Andra, fourth from the left, with other Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion staff during an Opening Day event.
A warm congratulations to Andra Spencer, Equity Professional Development Program Manager from the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as the recipient of the Fall 2023 Classified Staff Excellence Award.
Excerpts from Andra’s nomination:
“Andra’s passion for equity and education is contagious. She dove into creating a PPI training on recognizing and disrupting antisemitism this summer and introduced many to a body of knowledge previously undiscussed at the college. Her sessions at Teaching and Learning Days and Fall Faculty Focus were packed and received overwhelmingly positive feedback and demands for a part two!”
“Equity is at the center of everything Andra does. Recognizing a gap in knowledge at the college, Andra spent time over the summer doing intense research on antisemitism and how to disrupt it, and developed a training for both Teaching and Learning Days and Fall Faculty Focus that was presented to PACKED rooms! Andra also developed training on creating inclusive learning environments, bringing her teaching expertise into her role here at ODEI and developing training specifically targeted to faculty, something that ODEI hasn’t done before.”
“Andra is well connected throughout the college – attending every event she can and volunteering to help out in any way. She collaborates with others on the team to execute projects and is always one of the first people there to set up and one of the last to leave after cleaning up. Her cooperative spirit is evident in her leadership on the Teaching and Learning Days Committee, the NWREC planning team, the O-Squad, Level Up, and many other cross-college initiatives.”
We also would like to acknowledge the contributions of the other nominees:
Becky Lindsay, Program Specialist II, Dental Hygiene
Nichole Maruca, Program Specialist II, Enrollment Services
Shelly Williams, Program Coordinator, Fine Art Division
Tani McBeth, Technical Training Consultant, eLearning
Teresa (Terry) Haye, Program Manager A, BASTE Bachelor of Teacher Education
About the Classified Staff Awards
The Classified Staff Excellence Award was established in 2005 and recognizes classified staff who have demonstrated exemplary work performance, a positive and cooperative spirit, special achievements or contributions to the college community, and supports individual and organizational diversity and inclusion. Through the support of the Clark College Foundation, the recipient will receive a $400 cash award.
Nominees must be a current classified employee who has been in their current position for more than six months. Award recipients will not be eligible to receive another award for three years.
Visit the Clark College Employee Recognition page to learn more about this award and other ways to acknowledge the value and dedication of our staff and faculty.
Mural Painting
Maggie Li puts the last few strokes of paint on the mural before Christian Barrios takes it back to his studio to finish. Maggie came to all three days of the mural painting.
Clark College welcomed muralist Christian Barrios, a Clark College graduate, to lead the community in creating a mural project during International Education Week from November 13 to 15.
The college community gathered for a mural painting party. Erika Nava brushed red paint onto a flower petal on a large sheet of metal taped to the wall in the Penguin Student Center. Nearby, Rosalba Pitkin brushed dusty pink paint onto another flower. They were joined by other Clark staff and students adding their brushstrokes to a new mural taking shape on campus.
Overseeing the project, artist Christian Barrios, who designed the mural, mixed paint colors, offered input to the painters and added his own colorful brushstrokes.
Titled “Coming Together for Art and Peace,” the mural provided an opportunity for the Clark community to gather, celebrate diversity, and promote the values of international unity and peace. Barrio brings a connection and passion to this project, ensuring its resonance with the college and the local community.
Nava and Pitkin collaborated to bring Barrios and this community art project to campus. Pitkin, who works in Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, introduced Barrios to Spanish teacher Nava. She invited the bilingual Barrios into her classroom to talk with her students about fine art, public art, mural art, and graffiti. He told Nava he had received a grant from Community Foundation of Southwest Washington and Fourth Plain Forward to create a mural in a public school. Barrios wanted to create the mural at Clark.
That sparked Nava, Pitkin, and Barrios to begin brainstorming a community mural designed by Barrios. They presented their ideas to President Edwards, ASCC, and then the Art Selection Committee.
“That’s how it started,” Nava said, waving her paintbrush for emphasis. “And here we are!”
Left to right: Christian Barrios, Jody Shulnak, Elizabeth Ubiergo, Manda Levie, Erika Nava, and Rosalba Pitkin came out to the opening of the mural painting.
Mural on metal
The “canvas” consists of three large metal sheets, the same type used for street signs. The paint is an artist’s acrylic polymer that Barrios uses to create outdoor murals.
In his studio, Barrios drew outlines of the design elements: stylized embroidered flowers scattered across the scene, a Monarch butterfly floating in the breeze on either side and in the center, two rainbow doves aloft with olive branches in their beaks.
Barrios said it would take at least three layers of paint to create the mural: “The first layer is pastel. The second and third layers will be darker. It creates more color saturation. Makes it more vibrant.”
To demonstrate, Barrios pointed to the Monarch butterfly’s wings. The first layer was a bright yellow. He explained that as layers are added, the wings eventually will appear a deep orange.
After all layers are painted, Barrios will take the mural back to his studio where he will outline the shapes in black and add a black background. He also will add sealant to protect the art.
On the first morning of painting, Barrios shared his passion for creating murals.
“When I was growing up in Mexico City, I went to a lot of museums, but I don’t remember the artwork,” he said. “But I do remember the murals on the street. People painting on the street—for us. I love public art and doing community projects.”
The completed mural will be installed inside Joan Stout Hall after the unveiling on February 13, coinciding with International Day. It will join hundreds of public art pieces installed on Clark’s campus.
Many students came to participate in the painting over the three days, even Clark’s youngest students from early childhood education. Many students expressed how this was a much-needed mental health break this week, and came back multiple times throughout the 3 days. Spanish language, communications classes, and more showed up to support the project.
Special thanks to Fourth Plain Forward, La Casita Art Gallery and Cultural Center, and the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington for their support of this project.
About Christian Barrios
An accomplished artist and muralist, Barrios’ artwork has made a significant impact on the Vancouver community. A graduate of Clark College, Barrios is deeply committed to promoting unity and diversity through his artwork, collaborating with organizations including Fourth Plain Forward and La Casita Cultural Center.
Born in Mexico City, he learned ceramic painting in the historic Talavera tradition from his family’s business. At 16, he moved to the United States, expanding his skills under master marquetry artist Gene Zanni and exploring painting, paper mâché, and photography.
Active in the Oregon and Washington Latino art scene, Barrios’ work has been exhibited at Portland Art Museum, The Dalles Art Center, and more. His art resides in private collections across Mexico, Canada, California, Oregon, and Washington.
Devoted to community impact, Barrios collaborates with organizations including the Regional Arts and Culture Council’s Right Brain Initiative and the Hombres Honor Program. He’s the driving force behind La Casita Art Gallery and Cultural Center, a hub promoting diversity and inclusion for LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent communities.
Barrios’ recent mural on East Fourth Plain Boulevard illustrates his commitment to enhancing neighborhoods by celebrating diverse cultures through art. His work beautifully bridges cultural divides, making him a remarkable artist and community advocate.
First-generation student mentor Tamam Waritu, left, with two Clark students and event organizers Heather Leasure and Darci Feider.
Clark College celebrated National First Generation Student Day by offering student success mentorships with renown mentor and trainer, Tamam Waritu. He tours around the nation talking to students about being of first generation and discussing student success.
U.S. Bank provided funding to bring the nationally acclaimed mentor to Clark’s campus.
The event was organized by Heather Leasure and Darci Feider, who are co-advisors of Clark’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter.
Feider said, “The small group one-on-one interaction with Tamam is invaluable. You can tell he is really connected and engaged with the students.”
Leasure explained thanks to funding from U.S. Bank, the students who participated in the day-long mentoring with Waritu will continue being mentored by him for throughout their academic career at no cost to the students.
“Because the students are engaged, I think this will be a pivotal moment they will look back on throughout their lives,” said Leasure.
Tamam Waritu said, “I am a first-generation student and trainer. The goal is to make that paradigm shift in the mind of these students. To transcend obstacles. To not only survive college, but to thrive.” Here’s a video of Waritu talk about being first-gen.
Transfer Fair offers resumé help, crafts
Clark students Dajay Vasquez Aracely Cuanasa and Ximena Gonzalez put together jigsaw puzzles.
Another part of the event was a student transfer fair with representatives from Washington State University, Central Washington University, Warner Pacific University, Western Governors University and Columbia Southern University who are there to answer students’ questions.
Students were encouraged to go to the Career Center to get assistance in strengthening their resumés.
Students also had the opportunity to unwind by doing crafts, games, and puzzles. Janice Currie made a bookmark she embellished with burnished leaves, mosses, and tree bark collected by fellow student and PTK officer Natalie Perdun. Next, Currie was heading to the Career Center with her resume.
