Clark College Celebrates The 90th Graduating Class Of 2026 (Photo) - 06/19/26

More than 2,800 Degrees and Certificates Conferred to Clark’s Graduates

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Clark College proudly honored its 90^th graduating class at the 2026 Clark College Commencement ceremony on Thursday evening, June 18, at the Cascades Amphitheater. Nearly 700 graduates crossed the stage, as family, friends, faculty and staff gathered to cheer and celebrate their achievements. 

In total, 2,816 graduates were recognized for completing educational milestones, including bachelor’s and associate degrees, professional certificates, high school diplomas, and GEDs. The college awarded just as many degrees and certificates—reflecting a 49% increase in total awards over 2025 and underscoring Clark’s expanding impact on the regional workforce and educational attainment.

“We all know the critical role community colleges play,” said Clark College President Karin Edwards. “They are the front door to higher education for millions. Almost 40% of all undergraduates in this country are enrolled at a community college. Serving more than 10 million students a year, community colleges are nothing short of a force in this nation. Clark College is part of that force."

2026 COMMENCEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

A total of 2,816 degrees and certificates were conferred, with the same number of graduates recognized—future leaders, workers, and scholars in our community.

This translates to the following:

• 1,634 Associate degrees awarded, including 1,319 direct transfer degrees for students continuing at four-year universities
• 1261 career-technical graduates earned workforce-ready degrees or certifications
• 126 Bachelor of Applied Science degrees awarded in Applied Management, Cybersecurity, Dental Hygiene and Human Services
• 458 Running Start students earned both their high school diplomas and Clark credentials
• 946 professional certificates of proficiency, achievement, and completion were conferred
• 80 graduates earned high school diplomas through Clark’s programs

2026 Degrees and Certificates conferred included:

• Bachelor of Applied Science degree
• Associate in Arts degree
• Associate in Fine Arts degree
• Associate in Science degree
• Associate in Applied Science degree
• Associate in Applied Technology degree
• Certificate of Proficiency
• Certificate of Achievement
• Certificate of Completion
• High School Diploma; and General Educational Development (GED) Completion

STUDENT HONORS AND SCHOLARSHIP HIGHLIGHTS

Graduating Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All Washington Academic Team Honorees for two-year colleges, selected for demonstrating academic excellence and community service:

• Lindsey Quiroz — Associate in Arts degree. Lindsey will continue at Clark as part of the nursing program.

• Noah Shular — High school diploma and Associate in Arts degree. Noah plans to attend the University of Washington to study pre-law.
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2026 Community College Presidential Scholarship Award Honorees

Clark College is proud to announce Camille Villaneuva as the recipient of the 2026 Community College Presidential Scholarship. Awarded to a Clark College graduate who is transferring to a four-year institution, the $15,000 award provides the equivalent of two years of in-state tuition towards their bachelor’s degree. The annual award’s recipient must demonstrate leadership potential, a commitment to community service, and academic achievement. This year, the scholarship was generously funded by the Clark College Foundation.

About Camille Villaneuva: 
Graduating with an associate in science degree in electrical engineering, Villaneuva exemplifies academic excellence, strong leadership, and a deep commitment to service. After moving to the United States from the Philippines, Camille navigated the challenges of learning English as her second language while balancing her studies in engineering, a field where women are often underrepresented. She served as an event coordinator for Clark’s Activities Programming Board, is an active member of MESA(Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement), and volunteers with the Penguin Pantry. Villaneuva hopes to advocate for women in STEM and use her engineering skills to improve the lives of people with disabilities. She plans to continue her studies at Portland State University.

Thanks to the generosity of Clark College Foundation, the Presidential Scholarship taskforce selected two other recipients ($1,500 scholarship each):

Alijah Machida — Alijah is the ASCC student union president during the 2025-26 academic year. He graduated with an Associate of Science and plans to study civil engineering at Washington State University in Pullman.

Katherine Tisdale — Katherine is a Running Start graduate and earned both her high school diploma and an Associate of Arts with a concentration in psychology. She plans to continue her studies at Washington State University in Vancouver.

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS

• Dr. Karin Edwards, Clark College President
• Marilee Scarbrough, Clark College Board of Trustees Chair
• Avreet Kaur Dhami, graduating student speaker, Associate in Applied Technology with a concentration in Computer Science
• Cydney Topping, Professor of English and 2025-26 Exceptional Faculty Award recipient 

Graduates received parting words of inspiration from this year’s speakers.

Dr. Edwards reminded graduates: 

“By betting on yourself, you didn’t just change your own life; you began changing this community. You are not here to simply inherit the future; you are here to build it. Wherever your path leads, lead with humanity. Care for the people around you—and care for yourself—and leave every place you frequent better than you found it. Reach back and help someone else up.”

Chair of the Board of Trustees, Marilee Scarbrough, encouraged the Class of 2026: 

“As you have demonstrated during your time at Clark, courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is moving forward anyway. Your education at Clark has prepared you for your next leap. Take that step with the strength, courage, and persistence that you developed at Clark.”

