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PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Community College is gearing up for its first Emergency Preparedness and Safety event, inviting students, staff, and the wider community to join in and learn vital preparedness measures. The affair, scheduled across multiple campuses from April 25 to May 2, aims to educate attendees on various aspects of emergency preparedness, including personal and pet readiness, campus safety, and more.
Schedule
- Thursday, April 25 – Southeast Campus (2305 S.E. 82nd and Division)
- Friday, April 26 – Rock Creek Campus (17705 N.W. Springville Rd)
- Wednesday, May 1 – Sylvania Campus (12000 S.W. 49th Ave.)
- Thursday, May 2 – Cascade Campus (705 N. Killingsworth St.)
Among the highlights of this initiative is the presence of Freya, the Preparedness Pup, who will assist in demonstrating first aid techniques for pets. Additionally, PCC Emergency Preparedness Manager Lorraine Churchill and the college’s Department of Public Safety team will be on hand to provide guidance and information.
“Our preparedness and safety events serve to help each person gain greater personal strength through preparedness, information sharing and activities,” said Churchill, who has given talks internationally on disaster preparedness and response.
The event also offers opportunities for attendees to learn about signing up for emergency alerts, acquiring essential supplies, and engaging with volunteer opportunities in disaster management. Local first responders will participate as their schedules allow, further enhancing the educational experience.
With the Pacific Northwest prone to various hazards, the event emphasizes the importance of preparing for all types of disaster. Attendees are encouraged to participate actively in these sessions to enhance their safety and resilience in the face of potential crises. For more information or inquiries, contact prepare@pcc.edu, or visit https://www.pcc.edu/public-safety/emergencies/.
About Portland Community College: Founded in 1961, Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to more than 50,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, 10 education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.
Visit PCC news on the web at http://news.pcc.edu/
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ore. – Portland Community College is one of 15 parks and nature projects that were recently awarded grants totaling $2.3 million by the Metro Council. Made possible by the 2019 parks and nature bond measure, PCC received $166,667 for capital improvements provided by Metro funds while the college is awarding $83,333 matching funds.
The three-year project at the Rock Creek Campus (17705 NW Springville Rd) will primarily focus on enhancing accessibility and cultural relevance within the Rock Creek Environmental Studies Center (RCESC) and the campus’ learning garden. Major components include trail accessibility improvements, trailhead enhancements, installation of Indigenous artwork, and the cultivation of culturally significant plants.
Val Brenneis, faculty coordinator of the RCESC, and Miriam Latzer, coordinator of the Rock Creek Learning Garden, will oversee the implementation.
“Our goals are to build healthy and reciprocal relationships, support land stewardship and healing, increase educational opportunities, and provide space and access for cultural connections with the land,” Brenneis said. “The community choice grant process has provided an exciting opportunity to engage with more of our neighbors. Together, we imagined how this public resource could become more accessible and welcoming to all through trail improvements, new signage, artwork, and culturally significant plantings.
“Underlying all of this is a commitment to highlight and strengthen the deep connection between the land and local Indigenous communities,” she added.
Brenneis teaches environmental studies and serves as the RCESC faculty coordinator for the 100-acre natural area. In this capacity, she works with agency, non-profit, and Indigenous community partners to care for the land, coordinate monitoring efforts, maintain safe trail access, and engage in outreach activities with local schools and community groups – the PCC Oaks Partners.
Led by this coalition, the project supports accessibility improvements, community learning and visitor experiences at several locations across the campus. Organizers will plant culturally significant plants and First Foods at the learning garden.
On the north side of campus, the grant funds will be used to improve the accessibility of existing trails through conifer forests to Oregon oak woodland. New informational signage will be created and installed at the trailheads and along the trails to welcome the community and reflect Indigenous cultural and ecological knowledge. In the learning garden, access to a covered gathering area and raised beds will be improved in collaboration with PCC's Accessible Education and Disability Resources team. Finally, artwork by Indigenous artists will be commissioned for the site
The grant will allow staff to build upon the work of the PCC Oaks Partners, which includes Clean Water Services, the Five Oaks Museum, Wisdom of the Elders and Friends of Tryon Creek, Tualatin Soil and Water District, Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District, and more. Facilitated by PCC alum Serina Fast Horse of Kimimela Consulting, the group aims to foster healthy relationships, support land stewardship, expand educational opportunities, and facilitate cultural connections with the land.