About Tamam Waritu
Tamam Waritu, third from the left, with students at First Generation Student Day.
Tamam Waritu, you can call him T, is a former first-gen low-income student turned Student Trainer. Waritu is a national student speaker and a leadership development trainer who has worked with thousands of first-generation college students and staff in over 500 college and university campuses. He holds an Ed.M. from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University.
The training the Clark students received encompasses:
A full-day comprehensive, hands-on training with Waritu on Clark’s campus
An ongoing post-training mentorship with Waritu throughout their academic journey. Students will have the opportunity to schedule virtual group mentoring sessions with him so he can provide ongoing support and guidance.
The program is tailored to meet the needs of first-gen low-income students. He addresses some pervasive issues first-gen students face: impostor syndrome, low self-efficacy, family issues and sense of belonging.
Students have the opportunity to gain these takeaways:
The ability to see themselves as an asset, not a deficit—a complete paradigm shift
Heightened personal awareness and clearer vision regarding academic and career goals
The ability to sustain motivation throughout college
Increased self-confidence and adopting an attitude of “I belong” and “I have what it takes”
A greater understanding of the science behind habit formation
From food stamps to Harvard…
Taman Waritu comes from a family with no educational background. He grew up in a low-income government housing with food stamps as one of their main sources of income. He graduated from one of the lowest performing inner-city high school, considered an “at-risk” student. Since he was the first person in his family to go to college, his first day of college experience felt like he was in a different world…
Megan Anderson of Clark’s Veterans Center of Excellence holds one of the 88 backpacks with school supplies given to students at the event.
Clark College’s Veterans Center of Excellence partnered with Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for the VCOE’s first Veterans Career and Resource Fair on November 7. The VCOE plans to make this an annual event open to students and the community.
Gaiser Student Center was filled with 56 tables of participating agencies, nonprofits and businesses that provided veterans and veteran students information about employment opportunities and community resources. The event also included free lunch, coffee drinks and giveaways.
“We are thrilled with the number of student and community participants who attended this first annual event,” said Donna Larson, Associate Director of the Veterans Center of Excellence. “We are grateful to the community-based organizations for their strong support for veterans at this event. When we started planning this event, we planned for 40 organizations to come to the event, but never imagined that we would have 56 organizations wanting to partner with us. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event happen.”
Representatives from the office of Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez participated in the Veterans Resource and Job Fair.
Although Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez could not attend the event due to her legislative duties in Washington, D.C., her staff members Cameron Kockritz, Peter Sandifer, and Tony Sprague attended on her behalf and spoke with veterans about helping them connect with federal agencies.
Sprague conveyed this message: “While the Congresswoman was disappointed to have missed the event due to her legislative duties in the other Washington, she wanted me to share the below message with all of you.”
“It’s our responsibility to ensure our nation’s heroes are well-supported after returning home. I’m so glad we could help connect Southwest Washington veterans and their families to the resources, jobs, and benefits they deserve. I sincerely appreciate all the veterans who stopped by this event, as well as Clark College and community organizations who joined together to support our local heroes.”
Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez
View a video greeting from Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez here
Many businesses and organizations reached out to veterans about specific jobs they are trying to fill. These included ilani Casino Resort, SEH America, and Silicon Forest Electronics.
“A lot of our jobs are tailored to what vets learn in the military,” said a representative of SEH America who also is a Clark College alum. “We also offer educational reimbursement for employees who are college students.”
Volunteer John Chapman, above, was at the Veteran Administration’s My Health eVet table helping veterans sign up for healthcare accounts. He said, “We also are encouraging college students to do work-study at the VA. It’s a great opportunity.”
