Career Services regularly hosts events that expose students to potential job paths and connects them with industry professionals. Two events this past week highlighted the value of partnering with our community and educating students on careers.

Justice System Career Panel and Fair

Clark College students, alumni, and community members gathered in Foster Auditorium on May 14 for an engaging panel discussion and career fair, designed to introduce attendees to the diverse career opportunities within the justice system.

Hosted by Clark College Career Services and the Clark County Bar Association Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, the event provided invaluable insights into the various career pathways available in the field.

The panel discussion featured professionals from a range of disciplines within the justice system. Panelists shared their experiences, discussed the challenges and rewards of their careers, and answered questions from attendees, fostering a lively and informative dialogue.

Panelists included:

• Anna Lookingbill, LICSW: Jail Transition Manager, Clark County Jail Services
• Jamie Schulz: Paralegal, Butchard Law
• Alicia Hensley: Management Analyst, Clark County District Court
• Amy Harlan: Diversion Counselor, Clark County Prosecuting Attorney
• Jade Day: Interpreter Services Coordinator, Clark County District Court
• LaQuinta Daniels: RCS Program Coordinator, Clark County Juvenile Court
• Heather Kahl: Family Court Services Coordinator/Guardian ad Litem, Clark County Superior Court
• Erin Welch: Detention Alternatives Supervisor, Clark County Juvenile Court
• Deagan Williams: Program Coordinator -Jury Administration, Clark County Superior Court
• Cory Bobeck: Attorney/Rule 6, Johnson & Associates
• Stephanie Stephenson: Probation Services Case Manager, Clark County District Court
• Christopher Swaby: Chief Defender, Clark County Public Defense

Following the discussion, attendees moved to the Foster Lobby, where they engaged in one-on-one conversations with panelists and other community members in an informal career fair setting. This space allowed students to connect personally with professionals, ask in-depth questions, and gather resources to support their career exploration. Many students expressed appreciation for the opportunity to build meaningful connections and gain greater clarity about potential career paths in the justice field.

In addition to career exploration, participants enjoyed complimentary pizza and drinks while networking with potential mentors and employers. The event successfully inspired students and community members to consider roles within the justice system, reinforcing the importance of education and professional engagement in pursuing justice-related careers.

Business and Entrepreneurship Career Connect Event

Clark College’s Career Services team hosted the Business & Entrepreneurship Career Connect Event on May 13th, 2025, offering students, alumni, and community members a valuable opportunity to engage with industry professionals and explore potential career pathways.

Held in the Scarpelli Hall Lobby, the event welcomed over 30 students, along with eight employers, faculty and instruction representatives, student success coaches, academic advisors, and career services team members.

Rather than a traditional job fair, the event served as an interactive platform for attendees to gain insight into various industries, understand career trajectories, and build meaningful connections with seasoned professionals.

The employers who attended included:

• Ken Torre
• Rally Pizza/Lucky Horseshoe
• Northwest Business Development Association
• Odyssey World
• John Jackson Insurance
• Neil Jones Food Company
• Wurthy.co
• Vancouver Housing Authority

From the moment attendees arrived, conversations flowed as students sought advice, asked questions, and engaged in discussions about the realities of working in business and entrepreneurship. Employers shared expertise on industry trends, provided guidance on professional development, and helped students visualize career paths beyond what’s found in job postings. Faculty and advisors played a vital role in bridging the gap between academic learning and industry expectations, ensuring students saw the bigger picture in their career journeys.

The atmosphere was welcoming and dynamic, with career exploration activities, a bingo game, and a raffle for a Clark College Bookstore gift card. Many students also took advantage of the opportunity to get professional headshots, helping them refine their LinkedIn profiles and personal portfolios.

Attendees expressed their appreciation for the event, highlighting how valuable it was to connect with professionals in a supportive environment. The chance to speak directly with industry experts and gain insights that will support the next steps in their career paths.

Next Career Connect Event

Clark College’s Career Services team continues to create opportunities for students and alumni to engage with professionals from diverse fields.