These community grants mark the culmination of the pilot round of Metro’s Nature in Neighborhoods Community Choice Grants Program, an initiative placing community members at the forefront of decision-making. The 15 grants are directed towards projects in Metro Council District 4, encompassing Washington County cities and neighborhoods along Highway 8.
About Portland Community College: Founded in 1961, Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to more than 50,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, 10 education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.
Visit PCC news on the web at http://news.pcc.edu/
NORTH PORTLAND, Ore. – At the Portland Community College's Swan Island Trades Center, the Maritime Welding Program recently hosted a completion ceremony celebrating 21 students who earned Maritime Welding and Shipfitting certificates. The Maritime Welding Class of 2024, along with their families, friends, and industry partners marked not only the end of their training, but the beginning of promising careers in a manufacturing industry in dire need of fresh workers.
Many thanked the college's Career Pathways for its outreach and high-touch help. The welding students, especially those who have had life challenges such as non-native English speakers or those recently released from drug recovery, military service, incarceration or homelessness have been given support by the program, provided they qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This includes resume-writing, job coaching and placement, providing tools, personal protection equipment, and even a work boot voucher.
According to PCC Business and Industry Liaison Michelle Parr, these students often are the first in their families to go to college and can train as highly sought-after maritime workers in less than a year. Graduates sought by local unions are offered four-year apprenticeships with starting hourly wages around $30. Eager to speak to these students and their families were PCC’s industry partners in attendance from Madden Industrial Craftsmen CEO Ken Madden; Vigor Director of Production and Ship Repair Walter Stokman; and Diversified Marine President and COO Frank Manning.
Madden shared that since many welders and shipfitters have retired, "PCC is building the future and the people.”
Stokman added, “Industrial America is in trouble and needs you.” With a critical shortage of about 400,000 welders in the industry, he invited students to, “Come in at the ground level, be humble and eager to learn. Then, the world is your oyster.”
Manning announced, “Diversified Marine would like to hire 15 PCC-trained students today.”
These partners consider PCC graduates to be serious, well-prepared and diverse. The Maritime Program provides short-term training in advanced fabrication and welding techniques from blueprint reading to fabrication techniques to cutting, gouging and arc welding. Graduates have tested for a range of highly prized, maritime-recognized certifications.
Lead Welding Instructor and Faculty Department Co-Chair Todd Barnett paid tribute to Rebecca White, a single mother, for her outstanding performance and success in earning both Maritime Welding and Shipfitting certificates. After many years incarcerated, the 49-year-old got clean, and was released into a halfway house. She heard about PCC’s program as she worked as a part-time waitress, eventually completing several specialty certifications in welding. She will likely be welding the new I-205 bridge in Oregon City soon. With her pending union job offer, she says she will earn about $31 an hour to start plus good benefits and raises every six months.
“The more welding skills I get, the more my pay will increase,” said White, who has enrolled for next term, and is contemplating learning to dive-weld. She also spoke of yoga and some light weightlifting as aids to keeping fit for the work and encouraged other women to join her.
“The torch is not that heavy," said White, who once suffered a broken neck as a result of a car accident. "While I’m getting a late start, this is the biggest achievement of my life. If you really want it, get help and make it happen.”
Similarly, after serving as a U.S. Navy mechanic, Daniel Mobley found himself in rough waters seeking stable income to escape homelessness. Now, he has certificates in Maritime Welding and Shipfitting through the G.I. Bill and Career Pathways support. Mobley shared that he has confidence, certifications and can make solid welds.
“The proof is in the pudding," he said. "The people that work for the program are awesome, and I not only tell people about it, but I hand out Career Pathways/STEP cards all the time."
