1 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

2012 STATE OF THE COLLEGE ADDRESS CLARK COLLEGE PRESIDENT ROBERT K. KNIGHT JANUARY 19, 2012 GAISER STUDENT CENTER

INTRODUCTION

There is something very exciting about the promise of a new year.

Please think about the word promise for a minute.

A promise is a commitment that you will do something – or that you will not do something.

When you make a promise, there’s usually an expectation that you will improve or succeed. There’s a promise of achievement and excellence.

Today, I want to talk about promises.

Promises made.

Promises kept.

The promise of our students – and our college.

The promise of our region.

And the promises that we all need to make to ensure that our students succeed – and our region thrives.

THE PROMISE AND POWER OF LEARNING

American writer and philosopher Eric Hoffer said: “In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future.”

In 2010, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce issued the results of a study about education and jobs.

By 2018, the report said, 63 percent of all jobs will require at least some postsecondary education.

Employers will need 22 million new workers with postsecondary degrees.

If things don’t change, we will fall short by three million workers.

To truly fulfill the promise of learning, you need three things: access, quality and completion.

THE PROMISE OF LEARNING: ACCESS 2 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

One of our promises is to provide access to higher education in our region.

Last fall, nearly 16,000 students attended Clark. The number of full-time equivalent students – we call them FTEs – was 10,332. That was a 2% increase from fall 2010. This quarter, our enrollment is up 1% from last winter.

But we also know that a lot of people - who would like to attend college -can’t afford it.

As state funding has declined and tuition has gone up, the impact has been dramatic.

Just a few years ago – as our college celebrated our 75th anniversary – the state of Washington provided 61.6% of our total operating budget.

One year later, state funding had declined to 52.5%.

It’s now 41.5% and will likely drop below 40% by the end of this academic year.

Instead of being state supported, Clark is now state assisted.

Most of our operational funding comes from sources other than the state. Many of those dollars come from our students.

In the past three years, they have experienced tuition increases of 7%, 7% and 12%. Another 12% increase will take effect next year.

Our Student Affairs staff members see it every day. As one person said: There is real desperation for many of our students to get funding - one way or another.

We see more and more students taking out loans – a 38% increase in the past year – going from $16.5 million to $22.8 million.

This means our students are relying more and more on loans – not just for their education – but for their every day expenses. This translates into more debt for our students.

This will have long-term consequences – not only for our students but for our regional economy.

Our hard-working Financial Aid staff has kept its promise to our students.

By mid-December, they had processed more than 9,800 student files – an increase of nearly 700 from the year before.

The amount of financial aid increased from $48.5 million to nearly $59 million in one year. That’s a 21% increase.

Federal Pell grants increased from $24.3 million to $26.7 million. 3 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

Our Foundation has kept their promise. During the 2010-2011 academic year, donor support through the Foundation provided half a million dollars in scholarships for our students. This year, the need is even greater. The Foundation will award $650 thousand in scholarships.

Last year, the college also received $600 thousand in scholarships directly from individuals and organizations in our region. We hope that support will continue and grow.

But we know the impact of annual tuition increases and more student loans.

It’s devastating – for our students and our state.

How can we break this cycle?

ACCESS FOR THE FUTURE: THE PENGUIN PROMISE

Today – with the support of the Clark College Foundation – we are making a new promise – a Penguin Promise.

This morning, I was joined by Clark College Board of Trustees Chair Rhona Sen Hoss; Lisa Gibert, President & CEO of the Clark College Foundation; and, from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington, Board Chair Carol Opatrny and Executive Director Elise Menashe.

One hour ago, we signed an agreement that provides a path for some members of the Boys and Girls Clubs to enter and complete their education at Clark College. It is called Penguin Promise.

If we succeed in getting community support, a pilot program will begin this fall. Up to 25 students will be accepted the first year.

We envision students entering the program in eighth grade and continuing through twelfth grade.

During that time, the Boys and Girls Clubs will provide mentoring and programs to help these students learn, strive and achieve their educational goals.

Once they are admitted to Clark College, these students will receive scholarships for tuition, fees, and books. They’ll also each have a program mentor.

If we’re successful, up to 25 students may be added to the program each year.

This means 125 students would be in the program when it enters its fifth year in fall 2016.

That’s when students from the first Penguin Promise class will be preparing to be admitted to Clark College.

There are requirements. First, the students must be residents of Clark County who participate in the Boys and Girls Clubs. 4 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

The students must take math and English classes during all four years of high school. They must have an average attendance rate of 90% or above.

They must enter Clark College within two years after they graduate from high school.

They must attend Clark full-time and maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or better.

They will have three consecutive years to complete their degrees.