The next Career Connect event will take place on May 28 in Cannell Library from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., focusing on the Creative & Communications Arts area of study.

In the STEM building’s Collaboratorium on Thursday, May 15, students and professionals drank tea and ate finger sandwiches while chatting at tables festooned with star confetti and paper planets.

The annual Women in STEM Tea, led by Carol Hsu and Tina Barsotti and the members of Clark NERD girls and GEEKs, invited women professionals to talk with students about their industries and navigating STEM fields.

Barsotti explained, “The Women in STEM tea offers students a way to connect with women in STEM professionals in an casual setting.  These professionals inspire our students and bring a sense of community to support and empower the next generation of women in STEM.”

Table leaders, who took time out of their busy schedules to join us, included:

• Danielle Samson—Green Mountain Structural Engineering
• Joelle Brown—Bonneville Power Administration
• Dr. Joanne Hyndman—Salem Pediatric Clinic
• Veronica Vest—Peterson Structural Engineers
• Becca Dunphy—S&F Land Services
• Tina Jenkins—Mechatronics Professor

Balancing work and family

In one conversation between Dr. Joanne Hyndman, a doctor at Salem Pediatric Clinic, and Sopiia, a first-year student from Ukraine, they discussed balancing careers with family.

Sofiia said, “You have to meet people to hear stories, how they changed degrees, balanced families… it’s interesting to see how people deal with it.

Hyndman agreed, and shared that her classmates in medical school sometimes waited until residency to start a family or sometimes hired outside help. “People do it in all sorts of different ways… it definitely takes a village.”

Opportunities in STEM

Conversations with Joelle Brown, of the Bonneville Power Administration, and Becca Dunphy or S&F Land Services, revealed a lack of women in their fields despite efforts to recruit them.

Brown, who attended Clark herself as a transfer student, said “We don’t see a lot of women.” But she had advice: “Have some confidence. It helps if you’ve had a job doing anything or volunteering. Something that shows accountability.”

Dunphy explained that the geomatics and surveying field was struggling to recruit new employees, despite the work being in-demand and family-wage. “There’s a lot of lacking in certain industries… we’ve got a lot of people retiring or of retiring age in surveying.”

The good news? That creates a pathway for new women in STEM to succeed. Dunphy herself returned to school after ten years working for the postal service. Now, she works part-time for a local company while in school. She will become full-time once she graduates.

Thyda Lim, from Worksource, agreed that “it’s never too late” to pursue a new field.

About Clark NERD Girls and GEEKS

Clark NERD Girls and GEEKS is a student-led official Clark College club registered through the Associated Students of Clark College. They are dedicated to breaking down stereotypes of women in STEM and encouraging youth to pursue STEM careers.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

On Thursday, May 8, a line of people waiting for a taste of artisan treats wrapped around McClaskey Culinary Institute and into Gaiser Hall. The annual Baking Capstone, led by Chef Alison Dolder, is one of the biggest culinary events of the year.

Second-year baking students spent weeks testing recipes for their very own pop-up menus. One student created a fairy forest, pastries arranged on stumps, and red button mushrooms sprouting from the table. Another decorated eclairs like dachshunds. Yet another fused Mexican flavors with Viennoiserie, serving elote and concha flavored croissants.

“I learned I’m more capable than I thought I was”

While stressful to take charge of their own pop-ups, meeting the challenge gave students confidence.

Student Andrew Kehler, above, who presented a table bursting with artisan breads in baskets and on bamboo cutting boards, said, “I learned I’m more capable than I thought I was. I was telling my classmates, “It’s freaking me out, it’s kind of scary…everything turned out perfectly fine.”

Katelynn House, above, who showed a variety of creative Viennoiserie, shared, “The first few weeks I was trying things out, practicing. Then, the last couple of weeks I really cracked down. Then today came along, and it was a ride. But I did finish on time, and it’s beautiful.”

Katelynn’s favorite bake? The orange cinnamon rolls.