Here is a sampling of organizations that provided resource information at the event:
1st Choice Advisory Service: Provided resources about affordable in-home care, memory care, connecting people with elder law attorneys, movers, real estate agents, and more
Area Agency on Aging & Disability of Southwest Washington: Hiring for various positions; also direct families to resources for loved ones who need in-home care
Clark County Food Bank: Offered an extensive list of local food pantries
Fort Vancouver Regional Library: Offers use of computers; people can check out books, laptops, graphing calculators, scientific calculators, and more
Fourth Plain Forward: Provided information about community microgrants and starting a business
Free Clinic of Southwest Washington: Offers free medical and dental care for uninsured people; also has volunteer opportunities in its clinics, excellent experience for Clark students in dental hygiene and medical programs
NAMI Southwest Washington (National Alliance on Mental Illness): Offered information about mental health crisis counseling and local support groups
Pier 360 (formerly CVAB): Hiring for various positions, offers recovery support groups and many other connection opportunities
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs: Offered information about its crisis line and mental health programs
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Portland VA Medical Center: Offered information about employment services including vocational rehabilitation, finding and keeping a job, teaching about disability rights and reasonable accommodations
Veterans Administration-My Healthy Vet: Providing information about veterans signing up for healthcare accounts and the VA’s work-study program
Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs: Connected veterans with resources and helped them apply for benefits
Event by the numbers:
56 tables offering resources
120 registered attendees
300 lunches provided
131 coffee/smoothies
88 backpacks with school supplies distributed to students
Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish
2023 POWWOW
On Friday, Nov. 3, Clark College welcomed the community to its annual Powwow event as it hosted Educating for the Seventh Generation, a celebration of Indigenous cultures.
Gaiser Student Center reverberated with drumbeats. Drummers sitting in a circle pounded a steady beat as they chanted. Dancers wearing colorful regalia moved rhythmically up and down and along the floor in a whirl of color.
The dancers and their families had spent countless hours hand sewing their jingle dresses and sewing elaborate beadwork on dresses, leggings, belts, chokers and moccasins. Many wore traditional basket hats woven from cedar bark.
Catarina’s story
Clark College graduate Catarina Salazar was ready to dance. She had spent countless hours creating her colorful regalia. She had hand sewn and twisted 365 metal cones on her red jingle dress. She had beaded her earrings and had made a choker of bone and beads.
Catarina’s tribal affiliation is Dakota/Sioux. She gestured toward her brother sitting nearby and said, “We’ve been dancing since we could walk.”
After earning her associate degree at Clark in 2021, Catarina earned her bachelor’s degree at Central Washington University. Now she is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychology at Capella University and will graduate in 2027.
When she was a Clark College student, Catarina received the Dreamcatcher Scholarship twice. The funding helped her step toward her goal: becoming a clinical counselor at the Veterans Administration and working with veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.
But now, it was time for Catarina to dance.
The Dreamcatcher scholarship is awarded from the fund in the name of Becky Archibald (pictured above) and Anna Schmasow for their endless commitment to advocating Education for the Seventh Generation.
2023 Dreamcatcher Scholarship recipients:
Duana M. Johnson
Dabai Do Che
Meridian Bonser
History of Powwow at Clark College
Since 2009, Clark College has celebrated Indigenous cultures during the first weekend of November with a powwow that includes music, dance, food, vendors, honoring of veterans, and the announcement of the Dreamcatcher Scholarship honoring our vision of Educating for the Seventh Generation.
Clark College coordinates and hosts this annual event in honor of Native American Heritage Month. “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 to consider the impacts of every decision for the next seven generations into the future.
See the 2023 POWWOW photos by Clark College photographer Jenny Shadley on our Flickr site here.
Clark College at Boschma Farms
At the construction site for Clark College at Boschma Farms, Oswald the Penguin arrived in style—riding in the back of a white Tesla hatchback, his penguin feet dangling, and his penguin arms waving to the crowd.
Then he stepped down from the car and led the crowd to kick off the “topping out” ceremony at the Advanced Manufacturing Center, the first building being constructed at Clark’s new site located on 10 acres just east of the Ridgefield Junction at Interstate 5. Clark College in collaboration with developer and design-builder, Mortenson, hosted the ceremony on November 2. The event celebrated the structure reaching its full height.
Guests had an opportunity to use gold or silver Sharpies to write their name and a message on a long steel beam temporarily suspended a few feet above the ground. The beam was painted Clark College blue and was topped with an American flag and a live, potted evergreen tree symbolizing persistence, prosperity and longevity.
Then the crowd gathered under a large canopy to hear Clark College and Mortenson leaders speak about the importance of the project.
Dr. Karin Edwards, president of Clark College said, “Just five months ago, we stood in this same place—and it was an empty field and an excavator.” She added, “The Advanced Manufacturing Center will enable future students with innovative training for careers in the manufacturing trades while also providing programs accessible to Ridgefield and the communities in north County. Our vision is for this progressive instructional center to serve our growing region and the critical workforce needs including advanced manufacturing.”