When they graduate, they will be eligible to compete for a transfer scholarship to a four-year university.Imagine what it would mean if we could promise the same educational and financial support to every student in our region who meets these standards.

Penguin Promise is a step toward that dream.

Rhona Sen Hoss, Lisa Gibert and Elise Menashe and Carol Opatrny are with us this morning. I would ask them all to rise.

Please join me in thanking them for their leadership and their vision.

THE PROMISE OF LEARNING: QUALITY OF EDUCATION

One of the most important promises that a college makes to its students is quality.

The quality of education. The quality of services.

Clark has always had a tradition of educational excellence. That hasn’t changed.

This year, we are expanding our exciting mechatronics program. In simple terms, mechatronics blends mechanical, electronic and information technology. This state-of-the-art program takes place at Clark College at Columbia Tech Center. Mechatronics was a major investment for the college, but we believe it was a smart one. And it’s exciting to know that the business community shares our excitement.

This quarter, we introduced a new transfer degree program in Health Informatics Information Technology. Today’s health care professionals need to keep pace with today’s technology. That’s the focus of this program.

Speaking of today’s technology, we now offer new degrees in graphic design and we have updated our degree program in web design and development.

We have just finalized an articulation agreement with Eastern Washington University. It identifies 11 associate degrees in Career and Technical Education where our students now qualify for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Technology program at Eastern Washington.

Our renowned nursing program is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. You’ll be hearing more about that in the weeks and months to come. 5 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

In 2012, Corporate & Continuing Education will continue to provide new and innovative training in our region. One of our new programs stems from our partnership with PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.

It’s funded by a $200 thousand grant. It will allow PeaceHealth workers to take classes – at the medical center – to be trained as Washington State certified Nursing Assistants. It will give them the next step toward careers including medical and surgical technology, registered nursing, and emergency medical services.

Our littlest penguins are now learning in a wonderful new space. The Oliva Family Early Learning Center was dedicated last September. This project was only possible due to two generous donors – Jan and Steve Oliva – who provided the funds to match state dollars. That beautiful building was honored with a 2011 Community Pride Design Award.

But – and this is important – that building is only phase one of our early learning center project.

For phase two, there are no matching funds. We will need the assistance of our Foundation – and the promise of support from generous donors – to make that part of the project possible.

Another important project at the college was possible this year because of a public-private partnership.

When the Commission on Dental Accreditation visited Clark in May 2010, they told us that we needed to provide more lab space and lab time to maintain our accreditation.

So, this quarter, our dental hygiene students are learning in a new simulation lab. It has individual working stations and adjustable stools for our students.

Some state dollars supported this project. But most of the funding – more than $113 thousand – came from the Roy and Virginia Andersen Endowment Fund at the Clark College Foundation.

The next step for that program is to purchase equipment so our students can learn how to use digital technology instead of film x-rays.

That will also require a public-private partnership.

THE PROMISE OF LEARNING: QUALITY OF SERVICES

Beyond the classroom, even as we’ve made budget cuts, we have stayed focused on the quality of the services we provide. 6 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

This year, we unveiled an online catalog. It was the result of months of work by faculty and staff from across the college. And it has been a hit with our students. From September through December, our catalog webpage had more than 62,000 visits.

This year, our financial aid recipients were able to get their funds electronically through the Higher One system. It’s more convenient for students. It also allowed us to work more efficiently. We no longer had to distribute 5,000 financial aid checks each quarter – by hand.

One of our most popular services is our book rental program. Last year, our Bookstore offered 21 text titles for rent. That translated into 1,200 rentable books. This fall, the program was expanded to include 180 textbook titles - and 75 calculators. In fall quarter alone, our students rented more than 3,000 books – and saved more than $150,000.

We installed a new phone and mass notification system. If there is an emergency, the system will allow us to instantly alert the people in every classroom, office, meeting room, and gathering space at the college. We successfully tested the system last week.

When I asked members of our college community to share their thoughts for this address, many of them said the same thing. At a time of state budget cuts, we are definitely doing more with less.

2011 was a tough year. 2012 will probably be the same.

But I know that every member of the college community takes pride in doing everything they can to support our students.

That is an important promise – made and kept.

THE PROMISE OF LEARNING: COMPLETION

Last month, President Obama met with higher education leaders from across the country. They focused on two key areas: how to curb the rising cost of college and how to improve graduation rates.

It’s estimated that there are 37 million adults who have attended college but don’t have a degree.

Mark Milliron, formerly of the Gates Foundation, has said: “It’s not good enough to get people to higher education…You’ve got to get them through.”

A five-year, $1.68 million Title III federal grant will help us do just that.

This grant allows us to take important steps forward in program assessment and advising.

Program assessment is the process colleges use to make sure that students have truly learned what they were supposed to learn to earn their degree or certificate.

