clark College, like other cultures here. After not seeing it happen year after year, I decided enough is enough,” Melina said. “The event was my whole network, and it was only made possible by students who volunteer their time.”

Melina called out a special thanks to Zion Brown from the Korean Culture Club, James Simina from the Clark Japanese Club, Mac Manuel and Ria Antonio from the Pacific Islander Club, and the Pacific Islander clubs at Hudson’s Bay, Fort Vancouver, and Heritage high schools.

Next year, the Korean Culture Club will become the Asian Culture Club, and it will continue its mission to uplift AAPI voices and share traditions with the Clark community.

“Family is like branches on a tree, they grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one,” Ria Antonio from the Pacific Islander Club shared. “Although we may not be able to speak the language or know the exact tradition, it flows within our blood and in our hearts forever.”

Photos courtesy of: Zion Brown

At the final installment of this year’s Penguin Talks: Clark College Lunch and Learn series, Dr. Karin Edwards delivered a heartfelt and insightful presentation on the “Role and Future of Community Colleges.” Drawing from nearly forty years of experience in higher education, she spoke candidly about the deep and lasting impact community colleges have on the lives they touch—and the communities they serve.

“We have the power to transform lives,” she acknowledged. “And we don’t take it lightly.”

With that statement, she set the tone for a heartfelt and thought-provoking session that underscored the mission-driven work of community colleges across the country. Throughout her talk, Dr. Edwards shared stories that illustrated these powerful transformations. One student, a recovering drug addict, enrolled in a community college as part of his journey to rebuild his life. He eventually earned a master’s degree and opened a drug rehabilitation center in Portland. Another student started college at age 62 and graduated at age 70, choosing to pursue her personal growth after a lifetime of raising a family.

Beyond individual stories, Dr. Edwards emphasized the broader impact of community colleges in advancing social equity, driving economic development, and fostering civic engagement. She noted how closely income and opportunity are tied to education, and that community colleges are often a lifeline for students who might otherwise be left behind.

“Community colleges foster both personal and communal growth,” said Dr. Edwards. “I believe that this is our role and the important work we do, and I’m proud to be part of it.”

Community colleges like Clark don’t just educate students, but they actively engage the wider community. From hosting arts and cultural events to facilitating voter registration and addressing pressing issues like affordable housing, food insecurity, and transportation, the college has an active role in shaping community conversation, and solution-building process.

She also spoke of the challenges that lie ahead: fluctuating funding, questions around the availability of financial student aid, international policies for students, and the evolving workforce needs. But regardless of what the future holds, her talk was a timely reminder that, in a world of uncertainty, the work we do matters deeply.

As she concluded her talk, Dr. Edwards reminded the audience of Clark’s mission statement and the importance of keeping those words at the heart of our work.

“One of the things that I know to be true, as we’re going through this storm, not knowing what’s to come, is to stay true to what you’re doing,” she said. “If you change who you are, you’ll get lost in the storm. But if you stay true to the mission, you’re bound to still be standing after the storm is over.”

About Penguin Talks: Clark College Lunch & Learn 

Hosted by Clark Community and Continuing Education, this free lecture series invites the public and college community to explore impactful local topics and engage with inspiring speakers. Penguin Talks will return for another series in October 2025.

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley