Opening Day 2025
Clark employees gathered to kick off the new academic year
Clark College Dr. Karin Edwards addressed the college at the annual Opening Day event.
With fall term around the corner, Clark College faculty, staff, and partners came together on September 15 in Gaiser Hall to celebrate the start of the 2025-26 academic year at the annual Opening Day festivities.
The hall buzzed with conversation as colleagues reconnected other over bagels and coffee, courtesy of IQ Credit Union. Employees browsed tables hosted by IQ, WPEA, and the Clark College Foundation; picked up a Safety Response Protocol card from the safety team; and even posed for a new staff photo with Jenny Shadley from Communications & Marketing.
Following the morning social, the program moved to the stage, where Alijah Machida, new Associated Students of Clark College (ASCC) president, and Board of Trustees Chair Denise Gideon each shared their excitement for the year ahead. Alijah introduced the new ASCC board members, and Trustee Gideon expressed her gratitude to staff and faculty. She also thanked the Clark College Foundation for its partnership, noting that they provided over $5.1 million the last academic year in support of students, programs, and capital projects.
The celebration also included recognition of many outstanding employees. Read more about the 2025 Clark Employee Awards.
Mission: Possible with Dr. Edwards
Dr. Edwards opened her remarks with the day’s theme—Mission Possible. A lighthearted video kicked off the program, featuring Executive Cabinet (EC) members and Oswald as special agents, each bringing unique skills to advance the college’s mission. After the video, Dr. Edwards assembled the EC on stage to welcome employees to the new academic year, setting a tone that was both celebratory and purpose driven.
She continued by acknowledging the challenges facing higher education, noting that institutions are in a continuous wave of change. She reminded the audience that in times of uncertainty, it is crucial not to lose sight of purpose.
“Our purpose serves as an anchor,” she said, affirming that Clark remains firmly committed to educating, empowering, and elevating students while building an inclusive, equitable, and vibrant community.
She highlighted several examples of this mission in action, including:
- Rising enrollment, retention, and graduation rates among systemically non-dominant students.
- Increases in students transferring to four-year colleges.
- The launch of new initiatives like Career Hub, and the student engagement platform Watermark later this year.
- Continued momentum with Guided Pathways and expanded use of Open Educational Resources, which have boosted student success rates across all groups.
- An economic impact study showing in 2023-24, Clark activities generated $656 million in added income for Southwest Washington, and supported more than 7,000 jobs, contributing to $1billion in benefits for Washington state.
At the same time, Dr. Edwards acknowledged challenges ahead particularly budget constraints as the state transitions to a new funding model. She assured employees that Clark is carefully planning to minimize the impact and building on its strength through accreditation, workforce partnerships, and a strong culture of collaboration. Sharing stories of employees like Thao Schmidt and Sabra Sand, former students in leadership roles at Clark today, she underscored the college’s commitment to investing in its people and building trust across the community.
“By investing in communication and deepening trust,” she concluded, “we create a community where are students can thrive, and where Mission Possible becomes real in every classroom, office, and corner of our college.”
Becoming Student Ready
Left to right: Dr. Terry Brown, Dr. Tia McNair, Vanessa Neal, Alyssa Montminy, and Dee Harris.
This year’s Opening Day event featured keynote speaker Dr. Tia McNair, who challenged the audience to reflect on what it means to be “student ready.” In an energetic and interactive session, she emphasized that resiliency requires institutions to reimagine practices and dismantle outdated structures that no longer serve students. She encouraged faculty and staff to see inclusivity as a shared responsibility—one that ensures every member of the college community feels connected to Clark’s mission and values.
Throughout her speech, Dr. McNair highlighted the importance of aligning purpose-driven goals with evidence-based strategies. She urged educators to translate data into practice, build strong partnerships, and clearly articulate to students the value of how classroom learning connects to real-world skills.
“Resiliency is about purpose,” she reminded the audience. “Our practices must reflect our mission and values.”
By staying adaptive, collaborative, and committed to truth-telling, Dr. McNair said, Clark can continue strengthen its capacity to prepare every student for success.
Employees enjoyed lunch outside at Andersen Fountain following the event.
Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley
More photos from Opening Day can be viewed on flickr.