Exceptional Faculty award recipient and speaker, Cydney Topping shared:

"Most people don't walk confidently through life with a perfectly written manuscript. We are all figuring it out as we go. So don't worry about the pressure to have a clear plan. What matters most is finding the courage to just say yes, even in the smallest moments."

ABOUT CLARK COLLEGE 

Founded in 1933, Clark College is Southwest Washington’s largest public institution of higher education. Clark College provides residents of Southwest Washington with affordable, high-quality academic and technical education. This public community college offers more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including bachelor’s and associate degrees; professional certificates; high school diplomas and GED preparation; and non-credit community and continuing education. Clark serves almost 10,000 students, including high school students, veterans, displaced workers, multilingual and mature learners. About three-quarters of its students are the first in their families to attend college.   

Clark College’s main campus is located in Vancouver’s Central Park, with classes also held at Washington State University Vancouver, Columbia Tech Center, and the new Advanced Manufacturing Center in Ridgefield, Wash.

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CLARK COLLEGE GRANTS TENURE TO SEVEN EDUCATORS (Photo) - 06/11/26

Tenure is awarded by the college’s board of trustees based on professional excellence and outstanding abilities in their disciplines. The granting of tenure is based on the recommendations of tenure review committees to the Vice President of Instruction, which are then forwarded to the President, who presents a final recommendation to the board of trustees. Recommendations are based on self-evaluations, tenure review committee evaluations, student evaluations, supervisory evaluations, and peer evaluations. The final decision to award or withhold tenure rests with the board of trustees.

Kevin Edwards, Library                                     

Kevin earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Southern Oregon University and both a Master’s in Fine Arts and a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Washington. He has served in roles within academic libraries for the past 14 years, primarily at Portland Community College, before joining Clark College as the Technical Services and Systems Librarian. As part of his commitment to professional services, Kevin has actively contributed to his field through his involvement on the editorial boards of the Journal of Access Services and Art Documentation, as well as serving on several committees within the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a prominent library consortium spanning across 38 academic institutions in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

Kevin honors students’ lived experiences, acknowledging them as knowledge creators and information consumers. He actively facilitates conversations that make explicit the issues of power, access, and social justice inherent in information creation and retrieval.

Jeff Rush, Diesel                                       

With more than two decades of industry experience, Jeff brings extensive expertise to Clark’s Diesel department. After earning an Associate of Applied Science degree from Mt. Hood Community College, he honed his teaching skills as an instructor for technical colleges and international companies. In 2023, Jeff joined the Clark College Diesel team, leading classes that prepare students to enter the workplace as entry-level technicians with careers that adapt to ever-changing technology. 

Bo Li, Nursing

Bo earned a Bachelor of Medical Science in Nursing and a Master of Medical Science in Nursing from Nanchang University in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China. He is currently pursuing both a post-graduate certificate in Clinical Nurse Educator and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Leadership degree from Jacksonville University. Bo became a full-time faculty member at Clark College in 2022 after 10+ years of experience as nursing faculty at colleges and schools in China and as a staff RN at hospitals and medical centers in the Pacific Northwest. 

His teaching philosophy focuses on building a respectful and trustworthy relationship between the learner and educator. He sees himself as a guide and mediator to learning, with the belief that students’ needs come first, nursing school can be fun, and educators should be easy to approach.

Sarah Blanchette, Addiction Counselor Education

Sarah earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Davis, and a Master’s in Social Work from Eastern Washington University. With more than 25 years of experience in the Human Services field — including 12 at the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) — Sarah has developed a culturally responsive approach to teaching. She centers Diversity, Access, and Inclusion in everything she does, including creating learning environments that center on student culture, language, and lived experience. Her career as a practitioner and trainer allows her to help adult learners thrive and students to be competitive in the workplace, as she brings a strong foundation of subject matter expertise to the classroom. Sarah has been a faculty member at Clark College since 2019.

Nicole Mottier, History                                             

Nicole earned a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies (History) from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, a Master of Philosophy degree in Latin American Studies (History) from Oxford University, and a Ph.D. in History (Latin America) from the University of Chicago. She brings a wealth of knowledge on her subject matter to Clark College, including 10+ years as a professor at Stetson University in Florida, before joining Clark's history department in 2023.

Nicole’s teaching is rooted in an inclusive and empowering pedagogy that encourages students to improve their critical thinking skills and achieve their educational, personal, and professional goals. With a commitment to meeting students where they are, she uses culturally responsive teaching methods, active learning strategies, and a variety of assessments to provide students with a transformative education. 

Tina Jenkins, Mechatronics

As a student, Tina worked as a lab technician in the mechatronics program while earning a Bachelor of Science in Applied Technologies from Eastern Washington University. She worked as an equipment technician in the semiconductor manufacturing industry before joining Clark College’s mechatronics department in 2022.