It was clear how much Chef Melanie Hendry inspired the students. Kehler said, “I chose to do bread for my pop-up because it is one of the activities that most resonated with me in the bakery. Chef Melanie showed a passion for it, and it kind of rubbed off on me… I love that I can take my time with bread. You kind of get to know it more intimately… it is a lot of concentration, knowing what you’re doing… taking your time, being patient with it and working with it.”

Kehler was most proud of the cinnamon sugar monkey bread, which he said was a surprise that came together at the last minute.

Leaving a legacy with a cookbook zine

This year, Chef Melanie collaborated with librarians Andrea Berg and Katy Anastasi on a new idea: a cookbook zine. Over several months, the librarians hosted workshops guiding students to design uniquely colorful pages. Captivated, the students spent hours in the library gluing, cutting, and drawing pages with pop-up recipes, stories, jokes, and coloring pages.

The zine—titled “Eat the Pastriarchy”—inspired sprawling conversations about collaboration, legacy, creativity, and privacy.

A copy of the zine will be archived in the zine collection in Cannell Library, so anyone can sneak a peek at the students’ baking secrets.

Berg shared, “The library was excited to support and excited to feature the cookbook zine in our zine library as another way for these bakers to have a lasting legacy at Clark. We had so much fun working with the baking students, they were so creative and supportive of each other and were excited about the zine project as a way to celebrate their own work and inspire future generations of Clark bakers.”

When the librarians brought the finished zines to the capstone, the students immediately circled to rifle through the pages and see their work in print, giggling and showing their friends and family.

About Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute

At the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at Clark College, we are building on nearly 60 years of excellence in culinary education to offer programs that prepare students to meet the growing demand for culinary and hospitality professionals. Our programs emphasize the mastery of the fundamentals as well as management and critical thinking skills to prepare students for a range of career opportunities.

Working in a new state-of-the-art facility, students gain real-world experience in high-volume food production, service, and retail settings. The Culinary Institute also creates a community space on campus that highlights the growing influence of food on our culture while giving students valuable hands-on experience in a production kitchen, retail bakery, food kiosks, and a full-service dining room.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

On a sunny spring evening this past Friday, May 2, Clark art students, faculty, and Foundation staff gathered at Art at the Cave for the opening of “The Day After Tomorrow: Art and Mentorship at Clark College”. It’s a benefit exhibition supporting the College via the Foundation through the sales of exhibited works.

The exhibit, organized by the Foundation, the Art Department, and Art at the Cave under the Arts@Clark initiative, explores the relationship between mentors and mentees.

How Faculty and Students Worked Together

Faculty and student artists were paired to work in parallel over the past several weeks. The gallery then displayed the art side by side in the gallery. For most of the students, this was the very first gallery exhibition of their work.

Gabe Parque, one of the faculty members, said, “I like to see what the students are interested in then guide them… Alex is very good at taking my advice or not.”

Alex Frederickson, Gabe’s student mentee, laughed at the observation and said that of all the faculty members they’ve worked with, Gabe’s instructional style works the best for her.

Another faculty mentor, Kendra Larson, shared that her collaboration with student Hana Lowenthal involved ‘a lot of texting.’ She noted that they share a similar creative process—producing a large volume of work, then selecting the best pieces to exhibit.

How Arts@Clark Made it Happen

Ruth Wikler, Clark College Foundation’s inaugural Director of Arts Programming, Partnerships, & Philanthropy, worked with gallery owner Anne John to design the event. She said, “Through my role at Clark College Foundation, I have the privilege of helping bridge College and Community through the arts in ways that are both innovative and inspiring… This effort has been more than a year in the making, and it has come to fruition through a unique collaboration.”

She added, “The exhibit’s focus on mentorship—pairing faculty with students—beautifully reflects Clark’s mission and the transformational power of arts education. Witnessing the impact of this work come to life at Friday’s opening was an unforgettable moment of shared joy and pride.”

Organizers shared, however, that the show is only “the first of many collaborations between Clark College Arts programs, Clark College Foundation, and the community of Southwest Washington under the new Arts@Clark initiative.”

About Arts@Clark

Arts@Clark is a new initiative that unites Clark College’s arts programs, the Clark College Foundation, and the Southwest Washington community through the arts. Stay tuned for exciting events coming in summer and fall 2025.