Cristhian Canseco Juarez, chair of the Clark College Board of Trustees, said, “This Advanced Manufacturing Center not only stands as a testament to the college’s commitment to innovation and growth but also underscores our dedication to our community needs and providing the local industry with highly skilled workers.”
Clark College/Kevin Damore
After all guests had signed their names, a boom truck with a 50-foot mast began slowly hoisting the beam to the top of the structure. Meanwhile, four Mortenson ironworkers rode scissorlifts to the top of the structure, where they attached their safety harnesses. Then they guided the beam into place and secured it with spud wrenches and hefty bolts.
The crowd clapped and whooped appreciatively.
In less than two years, the Advanced Manufacturing Center will greet its first cohort of students. When it opens in the Fall of 2025, the Advanced Manufacturing Center will provide initial enrollment of 32 students in two cohorts of 16, with plans to eventually serve 48 students across three cohorts. In addition, this Clark building will also provide five general education classes with a computer lab that will have the capacity to serve up to 1,200 students per term.
Clark College/Maureen Chan-Hefflin
About the Advanced Manufacturing Center
Designed to accommodate a multitude of both instructional and community needs, the Advanced Manufacturing Center will be adaptable for future growth. Manufacturing and classroom spaces will be designed for multiple delivery modes including lecture, collaborative, project-based learning, and hybrid models implementing online content and classroom application. The facility’s acoustic design will ensure that unamplified voice communication will carry above ambient machine noise.
A noteworthy aspect of the project’s construction is the building’s prefabricated exterior walls which will soon be installed by the Vancouver-based team from contractor and fabricator, Western Partitions, Inc. The progressive design-build construction delivery method, spearheaded by Mortenson and in collaboration with Henneberry Eddy Architects, are instrumental to the successful implementation of the use of prefabrication in this project and its resulting efficiencies.
“As we mark this critical milestone and reflect on the 155 days and roughly 19,000 hours of injury-free work, we underscore our commitment to timeliness and safety,” said Mike Dickey, senior project manager of Mortenson. “I stand proud of everyone who has contributed to this project and extend a heartfelt thanks for a job well done.”
On track to be a LEED Silver certified building, the Advanced Manufacturing Center will meet state energy performance standards, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve operational efficiencies.
Photos Clark College/Jenny Shadley unless noted otherwise
Counseling and Health Center
Clark College’s Counseling and Health Center opened a sensory room during fall term. The calming space is geared for neurodivergent students who may feel overstimulated and need to take a short break.
During the center’s open house, the sensory room was a popular place. One student lounged on the beanbag chair. Another relaxed in the massage chair. Two more sat on the comfy couch. Others stood and looked around at the space.
Clark is one of the first community colleges in Washington to open a multi-sensory calming space for students. Although these spaces have historically been created to support people with sensory processing challenges, Clark’s sensory room is open to all students, neurodivergent and neurotypical alike.
Shayna Collins, faculty counselor, said, “Supporting the creation of a sensory room sends a strong message that Clark College is a neurodiversity-friendly campus and seeks to attract and retain neurodivergent students.”
Students access the sensory room by stopping by the Counseling and Health Center inside the Health Sciences Building during business hours and request to use the space. The room is available on a walk-in basis. No appointments are made. Currently only one student may access the sensory room at a time.
“I’m so excited that Clark College is jumping on this important trend to better support the health and well-being of students, particularly those with sensory processing challenges,” said Collins. “I am hopeful that getting the word out about our sensory room could drum up more interest in the college from neurodivergent circles in our community. For example, many students have reported that they chose to attend Clark College because support groups were offered for Autism and ADHD.”
Q: What is a sensory room? Counseling Center: A sensory room is a dedicated space where people can go to decompress. The room offers a variety of calming tools to help regulate the nervous system. Historically, sensory rooms have been created for individuals with sensory processing challenges like ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, or PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). However, most everyone can benefit from visiting a sensory room, especially if they are experiencing stress and wanting a peaceful place to calm themselves.
Q: What was the impetus for creating a sensory room in Clark’s Counseling and Health Center? CC: The idea to start a sensory room at Clark College came directly from Clark students. During several meetings of the Autism Support Group (which is offered every term through the Counseling and Health Center), students were discussing ways they thought Clark College could be more welcoming to neurodivergent students. Many of these students had been discussing the recent opening of the sensory room at the PDX Airport and they brought up the idea of having one at Clark College. They brainstormed items they would want to see in a Clark sensory room and shared details of helpful tools they’ve used to decompress.
