Stories, Not Statistics
Clark College grads end one chapter and begin another.
In June, Clark College hosted three special ceremonies that celebrated the end of educational journeys and opened chapters to new adventures.
Commencement Ceremony
The largest group of grads - 460 - took part in commencement on June 17 at the Sleep Country USA Amphitheater adjacent to the Clark County Fairgrounds.
"It's the end of a loooooong journey," said Peter Corbin, clad in a traditional Scottish kilt and a whimsical skeleton tie. He smiled softly as he remembered the path that brought him to this night, when he would be receiving his associate of arts degree. Corbin left high school after his freshman year. It was only years later, in 2003, that he decided to enroll at Clark College to earn his high school diploma. By then, he had a family to help support, so he attended classes at night after working all day. Three years later, he achieved his goal - only to set himself a new one. He decided to become a paramedic, and earned his EMT certificate at Clark in preparation for that. But then, in the beginning of 2009, a hit-and-run car accident left him confined to a hospital bed with a neck injury. Corbin learned that even if he did recover mobility, he wouldn't be able to meet the tough physical demands of a paramedic's career. Undaunted, he returned to Clark that fall quarter and switched his focus to welding. He did his homework at the kitchen table with his kids, all of them striving together to earn good grades in their respective classes. Now he was going to be walking across the stage, with both his parents and his children on hand to cheer him on as he became the first member of his family to earn a college degree. "It feels great, really great," he said, the "with honors" red tassel on his mortarboard bobbing as he lifted his chin.
Another student, Sheila Henrikson, overcame childhood adversity to become a talented artist, compassionate volunteer, and committed student. These qualities earned her the coveted 2010-2011 Presidential Scholarship, which provides her with two years of tuition at WSU Vancouver.
Keynote speaker Heidi W. Durrow, who overcame a childhood spent in a rough section of North Portland, became the first member of her family to graduate from a four-year college. She went on to get advanced degrees from both the Columbia School of Journalism and Yale Law School, as well as write a best-selling novel based in part on her own experiences as a mixed-race child. "If you believe statistics indicate success, then I was destined to be a failure," she said. "Instead, I decided to be a story." Durrow invited the graduates to consider their own life stories, and to ask themselves, "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?"
GED/High School Completion Recognition Ceremony
While there were fewer students - about 70 - who took part in Clark's GED/High School Completion Recognition Ceremony on June 19, the stories were just as compelling and heroic as those uncovered at commencement on June 17.
"Today you are all heroes, all with the ability to obtain your dreams." With those words, Dr. Hannah Abraham-Shea, Associate Director of Adult Basic Education, shared her personal journey with the nearly 70 students who took part in Clark's GED/High School Completion Recognition Ceremony on June 19. The ceremony was held in Clark's O'Connell Sports Center gymnasium as family members and friends cheered from the bleachers. A German immigrant who dropped out before reaching high school, Abraham-Shea described her own challenges in seeking an education. "I am often asked how I did it," she said. "It seems that the one thing that I did that made the difference was that I persevered. I showed up. No matter what, I showed up." After earning her GED, Abraham-Shea continued her education. Seventeen years later, she had earned a Ph.D.
Graduate Dennis R. Boyd received the Pat and Jim Fencl Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to a Clark student who has successfully passed their GED tests and plans to continue their education. It was established by Pat Fencl, a graduate of Clark who taught in Clark's adult basic education program.
Dennis Boyd left school at age 16, married and raised a family. He worked for the same company for 20 years until he was injured on the job. Dannette Randolph, associate dean of Workforce Education, Basic Education & Economic Development, described Boyd as "seen by his fellow students as a leader and a mentor." She noted that he "often took it upon himself to set aside his work in order to help a struggling classmate both with course materials and issues of college life." Boyd is now pursuing an associate degree in business at Clark College.
Off to a Running Start
A ceremony on the evening of Tuesday, June 3, honored the 150 Running Start students who earned their associate degrees from Clark College while still in high school. That's quite a jump from just 15 years ago, when the program graduated just seven students. Each of these graduates saved themselves (and their parents) more than $6,000 in tuition by taking college courses during their last two years of high school - possibly even more, if they had chosen to begin their college education at a university or private institution. Nearly half the graduates earned a Grade Point Average of 3.4 or higher, and three students graduated with perfect 4.0 GPAs.
Savoring the Sparkle
Annual event recognizes contributions of top donors to Clark College.
A signature event of the academic year, the annual Savoring Excellence reception and dinner program honors individuals for their support of Clark College through the Clark College Foundation. Held on May 19, 2010, the event drew more than 130 guests. The 2010 Presidential Awards for Excellence were presented to Elizabeth "Bess" Gedney Christensen and to Pat and Jim Fencl. (See story below.)
The evening began in the Archer Gallery where visitors savored the excellence of the artwork in the 2010 Student Art Annual. Lively conversations continued as the guests moved up to Gaiser Student Center. The room dazzled with iridescent draperies, glittering tables, extraordinary lighting, and stunning floral displays. A delectable dinner was served by Vibrant Table Catering. Clark College Bakery students crafted the colorful, fruit-tumbled dessert aptly named "Carmen Miranda."