About Art at the Cave

Art at the Cave is a gallery owned by artist Anne John. Located in downtown Vancouver just steps from the library, the gallery is community-centered and beyond rotating gallery exhibits, hosts a variety of arts programming, including a poetry open mic, collage nights, meditation sessions, and more.

Art at the Cave partners with a nonprofit each year to put on an exhibition and donate part of the profits. This year, that beneficiary was the Foundation.

Come Visit the Exhibit Through May 31

The exhibit will be on display through the rest of May.

Art at the Cave
108 E Evergreen Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98660
https://artatthecave.com/

Gallery hours:
Tuesday – Thursday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Friday – Saturday from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

Congratulations to Clark College’s Surveying and Geomatics team who earned top honors at a prestigious national competition held over spring break, taking first place at the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) 24th Annual Student Competition.

Accompanied by Professor Brian Miyake, six Clark students traveled to Silver Spring, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., to compete against 25 academic teams from across the country. Clark College was the only school representing Washington or Oregon—and the competition marked the college’s first-ever entry into the event.

Clark’s first-place Surveying & Geomatics team:

• Robert Clapham, Class of 2026
• Eli Deschand, Class of 2025
• Rebecca Dunphy, Class of 2025
• Trevor Geivett, Class of 2025
• Brian Hankins, Class of 2026
• Milad Sadegi, Class of 2026

Clark’s team received support to attend the competition from the following:

• Land Surveyors Association of Washington
• Minister & Glaeser Surveying. Inc.
• PBS Engineering and Environmental 
• Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon
• S & F Land Services
• Westlake Consultants, Inc. 

“I am so proud of our Clark College students and their outstanding performance in this national competition. Most of the students had never visited D.C. before, so it was a completely new place for them to practice their surveying skills amongst so many historical sites,” Professor Miyake said. “The team showed exemplary professionalism, teamwork and survey ability in timed events and in the local D.C. community, while representing our state and college with pride and confidence.”

The competition consisted of one day of monument scavenger hunt and one day of technical field exercises–with students utilizing historical and modern survey instruments to complete tasks. A course was laid out on Capitol Mall between the Washington Monument and the World War II Memorial.

Day 1: Monument Hunt. The first portion of the competition was a staged scavenger hunt.

• A list of D.C.-area monuments were assigned a point value and provided the day before the event.
• Monuments farther away or more logistically challenging were assigned higher values due to the risk of finding fewer of them.
• Monuments selected are older and are significant to the history of surveying in the area.
• Teams were released from the hotel in 30-minute increments and had six hours to complete their task. Teams were provided Metro public transit cards. No other mode of transportation was allowed. Teams had to stay together.
• Scoring: Teams accumulated points based on the point values of the monuments visited.
• Teams proved they reached the monument by taking a photo with a timestamp or a group photo in front of the monument. Extra points were provided for social media posts with those photos using #NSPS and #YSN.

Day 2: Measurement Exercises. The second portion of the competition was a four-part timed exercise to evaluate students’ technical ability while requiring some knowledge of historical concepts. Transportation and equipment were provided.

1. Route layout: Students were asked to layout a route using a baseline and plans provided using a Trimble Robotic Total Station. Performance was graded on the accuracy of calculated points versus plan and amount completed in time allotted.
2. Traverse: Students were asked to perform a four-sided traverse with a chain and compass. Performance was graded on the following criteria: closure, accuracy of leg distances and accuracy of internal angles.
3. Triangulation: Students were asked to complete a triangulate exercise of an unknown position from two to three known positions with a theodolite. Performance was graded based solely on the accuracy of the missing variable and calculating the area between the theodolite stations and the unknown position.
4. Boundary reconnaissance: Students were asked to calculate a series of points given any number of information that one might find on a deed/plat and utilize those in locating specific real-world points utilizing a Leica GPS unit. Performance was graded on the following criteria: Accuracy of calculated points vs plan and amount completed in time allotted.