Q: How did the Counseling Center staff design the sensory room? How did you determine which elements to include in the room? CC: The design of the sensory room came first from students who attended the Autism Support Group at Clark College. They provided extensive feedback on the types of items and design aspects important to them. We also sought feedback from other students receiving Counseling and Health Center services and did research on best practices for creating sensory rooms from subject matter experts.
Collins pointed out the sensory room’s calming features:
Art supplies
Balance board
Bean bag chairs
Coloring books
Exercise ball
Fidgets (many options)
Foot massager
Heating pad
Hot tea
Massage chair
Nature books
Noise machine (with nature sounds as well as white, pink or brown noise options)
Noise-canceling headphones
Reading material
Rocking chair
Silly putty
Snacks
Sunlight lamp (for Seasonal Affective Disorder)
Textured throw pillows and rug
Weighted blanket
Adelphi University in New York opened the nation’s first sensory room at an American college or university in 2018. The college’s sensory room provides a calming refuge for students who are on the autism spectrum or have other sensory needs.
Since then, other colleges and universities have created similar spaces on their campus. Other Washington community colleges that have opened sensory rooms include South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia and Highline College in Des Moines.
Highline College’s reflection room:
Highline College opened a reflection room in the campus library during fall term. Previously, the space was a large vacant office. Highline students can use the room on a walk-in basis. No advance appointments are made. Students can use the space for 30 minutes at a time if there are others waiting. If they are okay with sharing the space with another student, they can flip the sign on the door to say: “Welcome. Please come in.”
“The Reflection Room is a multi-sensory environment where students are welcome to go to retreat, relax, and unwind during the day,” said Jenni Sandler, associate dean for accessibility resources at Highline College. “The room creates a safe space for all students, but particularly those who are neurodivergent. It is our hope that students will use the space to relieve stress and anxiety and leave more focused, relaxed, and confident.”
“Students are practically lining up. Students really benefit and seem to love it. They are also writing positive, identity-affirming notes to each other on the white board. It is really cool to see!” added Sandler. “Many college campuses around the country are creating similar neurodivergent student-centered spaces!”
South Puget Sound Community College’s calm room:
South Puget Sound Community College opened a calm room in their library in fall of 2022, redesigning an existing group study room into a single-person space outfitted with sensory toys, textured surfaces, and active furnishings designed to support individuals with attention deficit disorders focus and self-regulate. Additional space enhancements included the installation of sound-absorbing tiles, a white noise machine, and alternatives to overhead fluorescent lighting. Students using the calm room can also make use of noise-cancelling headphones and an iPad that is pre-loaded with meditation programs selected in partnership with the SPSCC mental health counselors. As with all library study rooms, the calm room can be reserved for up to two hours at a time.
Amy Tureen, dean of academic success programs, noted that the use of the calm room has increased steadily as more and more students return to campus.
“The success of the calm room is helping us consider how we can improve our existing study spaces to meet the of all students,” Tureen said. “We’re currently looking at expanding some of the most popular aspects of the calm room into other study rooms, as well as designing study rooms for other students with unique needs, such as a room dedicated to supporting parents who need to bring their small children with them to the library to study.”
Left to right: Amy Chitwood, Board of Trustee Marilee Scarbrough, Karina Fariante, Zoe Kunkle, Emma Bennett, and President Dr. Karin Edwards.
Clark College students, staff, and supporters gathered with Clark College Foundation on Oct. 13 at the Hilton in downtown Vancouver for a reception to recognize scholarship recipients and generous donors. During fall term, the Foundation awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to Clark students.
In her welcome address, Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards said she has been energized to see so many students on campus and full parking lots during the first three weeks of fall term.
Calling attention to the Foundation, its donors and family and friends supporting Clark students, Dr. Edwards said, “We want to thank you for your unwavering support of our students.”
Before the program started, Dr. Edwards had the opportunity to talk with many scholarship recipients.
She said, “The students were grateful and expressed their appreciation for the scholarship. What an upbeat and energetic environment—a perfect way to end a busy week.”
Current student and scholarship recipient Amy Chitwood spoke from the podium about how a scholarship from the Foundation, combined with Clark’s reasonable tuition and fees and the caring faculty and staff have made it possible for her to work full-time while being a full-time student pursuing a career in human resources.
