News Releases

Rising to the moment in challenging times:
Clark’s 2010 State of the College Address 

Clark College President Robert K. Knight will deliver 
the 2010 State of the College address on Thursday, Jan. 14

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Against a backdrop of record enrollment and cuts in state funding, Clark College President Robert K. Knight will deliver the 2010 State of the College address on Thursday, Jan. 14. 

The event will take place at 11 a.m. in the Gaiser Student Center on the college’s main campus.  Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.  Clark College is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver.  Parking maps and driving directions are available at www.clark.edu/maps.

Knight will discuss accomplishments and challenges from the past year including the steps taken by the college to meet record demand.  In fall 2009, Clark welcomed more than 16,000 students.  It also successfully opened Clark College at Columbia Tech Center. 

Knight will also provide an overview of Clark’s contributions to the region as well as discussing the fiscal situation facing Clark and other colleges as the State Legislature convenes in Olympia. 

In addition to delivering the keynote address, Knight will visit Clark College at Columbia Tech Center, Clark College at Town Plaza and Clark College at WSU Vancouver to mark the annual State of the College event.

As part of the college’s ongoing commitment to service learning, students, faculty, staff and guests are invited to bring nonperishable food donations to the State of the College Address.  Clark Student Ambassadors will collect donations at the event.  Donations can also be taken to the college’s Welcome Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. that day.  The Welcome Center is located on the lower level of the Penguin Union Building. 

The food donations will be given to Share Vancouver, which provides shelter, food and emergency services through four shelters.  Their goal is to assist people in getting back into permanent housing and alleviate the factors which lead to homelessness. 

Share Vancouver provides daily meals for the homeless and low-income members of our community.  The program serves more than 135,000 meals each year and the number continues to grow as the need increases. 

As part of their Children’s Hunger Initiative, Share Vancouver coordinates a “backpack program” in which food is provided after school on Fridays to more than 650 children in 28 regional elementary schools.  Without those food-filled “backpacks,” many of those children would likely go hungry during the weekend.  For that project, foods such as granola bars, fruit rolls, canned tuna, soup, cereal, crackers, peanut butter, jam and juice boxes are especially welcome. 

Knight said, “We know that many of our residents are in need during these tough economic times.  We also know that supplies at many food banks are low.  This is an opportunity for our college community – and our community as a whole – to reach out and make a difference.” 

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