About Surveying and Geomatics

Surveying and Geomatics involves the accurate assessment, measuring, and plotting of land and water boundaries for development projects that include buildings, roads, and bridges. Clark’s program uses state-of-the-art land surveying equipment and techniques to prepare students for entry-level work in government and private sector roles.

Learn more

• Surveying and Geomatics at Clark College
• National Society of Professional Surveyors 24th Annual Student Competition

Two Clark College students were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement and community service at the 28th annual All-Washington Academic Team ceremony, held April 24 at South Puget Sound Community College in Lacey.

Seth Stigall Barranco and Anton Vlasov represented Clark College as members of the prestigious All-Washington Academic Team, a statewide program that honors high-achieving students from the state’s 34 community and technical colleges. The program is part of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges.

They join more than 80 scholars from across Washington State who are pursuing transfer or workforce pathways and demonstrating excellence both in and out of the classroom.

Darci Feider, advisor of the Clark College PTK chapter, Alpha Sigma Pi, said, “I’m incredibly proud of Seth and Anton for being named to the All-Washington Academic Team. Their hard work and commitment to learning have made them outstanding representatives of Clark College.”

Seth Stigall Barranco

Anton Vlasov

All-Washington Academic Team Ceremony

Each student received a medal and a $250 scholarship from Key Bank. They also are eligible for additional scholarships from private sponsors and transfer scholarships for four-year colleges and universities.

Program sponsors:

• Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges
• Washington State Association of College Trustees
• Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
• Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges

Scholarship sponsors:

• KeyBank
• Washington State Employees Credit Union
• Washington State Association of College Trustees

Learn more

• All-Washington Academic Team
• Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)
• Clark College PTK chapter, Alpha Sigma Phi

Sixteen nursing students from Clark College’s 149^th nursing cohort gathered with their loved ones on March 19 in the Gaiser Student Center to celebrate their achievement at the traditional pinning ceremony. These students earned their Associate of Arts in Nursing DTA/MRP during winter term, a significant milestone in their journey to becoming healthcare professionals.

During the ceremony, Professor Nicholas Luisi presented the Clinical Excellence Award to one outstanding student. Before announcing the recipient, he told the graduates: “I am so proud of each of you. It’s been an honor to watch you grow in confidence.” He then announced that Kimberly Hoover was this year’s award recipient.

Faculty speaker Professor Halina Brandt-Zawadzki offered the new nurses advice including:

• You are never alone. Health care is teamwork.
• Ask questions. Stay curious.
• Prioritize self-care.
• You’ve been a support system for each other. As you enter your nursing career, find your support system.
• Success is relative. Celebrate it.
• Listen to your patients. Don’t forget that sometimes they are very scared.
• Remember your “WHY” – Remember why you worked so hard to become a nurse.

Class speakers Kristie Castle and Kim Hoover addressed their fellow students: “We are running on coffee, adrenaline, and sheer willpower. If we can handle nursing school, we can handle anything.”

Next, it was time for the pinning ceremony. In turn, each new nurse stood to be pinned by a special supporter who encouraged them over the finish line: spouses, partners, parents, siblings, children, and nursing professors crossed the stage to present a Clark College nursing pin to each new nurse.

After the new nurses had been pinned, they stood in unison and recited the nursing pledge — to uphold certain ethics and standards within their chosen profession.

The core principles of the nursing pledge are:

• Dedication to service: Nurses pledge to dedicate themselves to the nursing profession and to provide compassionate, skilled care to their patients.
•  Ethical conduct: The pledge emphasizes adhering to the code of ethics of the nursing profession and maintaining the confidentiality of their patients.
• Professional integrity: Nurses are committed to maintaining and elevating the standards of the profession.
• Patient-centered care: The pledge emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the health and wellbeing of their patients.
• Collaboration and teamwork: Nurses pledge to collaborate will all members of the healthcare team.

Nursing graduates have already applied for licensure in the state in which they want to work. They have one final step to earn an “RN” after their name. They must pass a rigorous exam, the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-RN. It is a nationwide examination for the licensing of nurses in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. 

Four nursing graduates on the stage have already taken the exam and passed.