“I benefited from the foundation for their generous Rex and Arlene Garrison business scholarship, which helped me pay for college,” Chitwood said. “You see people from all walks of life attending Clark, and it’s thanks to its affordability and support of their students and community. None of my accomplishments would have been possible without the support of Clark College, my teachers, the administration, and the Foundation. The connections I have made here have shaped me. I look forward to completing my degree here and becoming an alumnus. Go penguins!”
Clark College Foundation CEO Calen Ouellette, said, “This vital work of awarding scholarships to students is the ‘why’ of everything we do at the Foundation. We are grateful to our donors for their support of Clark. We are excited to award these scholarships and look forward to hearing from students after they have graduated and are doing amazing work in our community.”
Two nursing students said scholarships awarded by the Foundation have made an enormous difference in their ability to succeed in the challenging program.
Nursing students Alejandra Valencia, left and Hillary Sadlowski say their scholarships are essential to staying at Clark. Photo by Susan Parrish.
Hillary Sadlowski, now in her sixth term in the nursing program, will graduate in December. During the height of the pandemic, Sadlowski was working full time as a certified nursing assistant at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center while also enrolled in Clark’s nursing program full time. She didn’t know about scholarships and grants. A counselor in the nursing program told Sadlowski that she would not be able to continue at the pace she was going. The nursing counselor encouraged her to apply for scholarships and grants.
“It was life-changing for me,” Sadlowski said. “If it were not for scholarships and grants, there’s no way I could have continued in school.”
Alejandra Valencia is in her first term of Clark’s nursing program. While she was taking prerequisites at Clark, she was working full time as a certified nursing assistant and going to school full time. She also was pregnant.
Now in addition to starting the nursing program, she is the mother of a busy toddler. Thanks to a scholarship awarded by the Foundation and a supportive husband to help at home, she does not have to add a job to her full schedule.
“I don’t think I could handle working, going to school and being the parent of 3-year-old,” Valencia said. “Thanks to the Foundation, I don’t have to be stretched that far.”
Chef Aaron tastes all nine soups at the Battle of the Chefs fundraiser. Photo by Kim Hash of SHARE
Clark College’s own Chef Aaron Guerra competed in the Soup’s On Battle of the Chefs fundraiser for SHARE at Ilani Casino Resort in Ridgefield on Sunday, Oct. 15.
Chef Aaron was one of nine celebrity chefs who created a delicious soup for the event. Each chef prepared about 20 gallons of their soup, which was sampled by more than 800 soup tasters who lined up, bowls in hand. Everyone had an opportunity to vote for their favorite soup, bestowing the winning chef with the Golden Ladle. The winner was Chef Joe Reid, Hudson’s Bar & Grill for his beer cheese soup with rye croutons and brisket burnt end sausage.
Before the event doors opened, all nine chefs sat down for a soup tasting. Each voted for their favorite. They were not allowed to vote for their own soup. Chef’s Choice Award was a four-way tie between the chefs representing AC Hotels Marriott, Line & Lure Seafood Kitchen & Tap and Kuya’s Casa Kitchen. Heathen Brewing was awarded the top soup by the presenting sponsor.
Alas, Chef Aaron did not win the Golden Ladle Award this year, but his delicious corn and crawfish chowder was eaten up by appreciative soup tasters.
Chef Aaron used these ingredients: crawfish, butter, flour, white onion, fresh roasted corn, milk, heavy cream, bell peppers, red potatoes, celery, garlic, Italian parsley, green onions, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper, chives and bread croutons.
He said, “My team of students and I made everything from scratch with the freshest ingredients. We roasted ears of corn and made corn stock with the cobs and student-made croutons.”
It took a large volume of ingredients to make enough chowder for 800 people. Chef Aaron and his team used 24 pounds of crawfish meat. They roasted 40 pounds of corn on the cob, then cut a quarter of the corn from the cob and made stock from the cobs.
SHARE’s Soup’s On celebrity chefs and their soups:
Aaron Guerra, Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at Clark College prepared crawfish and corn chowder
Tanner Genck, AC Hotels Marriott prepared Deadpool’s chimichanga soup
Michael Garafolo, Heathen Brewing Feral Public House prepared Hulk’s smashed squash soup
Joe Reid, Hudson’s Bar & Grill prepared Guardians of the Gourmet beer cheese soup with rye croutons and brisket burnt end sausage
Fernando Martinez, Kuya’s Casa Kitchen prepared Levanta Muertos (revive the dead) soup
Ryan Ziegler, Line & Lure Seafood Kitchen & Tap prepared coconut chicken curry soup
Bobby Rasaphangthong, Nom Nom Restaurant & Grill prepared wonton soup
Brandon Edgerton, Wyld Pines Public House prepared lobster bisque
Left to right: Chef Aaron Guerra, Eric Morton, and Justin Lein from the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute.
