Clark College President Karin Edwards Receives Phi Theta Kappa's Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction
For Immediate Release
March 12, 2026
VANCOUVER, Wash.—Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) has recently named Dr. Karin
Edwards, President of Clark College, as the recipient of the 2026 Shirley B. Gordon
Award of Distinction, the Society’s highest honor for community college presidents.
This award is named in honor of the late Dr. Shirley B. Gordon, Phi Theta Kappa’s
longest-serving Board Chair and a lifelong advocate for community college students.
Dr. Edwards will be recognized during PTK Catalyst, Phi Theta Kappa’s annual international convention on March 27, in Baltimore, Maryland. “I am surprised, honored, and deeply grateful for this award and its recognition,” said Dr. Edwards. “I found my niche in community colleges over 35 years ago and never looked back. Our students are phenomenal, and it is my delight to dismantle systems that create barriers for them, provide them with support, believe in them, challenge them, and celebrate their successes. That has been my focus.”
The Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction honors college presidents who have demonstrated sustained, exceptional commitment to student success through academic excellence, leadership development, and access to opportunity. Nominees must have served in their role for at least five years and are selected based on nominations submitted by Phi Theta Kappa students on their campus.
This award is especially meaningful because it comes directly from the highest-achieving students at Clark College. It reflects not only their academic success, but their recognition of Dr. Edwards’ leadership and her commitment to creating opportunity for all students. Through her work, she strengthens pathways to completion, transfer, and meaningful careers—and her students see that impact every day.
“Dr. Edwards goes above and beyond to be engaged in our Alpha Sigma Phi chapter,” said PTK Chapter President, Lindsey Quiroz (pictured right with Dr. Edwards). “She encourages our students to actively pursue service and leadership, and how getting involved can make a huge difference in our academic journeys and our individual success stories.” Quiroz also noted that Dr. Edwards engaged the students to believe that there is hope no matter their background and diversity of our cultures, and that they should be seen, recognized, and celebrated.
Since assuming the presidency of Clark College in 2020, Dr. Edwards has been recognized for a leadership style defined by presence, authenticity, and a deep respect for students' lived experiences. Students describe a president who shows up in meaningful ways—listening carefully, engaging directly, and reinforcing the belief that every student’s story matters.
Throughout her presidency, Dr. Edwards has emphasized that student success is built through connection as much as curriculum. Her leadership reflects a belief that colleges must be places where students feel seen, encouraged, and challenged to grow. Under her direction, Clark College has fostered a culture that values academic achievement alongside service, leadership, and community engagement.
Students point to Dr. Edwards’s willingness to invest time and attention as a defining feature of her leadership. She is known for engaging directly with student leaders, encouraging thoughtful goal setting, and reinforcing the importance of work that benefits the broader campus and community. By sharing her own educational journey, including moments of challenge and perseverance, she has helped students see possibility in their own paths forward.
Dr. Edwards’s leadership is grounded in advocacy and accountability. She consistently speaks on behalf of students in institutional and community settings, ensuring that their voices are represented and their achievements recognized. Her presence and commitment have helped strengthen Clark College’s reputation as an institution where excellence, equity, and student leadership are not aspirational ideals, but lived values.
“Dr. Edwards leads with empathy, clarity, and conviction,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. “Students know that she believes in them—not abstractly, but personally. This recognition reflects the deep trust and respect students have for a president who consistently shows up on their behalf.”
Phi Theta Kappa is the first honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,250 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 active members in the nation’s colleges.
About Alpha Sigma Phi Chapter of PTK
Established in 1991, Clark College’s award-winning Alpha Sigma Phi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) offers its members opportunities for leadership, service, and scholarships at Clark College. Criteria of membership to PTK requires a minimum 3.25 GPA and completion of at least 12 credits at Clark College.
About Clark College
Founded in 1933, Clark College is Southwest Washington’s largest public institution of higher education, serving almost 10,000 students per term. Clark College provides residents of Southwest Washington with affordable, high-quality academic and technical education.
Clark 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 a wide range of students, including high school students, displaced workers, veterans, parents, non-native English speakers, and mature learners. Approximately 47% of its students are in the first generation of 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.
For additional information (media inquiries & photo requests):
Maureen Chan-Hefflin, Clark College Communications & Marketing
T: 360-992-2243 E: mhefflin@clark.edu