Many of these nursing graduates shared their plans to continue their education and earn their Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, or BSN at Washington State University Vancouver, Oregon Health & Science University, or Boise State University.

Several already have secured nursing jobs at a variety of Vancouver and Portland hospitals.

After the ceremony, nurses, their families, and supporters headed for the reception to celebrate with their loved ones. Although they have earned their degree Winter term, many students will participate in Clark College Commencement ceremony this year on June 18.

Congratulations to Clark’s 149^th Nursing cohort

Maria Arellano was pinned by her parents.
Plans: work in Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in the intensive care unit.

Danielle Carter was pinned by her son.
Plans: pursue her BSN at Washington State University Vancouver.

Kristie Castle was pinned by her husband and daughter.
Plans: work at PeaceHealth Southwest Washington Medical Center.

Joshua Dowdy was pinned by his girlfriend, Jennifer.
Plans: pursue continuing education in wound care.

Kaylee Elizabeth was pinned by her mother.
Plans: work in labor and delivery or a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Sarah Gish was pinned by her husband and her sister-in-law, a nurse in Tennessee.
Plans: pursue her BSN at Boise State University.

Kim Hoover was pinned by her husband and her oldest daughter.
Plans: work at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center’s residency program; will complete her BSN at WSU Vancouver.

Saharah Knittle was pinned by her husband.
Plans: work at Oregon Health & Sciences University.

Nukolai Kolobovnikov was pinned by Professor Halina Brandt-Zawadzki.
Plans: work in the ER at Legacy Good Samaritan in Portland.

Kayla Lindsey was pinned by her father.
Plans: pursue her BSN at OHSU and work as a critical care nurse in an ICU.

Desiree MacPherson was pinned by her daughter.
Plans: pursue her BSN at Boise State University.

Jenn McMillan was pinned by her daughter.
Plans: pursue her BSN at WSU Vancouver.

Bridgett Moody was pinned by her husband.
Plans: pursue her BSN at WSU Vancouver.

Josie Olson was pinned by her parents and her sister.
Plans: pursue her BSN at Boise State University.

Jamie Perez was pinned by her husband as her three young children looked on.
Plans: pursue her BSN in the fall and work in labor and delivery.

James Vanover was pinned by his mother, Julie.
Plans: work on the PeaceHealth Southwest Washington Medical Center surgical floor.

Nursing Pledge

In full knowledge and understanding, I dedicate myself to the profession of nursing. I promise to provide compassionate care with all of the skill and understanding I possess, without regard to race, creed, color, politics, or social status. I will spare no effort to preserve quality of life, alleviate suffering, and promote health.

I will respect at all times the dignity and beliefs of those within my care. I hold in confidence all personal information entrusted to me, and refraining from any action, which may endanger life or death. I will endeavor to keep my professional knowledge and skill at the highest level, and work in collaboration with all members of the healthcare team. I will do my utmost to honor the International Code of Ethics applied to nursing and uphold the integrity of the nurse.

Learn more about Clark College’s nursing program here.

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish

The anticipation was sky-high in the Clark College STEM Building on March 11. Engineering students gathered near the drop tower in the three-story foyer and waited.

“Doors closing,” announced a student with a clipboard. The countdown began: “5, 4, 3, 2, 1!”

All eyes turned upward.

Then—whoosh! A robotic lunar rover plummeted from three stories above. Gasps filled the air as its parachute deployed, sending the rover gliding gently toward the ground.

Now for the real test: Would it land in one piece? Could it navigate the terrain, scoop up moon rocks (a.k.a. plastic balls), and cross the finish line—all on its own power?

Every term, engineering professors Tina Barsotti and Carol Hsu pose a real-world problem to their students and instruct them to design and build an object that solves the problem. Teams of students work together. At the end of each term, teams present their prototype to their peers, explaining their process and materials used. Finally, teams test their designs.

The Project Artemis Challenge

Engineering students were given this challenge during winter term:

Design an autonomous device that can withstand a three-story drop, collect as many gumballs as possible, and move to a designated end zone within the time limit.