About SHAREand its Soup’s On: Battle of the Chefs event:
SHARE’s Soup’s On event began in 2002 and originally was called Share-a-Bowl.
SHARE’s Executive Director Amy Reynolds said, “The event first began as a way for community members to better understand the experience people have each day when they wait in a ‘soup line,’ just as hundreds of our neighbors do each day at SHARE’s Hot Meals kitchen.”
She added, “SHARE has done incredible work in the community for the past 45 years and with so many people living outside and experiencing food insecurity, there is clearly much more work to do.”
SHARE provides food for all ages—including through its backpack program for kids, operates four shelters, provides rental assistance with case management to help clients secure affordable housing, and assists people living on the streets as well as those in risk of losing their home. Learn more here.
Queer Student Luncheon
Ty Stober, guest speaker at the Queer Student Luncheon (right) stands with Rosalba Pitkin and Clark College Peer Mentors who help host the event.
Vancouver Mayor Pro Tem Ty Stober was the guest speaker for the Fall Queer Luncheon on October 10 in the Penguin Student Lounge. The free event is presented each term by Clark’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The luncheon is designed to create community for students who identify as queer and allies.
Stober is one of seven councilmembers for the city of Vancouver. He is Mayor Pro Tem, which means he serves as mayor in the mayor’s absence. He has served on city council for eight years.
Stober is also gay. He told the group that only 0.23% of elected officials nationwide identify themselves as LGBTQ.
“Our voices are radically underheard in politics,” he said, noting that he is the only LGTBQ elected official in a geographic area that includes six Washington counties. “I am standing here today so that students can see that representation in government is possible.”
Stober grew up in Canby, Ore., a conservative small town in Clackamas County. He was closeted in high school.
“I wanted so badly to fit in that I put on as good an act as I could of being straight,” he said. “I lived in constant fear that I’d slip up and be exposed.”
He graduated from Canby Union High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He earned his MBA at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“I was very, very closeted when I was in college,” he said.
After grad school he was working in Baltimore when he met the man who would become his husband. They have been together for 20 years.
Stober first got involved in politics in 2009, when as a citizen, he canvassed for passing Referendum 71, which legalized domestic partnership in Washington. It was the first statewide referendum in the U.S. that extended to LGBT people the rights and responsibility of domestic partnership.
In 2012 he chaired the organization that backed Referendum 74, which legalized gay marriage. It became law in 2012. He has been a Vancouver councilmember since 2015.
Stober encouraged Clark College students to get involved with local politics. There are opportunities to attend city council meetings in person or online. People also can send an email to all the councilors. Learn more about Vancouver City Council meetings here.
“If you don’t feel safe in our community as an LGBTQ person or as a person of color, come speak at city council,” he said.
Stober invited people to start by getting involved in Vancouver by providing public comment to a variety of community projects in an online community forum, BeHeardVancouver.
“You need to tell us what you want,” Stober said. “If you want affordable housing, say, ‘I want affordable housing.’ If politics interest you, reach out to me.”
Stober has a two-decade career in sales, marketing and operations, with leadership experience in medium-sized, publicly traded and entrepreneurial organizations. He last served as an energy efficiency program manager for an organization supporting all utilities in the Northwest.
Upcoming DEI events:
Students with Disability Luncheon, Tuesday, Oct. 24 at noon in PUB 161
Students of Color luncheon, Tuesday, Nov. 7 at noon in PUB 161
To learn more, visit the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’s website.
Ty Stober, Council Seat 5
Current Assignments and Certifications
National League of Cities: Vice Chair – Race, Equity and Leadership Council
National League of Cities: Board of Directors and Board Policy Committee
National League of Cities: First Vice President, LGBTQ+ Local Officials
National League of Cities: First Tier Suburbs Council – Past Chair
C-TRAN Board of Directors
Vancouver Strategic Planning Executive Steering Group
Vancouver Fire and Police Pension Boards
Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (alternate)
Metro Policy Advisory Committee (alternate)
SW Regional Transportation Council (alternate)
Association of Washington Cities Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership
National League of Cities University Bronze Certificate