Clark College international student Mira Yi performed traditional Korean drumming to welcome guests to the dinner, which also featured performances by Clark College students Shannon Anderson, Rebecca Montoril, and Jennifer Sutton, as well as 4-year-old Mia Caggianese, a student in Clark's Early Childhood Education program. Mia read "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," accompanied by her "sidekick," Early Childhood Education Professor Debi Jenkins.
Clark College President Robert K. Knight spoke about the state of the college, highlighted accomplishments during the past year, and discussed plans for ensuring a bright future for students and college programs. Knight said, "We have several ambitious objectives ahead of us in the coming year.... In order for us to dream big, to realize our main long-term objectives, to serve the education and training needs of our community, and to really take that giant step towards a bright future - philanthropic support is an absolute necessity."
Clark College Board of Trustees Chair Addison Jacobs was recognized for her 10 years of service to the college as a trustee. Jacobs recently received the 2010 Leadership Award from the Washington state Trustees Association of Community & Technical Colleges (TACTC). Bill and Jeanne Firstenburg, First Independent, were acknowledged for their steadfast sponsorship and support of Savoring Excellence.
Clark College Foundation Presidential Award for Excellence
Three recipients received the coveted Clark College Foundation Presidential Award for Excellence during the 2010 Savoring Excellence dinner. The first was presented to Elizabeth "Bess" Gedney Christensen, class of 1936. Bess, who eventually earned a master's degree from the University of Washington, is known for not only for being one of Clark College's first alumna, but also for her generous financial support of Clark's students and programs over the decades.
"If it hadn't been for Clark College, I don't know how I would have ever gone to college at all," she said. "It has impacted my life in so many wonderful ways." Bess met her husband at Clark and recently established the Harold E. and Elizabeth G. Christensen Scholarship Endowment to celebrate their life together. At age 93, Bess is no longer able to travel from her home in Lompoc, Calif., but appeared in a video message. Her daughter, Chris Marl of Everett, Wash., accepted the award on behalf of her mother.
Jim and Pat Fencl were jointly honored with the Presidential Award for Excellence for their professional success and philanthropic generosity. As an adult, Pat earned an associate degree at Clark College and a master's degree at Portland State University. She went on to teach in Clark's GED program. Pat and Jim have established an endowment for Clark students. It's supported by their children, who honor their parents by making gifts to the endowment on special occasions. "Jim and Pat are remarkable people, but their whole family participates in the endowment," said Lisa Gibert, Clark College Foundation president/CEO. "I know they all share in the joy of this award."
Savoring Excellence is an annual event that salutes members of the Circle of Excellence: members are individuals and organizations who support the students, programs, and faculty at Clark College through annual gifts of $1,000 or more; have lifetime giving of $25,000 or more; and/or designate Clark College as a recipient of their charitable planned giving.
Outstanding Alum named at Alumni-Student Dinner
Worldwide service is the hallmark of this exceptional Clark grad.
"We are all co-creators of a better world." With those words, Rico Selga summarized his experiences at Clark College and the contributions that he has made as an alumnus - contributions which led to his selection as the recipient of the 2010 Clark College Outstanding Alumni Award. Born in the Philippines, Selga came to the United States at age 15, settling in Vancouver and graduating from Mountain View High School. He studied nursing at Clark College, earning his A.A. degree in 1998. He next completed the nursing program at WSU Vancouver, graduating in 1999. He went on to earn a master's degree in human relations from Plymouth State University (New Hampshire) and is continuing his doctoral studies at Portland State University.
In receiving the Outstanding Alumni award during the annual Alumni-Student Dinner on June 2, Selga spoke about his participation in the Model United Nations (MUN) program. He noted that he and his fellow students were the first to represent the college at the national MUN Conference - a tradition that continues to this day. He has credited history professor Dr. Anita Fisher - and class discussions of international travel - as "a big reason for why I do what I do."
Armed conflicts in Kosovo led to the deaths and displacement of nearly one million people. Selga noted, "We talked about it. We wrote about it. But not much more." He decided to do more and became a member of the Balkan Sunflowers, an international grassroots organization founded in 1999 to aid Kosovo refugees. Selga traveled to Kosovo twice, working in camps to assist children and adults as part of the reconstruction in that country. In 2003, Selga joined Northwest Medical Teams, participating in a disaster relief mission to Liberia. In 2010, he travelled to Haiti with Medical Teams International.
Selga joins a distinguished list of Clark alumni who have received the award. They include former Washington State Sen. Al Bauer, environmentalist Denis Hayes, and former U.S. Congressman Don Bonker.
Alumni Scholarship Recipient
During the Alumni-Student Dinner, student Rebecca Zeff received the 2010 Clark College Alumni Scholarship. A member of Alpha Sigma Phi, the Clark College chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, Zeff was selected from among 160 applicants. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is working toward an associate degree as she pursues a medical career. She hopes to continue her education at Stanford University School of Medicine. She told the audience that everything she has "ever really wanted to do required higher education." She noted, "This institution doesn't just serve its community. It also creates community. When I have graduated, I will be proud to be an alumna of Clark College, and I look forward to giving back to this school that gave so much to me."
Approximately 100 people attended the dinner, which was presented by the Associated Students of Clark College and the Clark College Alumni Association with support from Riverview Community Bank. Students, faculty, staff, college leaders were in attendance; alumni included Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt, who also serves on the Clark College Alumni Association Board of Directors.