Designed with NASA’s Project Artemis in mind, the purpose of this device is to collect geological samples from the moon’s surface.

To simulate landing on the moon, student engineers dropped their rovers from the STEM Building’s three-story drop tower. Most teams designed a parachute to slow the fall. If the vehicle survived the drop, its mission was to pick up as many gumballs as possible (simulating moon rocks) and cross the finish line—without human intervention.

Professor Carol Hsu said, “This project is particularly challenging as it requires withstanding a drop before completing a task. However, students consistently rise to the challenge and gain invaluable experience.” She added, “One of my students shared, ‘My daughter became interested in learning more about robotics after watching the competition!’”

During the winter engineering challenge, some teams’ projects succeeded and made it across the finishing line with “lunar rocks.” But a larger number didn’t survive the three-story drop. One of those teams, Isaac Newton’s Dog Diamond, gathered the pieces of their broken lunar rover and carried them back to a table to assess the damage.

One group reported: “We learned that the trial-and-error process does, in fact, involve error. These experiences taught us the importance of adaptability and persistence in problem-solving. If we were to do this project again, we’d spend more time on testing and making prototypes to improve the design.”

Designing within Engineering Parameters

Each team was required to design and build their vehicle to adhere to strict parameters.

Design specifications:

• Size: Must fit within a 35 cm x 35 cm x 35 cm box
• Weight: Must weigh less than 2.0 kg
• Power source: Must be self-contained in the device
• Mobility: Must be fully autonomous
• Design: Must be students’ own design, outside of motor components
• Cost: Must cost less than $100

Materials: Student engineers used a variety of materials including 3D printed filament, balsa wood, CDs, modeling clay, threaded metal rods, and various kinds of wheels and axles. Designs also incorporated electronics or a motor and power box within the body of the robot, and a parachute to reduce the descent speed.

Teams: Engineering students comprised 18 teams including The Argonauts, Imperfectly Designed, Robo Legs, Robo Rangers, Sisters in Science, Innovation Nation, Safety Hazards, Blue Moon, and Isaac Newton’s Dog Diamond.

Throughout the morning, all 18 teams presented their designs and then climbed the stairs to test their projects in the drop tower. After testing their autonomous vehicle, students examined what worked, what didn’t, and how they would improve it.

One group reflected: “Looking back on this project, we learned that we are all very early in our engineering careers and there is still a lot to learn. Designing and building a fully autonomous vehicle is difficult and an intricate process. Also, Open AI is a very useful tool…that can be used to create code for the purpose we need. If we were to do this project over again, we would have learned about our team members’ knowledge and backgrounds before assembling the team so we could create a team with more diverse skills and experience.”

Another group reported: “We utilized our engineering knowledge and available tools to optimize our machine’s efficiency. As we deepen our understanding of engineering coding, we recognize that programming could significantly improve our design.”

Early Pi Day Celebration

After all the tests were completed, the students celebrated Pi Day early—with free pizza followed by apple and cherry pies baked by students in Clark’s McClaskey Culinary Institute.

Professor Tina Barsotti said, “True engineering talent emerges from embracing failure, learning from it, and using it to build something stronger, smarter, and more resilient. We must celebrate our failures as they are our connection to innovation.”

Previous engineering competition stories

• Fall 2024
• Spring 2024
• Winter 2024

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish and Carly Rae Zent

By Malina Siharath, PTK Director of Public Relations

Congratulations to the 23 Clark College honors students who became members of Alpha Sigma Phi, the college’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) during this winter term. PTK celebrated these new members at the 2025 Winter Induction Ceremony on March 4.

The official honor society for two-year colleges, PTK recognizes the academic achievement of college students and provides opportunities for its members to grow as scholars and leaders. Clark’s first PTK induction ceremony was in 1991.

Students are invited to join PTK when enrolled in at least 12 credits per term and achieve a minimum 3.25 grade point average.

“Phi Theta Kappa is all about recognition,” said Darci Feider, PTK advisor. “During our induction ceremony, we recognize people for being scholars, for their achievements, and for being a part of our community.”