Student A.J. Cole’s grandfather was a welder. So, in January, with three months sober, he enrolled. Now, he has earned his Maritime Welding Certificate and praised his instructors for their “willingness, knowledge, and caring." Cole is planning to apprentice after completing the Maritime Shipfitter Certificate in June.
“After my time in the Washington County Jail and recovery, I learned about Maritime Welding," Cole said. "I’m so glad for a long-term career that’ll pay well. My grandfather and family are ecstatic."
Spring Trades Career Fair
This event is from 12:30-3 p.m., Friday, April 26 at the Willow Creek Opportunity Center, 241 SW Edgeway Drive in Hillsboro. Visit over 50 participating employers, most are hiring! Free and open to the public. Who should attend: Those interested in jobs or meeting with these trade occupations: welding, construction, manufacturing, machining, electrical, HVAC/facilities and more. Anyone wanting to learn about PCC’s workforce pipelines and connections to regional manufacturing.
More more info, contact: Michelle Parr michelle.parr@pcc.edu
About Portland Community College: Founded in 1961, Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to more than 50,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, 10 education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.
Visit PCC news on the web at http://news.pcc.edu/
PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Community College has announced a transformative partnership aimed at fostering diversity and inclusivity in the animation industry with LAIKA, the renowned film studio known for its groundbreaking and award-winning animated films “Coraline,” “ParaNorman,” “The Boxtrolls,” “Kubo and the Two Strings” and “Missing Link.” This collaboration reaffirms PCC and LAIKA's commitment to supporting educational initiatives and promoting equity within the creative arts.
The cornerstone of this partnership is a $60,000 pledge from LAIKA to the PCC Foundation. Over two years, LAIKA will contribute annual gifts of $30,000 to support the newly established LAIKA Scholarship and program funds. This funding aims to create an associate degree in Animation & Motion Graphics, enhancing educational opportunities for aspiring animators in Oregon.
PCC President Dr. Adrien Bennings expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “This collaboration aligns with PCC’s commitment to providing accessible, culturally responsive education. By working closely with LAIKA, we can ensure that our students receive the training and support they need to succeed in the animation industry.”
This partnership will result in three new “Animation” and “Stop Motion” courses, as well as a proposed Animation & Motion Graphics Program (the degree is not state-approved yet). This would provide students a comprehensive curriculum offering that blends traditional and digital animation techniques. Through co-created studios and industry-standard facilities, students would gain hands-on experience and practical skills under the guidance of experienced professionals.
“LAIKA is honored to partner with PCC,” said LAIKA’s Chief Marketing and Operations Officer David Burke. “As a community of creators, artists, and scientists dedicated to advancing the animation medium, we are delighted to play a part in fostering the skills, aspirations, and talents of PCC’s student body. Our commitment extends to nurturing film narratives that encompass a wide range of experiences and to help grow the next generation of storytellers who will carry our art form forward. We can’t wait to offer mentorship and provide the necessary tools for these artists to thrive and shape the future of animation.”
In addition to financial support, LAIKA will provide valuable insights and feedback to shape the program's direction and curriculum. Through annual updates and feedback sessions, the studio will play an integral role in guiding students towards industry success. In 2021, LAIKA partnered with Bowie State University to build the first Stop-Motion Animation Studio at a historically Black college/university (HBCU).
The partnership would help tap PCC’s position as a regional hub for digital arts education. The funding by LAIKA will help boost what the college already offers for associate degrees in Multimedia, Multimedia Certificate and Video Production & Emerging Media. The department as a whole offers degrees in Creative Coding & Immersive Technologies, Music & Sonic Arts, and Artificial Intelligence & Cultural Computing. In addition, PCC has one of the most diverse student populations with 46% identifying as students of color – and a diverse workforce for the studio to tap into.
Also, the partnership includes a PCC Multimedia student focused internship opportunity and portfolio reviews with LAIKA, supported by the Oregon Film Office.
“We are so excited to be partnering with LAIKA and its innovative production studio,” said Erik Fauske, PCC multimedia instructor. “The scholarship donations and program funds will provide financial support to incoming students and equitable access to cutting edge industry tools. LAIKA’s curriculum feedback, portfolio support and guidance on workflow will impact students to be job ready with relevant skills. At Multimedia, we provide an eclectic array of classes in many areas of production and we are so excited to enhance our animation, visual effects, and motion graphic curriculum.”
About LAIKA: LAIKA was founded in 2005 in Oregon by President & CEO Travis Knight. The studio’s five films Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) and Missing Link (2019) have all been nominated for the Academy Award® for Outstanding Animated Feature. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA® Award for Best Animated Film and received an additional Oscar® nomination for Visual Effects. Missing Link was awarded the Golden Globe® for Best Animated Film. LAIKA was awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing. LAIKA is currently in production on its next animated film Wildwood. The studio is developing The Night Gardener, an animated film from an original idea by Bill Dubuque, creator of the hit series Ozark. The studio recently launched a Live Action subsidiary and is developing a feature film based on the action thriller novel Seventeen by screenwriter John Brownlow.
About the PCC Foundation: The PCC Foundation is a nonprofit organization that enriches lives and strengthens the region through support of education at PCC. The Foundation’s vision is that all students in the region have access to an excellent education at PCC and the support needed to succeed, regardless of their ability to pay. A tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the PCC Foundation mobilizes private support for student scholarships and educational programs. To find out more, call (971) 722-4382 or visit pcc.edu/foundation.
About Portland Community College: Founded in 1961, Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to more than 50,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, 10 education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning. Visit PCC news on the web at http://news.pcc.edu/
PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Community College Foundation will host its annual gala, “The Road to Success: That’s Where You’ll Find Me,” presented by Comcast, on Saturday, April 27, at the Hyatt Regency Portland at the Oregon Convention Center.
Local drag performer, community activist, and PCC instructor Poison Waters will guide the audience down the road to success at “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”-themed fundraiser. The event will highlight the inspiring stories of three PCC students as they follow their dreams over the rainbow of higher education and on to future careers that support their families and our community. PCC President Dr. Adrien Bennings will honor the contributions to student success by presenting the 2024 PCC Patron Award to Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Senator Michael Dembrow, and PCC Emeritus Board Member Denise Frisbee.
For over a decade the community has come together to raise critical resources for PCC students during this annual event. The PCC Foundation is committed to building pathways to opportunity for those underserved in our community – and anticipates raising more than $350,000 in donations during the gala to provide scholarships for PCC students.
“We are thrilled to return as the presenting sponsor for PCC’s annual gala and support an event that expands access to opportunity for individuals in our region,” said Marion Haynes, vice president of external affairs at Comcast and PCC Foundation board member. “Together, we can make the dreams of education possible and build a brighter future for our region that benefits generations to come.”
For 2023-24, the PCC Foundation granted $2.2 million in scholarships to 1,500 students. Through fundraising at this spring’s gala, the Foundation hopes to award even more students in need next academic year. One such scholarship the Foundation plans to award in 2024-2025 is a designated Comcast scholarship in honor of the company’s $50,000 sponsorship.
“I love seeing our community come together to celebrate and invest in students,” said PCC Foundation Executive Director Christina Kline. “We are so grateful to our partners, like Comcast, who are committed to paving the road to success.”
For tickets or more information, visit pcc.edu/gala.
About the PCC Foundation:
The PCC Foundation is a nonprofit organization that enriches lives and strengthens the region through support of education at PCC. The Foundation’s vision is that all students in the region have access to an excellent education at PCC and the support needed to succeed, regardless of their ability to pay. A tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the PCC Foundation mobilizes private support for student scholarships and educational programs. To find out more, call (971) 722-4382 or visit pcc.edu/foundation.
About Comcast Corporation:
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
About Portland Community College: Founded in 1961, Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to more than 50,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, 10 education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning. Visit PCC news on the web at http://news.pcc.edu/