With a focus on interactive, hands-on learning, Tina believes students are more likely to understand concepts when provided with multiple learning methods.

David Zonana, Environmental Science                                              

After graduating from Bowdoin College, a small liberal arts college in Maine, David discovered his passion for teaching as an outdoor education teacher at the Catlin Gabel School in Portland. He continued building his teaching skills by earning a Ph.D. at the University of Colorado, where he studied bird behavior and evolution. With the support of a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship, David spent four years at the University of Denver, teaching and researching the evolution of island populations of insects. His broad interests in biology have led to his involvement in many diverse research projects, including the behavioral ecology of condors, the responses of desert populations of quail to climate change, and the migratory behavior of barn swallows in western China. 

David believes that passion for science is fostered by directly involving students with the scientific process, and this effect is further amplified when lessons take place in nature. He eagerly incorporates scientific research and local conservation into authentic educational experiences for Clark College students.

About Clark College 

Founded in 1933, Clark College provides residents of Southwest Washington with affordable, high-quality academic and technical education. It is a public community college offering more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including bachelor’s and associate degrees; professional certificates; high school diplomas and GED preparation; and non-credit community and continuing education. Clark serves a wide range of students including high school students, displaced workers, veterans, parents, non-native English speakers, and mature learners. Approximately half of its students are in the first generation of their families to attend college.  

About Clark College Board of Trustees 

Appointed by the Governor of Washington, the Clark College Board of Trustees consists of five members who serve a five-year term and must live in the college’s service district. The Board seeks to ensure the quality and relevance of college programs and provide stewardship of public resources. In this role, the Board is responsible for strategic planning; development and approval of college policies; and approval and oversight of the operating budget. The Board of Trustees meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Learn more.

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Four Clark College Honor Students Chosen For All-Washington Academic Team (Photo) - 06/04/26

Clark Scholars Recognized for Academic Excellence and Stories of Determination

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Four Clark College honor students were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement and determination at the 29th annual All-Washington Academic Team ceremony on April 23 at South Puget Sound Community College in Lacey.

Samantha Hansen, Lindsey Quiroz, Noah Shular, and April Warnock 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 joined more than 90 scholars from across Washington State who are pursuing transfer or workforce pathways and demonstrating excellence both in and out of the classroom. Each student received a $210 scholarship from Key Bank. They are also eligible for additional scholarships from private sponsors and transfer scholarships for four-year colleges and universities.

Samantha Hansen

Samantha Hansen discovered her passion in Clark’s Professional Bakery and Pastry Arts program. She always loved baking, but the program showed her she’d love to do it professionally, too. She has one more year in the program, during which she’ll select an externship at a local bakery. The mentorship of her professors helped shape her dream: combining baking with her love for community. She plans to one day own a bakery that’s also a welcoming community space.

Lindsey Quiroz

Lindsey Quiroz grew up around hospitals, witnessing her brother battle cancer and caring for her own daughter, who suffered a congenital heart defect. She also comes from a long line of Native American healers. As a single mom with two kids, Workforce Education Services and FAFSA funding empowered her to attend Clark. After she graduates with her Associate of Arts degree in June, she will transfer to the University of Washington to study nursing. She plans to become a nurse practitioner with her own clinic serving nondominant populations, or, possibly, a neurosurgeon.

Noah Shular

Noah Shular spent the first part of his life in Tanzania, where he witnessed his parents work in humanitarian aid. His experiences there inspired him to pursue international law so he can one day protect the vulnerable on a global scale. Running Start at Clark College challenged him academically, helped him find community, and helped him pursue his passions. Noah will graduate with both his high school diploma and his Associate of Arts degree, and plans to attend the University of Washington to study pre-law. 

April Warnock

April Warnock raised two boys on her own while working in restaurants. She loved it, but at 45, it was time to focus on herself. She decided to pursue healthcare, inspired by the hospital workers who were there for her while her mother was treated for breast cancer. April will graduate in June with her Associate of Arts degree and plans to attend the Nursing Program at Clark. She wants to work in emergency medicine and advocate for victims of sexual assault.

About All-Washington Academic Team program 

The All-Washington Academic Team is a program of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges. Sponsors of the All-Washington Academic Team program are Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges, Washington State Association of College Trustees, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges. 

Scholarship sponsors are Key Bank ($210 awarded to every member); Washington State Employees Credit Union ($780 awarded to the top 16 members); and Washington Association of College Trustees ($1,000 awarded to the top three team members). 

About Clark College 

Founded in 1933, Clark College is Southwest Washington’s largest public institution of higher education. Clark College provides residents of Southwest Washington with affordable, high-quality academic and technical education. This public community college offers more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including bachelor’s and associate degrees; professional certificates; high school diplomas and GED preparation; and non-credit community and continuing education. Clark serves almost 10,000 students including high school students, veterans, displaced workers, multilingual and mature learners. About three-quarters of its students are the first in their families to attend college.   

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