Additionally, Feider spoke on the importance of storytelling and connecting with the Honors In Action project that Phi Theta Kappa submitted in December 2024. Presented by Vice President of Service Jude Georgeades-Tambara, the Honors in Action project is a PTK program that combines academic research and service to address issues within students’ communities. The project’s 2024-2025 theme, The Power of Storytelling, was encapsulated in the induction.

2024-25 PTK Officers

The 2024-25 PTK officers are Mary Chavez, Vice President of Scholarship; Lindsey Quiroz, Vice President of Fellowship; Jude Georgeades-Tambara, Vice President of Service, and Malina Siharath, Director of Public Relations.

Officer Applications Open

Officer applications are now open for the 2025-2026 school year. Benefits include professional development, public speaking skills, networking, training, and travel opportunities.

All-Washington Academic Team

PTK scholars representing Clark College will join PTK scholars from all the state’s 34 community and technical colleges to be recognized at the 2025 All-Washington Academic Team ceremony on April 24 at South Puget Sound Community College in Lacey.

The All-Washington Academic Team program recognizes and honors the state’s finest higher education students attending two-year colleges. The program has become the showcase for Washington’s community and technical colleges because it honors the academic high achievers, the individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to success in their classrooms and in their communities. This recognition demonstrates the state’s commitment to scholarship and community service on the part of those attending the state’s public community and technical colleges. Learn more here.

About Phi Theta Kappa

Q: What is Phi Theta (PTK)?

A: Phi Theta Kappa is the international official Honors Society for two-year colleges.

Q: How does PTK benefit students?

A: Phi Theta Kappa recognizes the academic achievement of college students. It provides opportunities for its members to achieve academic and career success through scholarships and leadership training.

Q: Where are PTK chapters?

A: PTK has a presence at almost 1,300 community college campuses in 11 nations.

Q: What is the history of PTK?

A: PTK was established in 1918. Later, the American Association of Community Colleges recognized Phi Theta Kappa as the official honor society for two-year colleges in 1929.

Q: How many students have been inducted into PTK?

A: More than 3.5 million students have been inducted into PTK.

Q: How many active PTK members are there?

A: There are about 250,000 active PTK members in the nation’s community colleges.

PTK at Clark College

Clark College has recognized Phi Theta Kappa as an official honor society since 1991. PTK doesn’t just recognize students’ academic success. It also provides them opportunities to develop professional and leadership skills, earn scholarships, explore career paths — and make their worlds a lot bigger.
Clark College’s Alpha Sigma Phi Chapter
Contact: ptk@clark.edu

Learn more about PTK

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society main page

Photo: Clark College/Susan Parrish

Mia Beightol earned NWAC Runner of the Year after finishing first in her 3K run at the Fall 2024 Women’s Cross-Country Championships. She finished the run with a time of 18:18:4, winning by over 14 seconds.

Beightol’s win helped catapult the entire Penguins women’s cross-country team to second place at the championships overall. She was also the Southern Regional Champion with a time of 18:35.6.

She was recognized with a championship ring at the Clark Board of Trustees’ meeting on February 26. Clark President Dr. Karin Edwards presented her the ring as an audience full of supporters and her parents watched over Zoom.

While Beightol herself was humble, the women’s cross-country coach Owen Frasier—who also received the 2024 NWAC Southern Region Men’s Coach of the Year—made sure the trustees understood what an accomplishment this was.

With emotion in his voice, he shared with the trustees that Beightol was not only an excellent athlete but academically accomplished, with a 3.7 GPA. He also shared that his own daughter looks up to Beightol for being a great, kind person.

This is the second year in a row that Clark College won the honor of NWAC Runner of the Year, the 2023 honoree was Sydnee Boothby.

Congratulations, Mia Beightol!

About NWAC

The Northwest Athletic Conference is the parent organization for thirty-six (36) community colleges located in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, Canada. It is the mission of the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) to foster athletic participation in an environment that supports equitable opportunities for student-athletes consistent with the educational objectives of member colleges. (From NWAC’s website)

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent