This year’s ceremony features keynote speaker John Deeder and awards graduate Grace Moe with the Community College Presidents’ Scholarship
VANCOUVER — Clark College honored its 82nd graduating class at the 2018 Clark College Commencement ceremony held Thursday evening, June 21, at the Sunlight Supply Amphitheater. More than 2,300 degrees and certificates were conferred on the next generation of our community’s workers, leaders, and scholars.
Highlights from this year’s ceremony include:
• Approximately 750 graduates participated in the commencement ceremony.
• This year’s graduating class included 476 Running Start graduates—a new record for the college, which has the largest Running Start program in the state.
• The student speakers was Associate of Arts degree recipient Valeria Flores.
• The ceremony honored students graduating with their bachelor’s or associate degrees, as well as those earning certificates, high school diplomas, and/or GED completion.
• This year’s commencement speaker was John Deeder, recently retired superintendent of Evergreen Public Schools.
• During the ceremony, Clark College President Robert K. Knight announced the names of the recipients of the 2018 Exceptional Faculty Awards: computer technology instructor Bruce Elgort; English as a Second Language professor Sara Gallow; music professor Richard Inouye; mathematics professor Dr. Kanchan Mathur; and addiction counselor education instructor Don Wissusik.
• Graduate Grace Moe was the recipient of the 2018-2019 Community College Presidents’ Award in Honor of Val Ogden. This annual scholarship is given to a Clark College graduate who demonstrates leadership potential, a commitment to community service, and academic achievement. The scholarship award provides full-time tuition at Washington State University Vancouver (WSUV) and is renewable for one additional year, essentially providing full tuition to complete a bachelor’s degree. See below for biographical information.
About Grace Moe
This year’s recipient of the Community College Presidents’ Award in Honor of Val Ogden was Grace Moe, who graduated with an Associate of Arts transfer degree.
“She has shown an exemplary work ethic, participating in student government and volunteering with community organizations while maintaining a high GPA,” said Clark College President Robert K. Knight in announcing the scholarship during the college’s 2018 Commencement ceremony.
Moe came to Clark College through the Running Start program, which allows high school students to earn college credit. A first-generation college student, Moe has excelled at Clark, serving as the president of the Associated Students of Clark College (student government) and earning a cumulative GPA of 3.82. In addition, she has volunteered with Friends of Trees, the Clark County Food Bank, and New Heights Church.
Moe, 17, says that this scholarship will allow her to complete her bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing in two years, when she will be 19 years old; because her parents are unable to financially contribute to her college tuition, without the scholarship she would have had to attend WSUV part-time in order to earn enough to cover the costs. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she intends to spend a year volunteering with her church before beginning a career at a local business.
“My roots are definitely ingrained in this area,” said Moe, who has lived in Vancouver her whole life. “I plan to give back to the community that raised me, by working in the area so that I can continue to volunteer and serve for Vancouver.”
About Clark College
Located in Vancouver’s Central Park and serving more than 12,000 students per quarter, Clark College is Southwest Washington’s oldest public institution of higher education. The college currently offers classes at two satellite locations: one on the Washington State University Vancouver campus and one in the Columbia Tech Center in East Vancouver. Additionally, its Economic & Community Development program is housed in the Columbia Bank building in downtown Vancouver.
