Clark College commencement ceremony to be held on June 21

For Immediate Release
May 17, 2018

For additional information (media inquiries only):
Hannah Erickson, Communications & Marketing
T: 360-992-2954 E: herickson@clark.edu
High-res photos of Charity and previous Clark College Commencement ceremonies available upon request.

This year’s ceremony features keynote speaker John D. Deeder

VANCOUVER, Wash. – On Thursday, June 21, Clark College will honor its 82nd graduating class at the 2018 Clark College Commencement ceremony. The ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Sunlight Supply Amphitheater. The keynote speaker is John D. Deeder, recently retired superintendent of Evergreen Public Schools.

More than 700 students are expected to participate in the ceremony, celebrating the completion of their bachelor’s degree, associate degree, certificate, and/or high school diploma or equivalency.

The ceremony also will include the announcement of 2017-2018 Community College President's Award. This annual scholarship is given to a Clark College graduate who is transferring to a degree program at Washington State University Vancouver (WSUV) and who demonstrated leadership potential, a commitment to community service, and academic achievement. The scholarship award provides full-time tuition and is renewable for one additional year, essentially providing full tuition to complete a bachelor's degree.

The Sunlight Supply Amphitheater is located at 17200 NE Delfel Road in Ridgefield, Wash. Tickets are not required to attend. Anyone needing accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at (360) 992-2314 or (360) 991-0901 (VP), prior to the event. For more information visit www.clark.edu/cc/commencement.

About John Deeder

John Deeder served as Superintendent of Evergreen Public Schools for 15 years. He retired in 2017 after 48 years as an educator. Prior to his time at Evergreen, he was an administrator, principal, teacher, counselor, and coach in several Oregon school districts.

Deeder received his Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Idaho and his Master of Arts in Teaching from Lewis and Clark College. He has his Principal Credential from Portland State University and Superintendent Credential from Lewis and Clark College.

Deeder has done private consulting, including work for the Northwest Regional Laboratory as an “Onward to Excellence Trainer” and as an adjunct professor of instructional theory for Portland State University.

While in Clark County, Deeder has served on the boards of numerous organizations and non-profits, including the Fort Vancouver National Historic Trust, Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, the Columbia River Economic Development Council, the Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council, Partners in Careers, nConnect, the STEM Network, Columbia River Mental Health, Boys and Girls Club, and others.

Deeder and his wife, Janet, have two grown children. They recently welcomed their first grandchild.

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.

[NOTE: This news release was updated June 11, 2018, to reflect a change in keynote speaker.]

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