Advising helps students reach their goals. 7 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

But it’s important to understand that completion at a community college means different things to different students.

A new mother may come to us to learn about nutrition for her child.

Someone may come to us needing one computer class.

Others may want to earn degrees or certificates.

So we need to do a better job of defining completion – to help us ensure that our students fully achieve their goals.

In November, the State Board put out a call for two grants to develop programs to improve student retention and completion in our I-BEST programs. I-BEST stands for Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training. As I-BEST students take part in workforce training, they also work with instructors in Adult Basic Education or English as a Second Language. They learn literacy and workplace skills at the same time.

Our Basic Education Department applied for both grants. In December, we got the news we were hoping for. We received both grants – at $30,000 each. That’s $60,000 in support for our students.

STEM is short for science, technology, engineering and math. Our STEM unit has been working to improve student retention through study groups, review seminars and three STEM Help Centers.

They also inspire students to pursue STEM careers. They do volunteer outreach with local K-12 schools. We host the regional elementary Science Olympiad. We also host the regional and state Science Olympiads for middle and high school students.

The Vancouver School District has announced plans to establish a STEM magnet school. Contingent on the state budget situation, they hope to begin classes this fall. Their vision includes high school students taking classes in our building at WSU Vancouver.

In a few years - just across the street from where we have gathered today – we will break ground for a new building devoted to STEM. In the meantime, an old building on that site has come down and will soon be available to students – for additional parking.

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When we think about completion, we look beyond graduation.

Each spring, we host our annual Career Days and Career Fair to connect students to employers in our region.

Last June, we hosted a Health Careers Job Fair.

Last fall, we hosted our fourth nonprofit fair. It matched nonprofit organizations with potential Penguin volunteers. At that event, “fair” definitely meant “good.”

PROMISES MADE AND KEPT: THE CLARK COLLEGE PRESIDENTIAL COIN

Speaking of doing good:

The Clark College Presidential Coin is given to individuals who provide exemplary service to Clark students, the college and the community.

Today, I am pleased to honor three members of our college community:

. Jennifer Wheeler of Information Technology Services . Melissa Favara, faculty liaison in Clark’s Academic Early Warning program and . Jordan DeVan of Registration

OUR PROMISES TO OUR COMMUNITY

One of our promises is to build and grow to meet the needs of our community.

From 2000 to 2010, the population of Clark County climbed from 345,000 to 425,000. By 2030, the population is projected to be 568,000 – with much of the growth in northern and central Clark County.

So, as part of our vision for the next decade, we are exploring options for a new campus in that area. We don’t have a firm timeframe yet. State funding for a building is on the capital funding list in Olympia. But we know it will also require private support.

Last year, in this address, I renewed our promise that Clark would be a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. Since then, we finalized a values statement for diversity and free expression at Clark. You can see it posted throughout the college.

We have also welcomed a new member to our college community. Sirius Bonner is Special Advisor on Diversity and Equity. Sirius brings experience in multicultural recruitment and student affairs from her work at Reed College and Portland State University. She will advise and support our Executive Cabinet, College Council, Cultural Pluralism Committee and the entire college community.

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Each year, we host events that celebrate the richness of our community – from celebrations of Native American Heritage Day - to an event honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - to a celebration of Latino heritage and culture – and many more.

This year, our annual Sakura Festival will have special meaning. The highlight will be the dedication of a beautiful Japanese garden. It is a wonderful gift to the City of Vancouver from Dr. Chihiro Kanagawa. Dr. Kanagawa is CEO of Shin-Etsu Chemical Company, the parent company of SEH America.

The city honored Clark College by proposing that the garden be created on our main campus. The garden will be named in honor of former Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard.

The dedication will be held on April 19. We hope that you will join us for the celebration.

There’s a special feeling when you’re in a beautiful place. Our students tell us how much they love this campus.

I heard it from Nick Ashitey, a student from Ghana, at our international student pot luck last week. Nick has made countless contributions to our college during his time at Clark. I am proud to honor his service by presenting him with a Presidential Coin.

We see the excitement when prospective students visit – and when guests come to Clark for the first time. I also hear it during interviews when we hire new staff and faculty.

Think about it. This garden – a beautiful, regional showcase – was created at no cost to the college or our students. It is located here because of a generous donor and our long-time partnership with the city.

After all, one of our promises is to be a good regional partner.

Another is to welcome potential partners.

Last year, the owners of the Yakima Bears brought forward an intriguing proposal. They wanted to build a multi-use facility where Clark’s baseball field now stands. It would have been home to minor league baseball, Clark athletics, and community events.

We believe this facility would have provided an economic boost for our region. But it sparked a long and often painful debate. We know that many strong feelings still linger.

In the end, the struggling economy provided challenges that couldn’t be overcome - in terms of support from the county, the city and some members of our community.

Still, we are proud that the team and its owners wanted to embrace our college and our region as their new home.

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CLARK COLLEGE ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME: WELCOMING OUR FIRST CLASS

We are also extremely proud of our student athletes - and their coaches and supporters.

On February 25, we will host a ceremony honoring the first class of the Clark College Athletic Hall of Fame.

It is my great honor today to announce this year’s inductees. They are:

Karen (Remy) Morgan Hill - Karen attended Clark from 1969-71. She played volleyball and basketball, where she averaged 33 points a game and set a single game scoring record of 52 points. That record stood for 20 years. She was also known for her jump shot – which was unheard of in women’s basketball at that time. Karen went on to compete in basketball at Portland State. She was a 1989 Women of Achievement honoree. In 1993, she was inducted into the NWAACC Hall of Fame.

Jacob “Vern” Kindsfather - In 2011, the Clark College baseball field was dedicated to long-time Clark baseball coach and teacher Jacob Vernon Kindsfather. Vern Kindsfather was a 20-game winner for the Seattle Rainiers in the Pacific Coast League. He pitched the first perfect game in Northwest League history. For 25 years, Vern coached the Clark College baseball team and taught physical education. He died in 2008 at the age of 84.

Randy Myers –A star pitcher for the Penguin baseball team during his years at Clark, Randy went on to have a stand-out career in major league baseball. In 1989, as a member of the Cincinnati Reds, he was National League Co-MVP. In 1991, he received Clark’s Outstanding Alumni Award. Randy continued his support for Clark athletics by serving as an assistant coach for our women's basketball teams.

“Skeet” O’Connell – Simply put, Skeet is a legend at Clark College – as a coach and a person. A mentor to numerous alumni who still speak gratefully of his influence, “Skeet” arrived at the college in 1946 and was its athletic director until his retirement in 1977. He coached baseball and basketball during many of those years. He also coached golf from 1975 through his “second” retirement in 1987. Our Athletics Building is named in his honor.

Jim Raines is being honored for meritorious service. A passionate supporter of our Penguin student athletes, he has served on the Clark College Alumni Association Board and on the board of the Penguin Athletic Club. In 2007, he received Clark’s Presidential Award for Excellence.

Gaydena Thompson – Gaydena Thompson made history in 1977 by being named the first female athletic director in the Washington state community college system, a position she held until opting to focus her attention on teaching in 1982. Through her classes, college activities and public service, she was a leader in promoting fitness for students and community members alike. Our fitness center is named in her honor. 11 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

Mary Lou White – A long-time advocate for women’s sports, Dr. White served at Clark College for 13 years. In the 1950s, she was a physical education instructor and a coach for sports including an award-winning, coed fencing team and Clark’s softball team. She died in 2007.

Finally, Clark will honor the 1992-1993 Women’s Basketball Team. In a perfect season, they won the NWAACC championship: 33 wins – and no losses.

I want to take a moment to thank the leadership of the Penguin Athletic Club – and another Clark sports legend – Denny Huston – for their passion in making our hall of fame a reality. I am proud this morning to also present a Presidential Coin to Denny Huston.

You will be hearing more about this event in the coming weeks, and we hope that you will join us in honoring these outstanding individuals.

INTRODUCING THE IRIS AWARDS: HONORING WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON

This spring, we will also welcome an event back to Clark College – with a new look and a new name.

The Iris Awards will continue our legacy of honoring women in Southwest Washington.

That tradition began in 1985 when Pat Watne – Clark’s Director of Women’s Studies – created a photography exhibit at the college to honor women in our region.

From that humble beginning, the Women of Achievement celebration grew in size and scope – becoming the largest event of its kind in Southwest Washington.

But it became so large that it simply wasn’t possible for us - or our valued partner YWCA Clark County - to support it at the same level. And we didn’t want to do anything to diminish it.

But we still are committed to that original vision of honoring women in Southwest Washington.

So, in partnership with the Clark College Foundation and the Vancouver Business Journal, we are proud to announce that our regional celebration of women – now called the Iris Awards – will return to Clark College on March 8 – International Women’s Day.

This year, three women are being honored for their contributions to our region. They are:

Lisa Nisenfeld is president of the Columbia River Economic Development Council. She previously served as executive director of the Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council. Lisa works tirelessly to build our region. One of her nominators called Lisa “an inspirational leader who possesses that rare ability to provide both vision and passion to those she leads.”

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Sally Schaefer. A resident of Vancouver for more than 50 years, Sally Schaefer’s service has enriched our community across a spectrum of health, social services, public schools, higher education, international relations, the arts, ecology and local philanthropies. Sally served on the Clark College Board of Trustees for 14 years. She served as treasurer of the Washington State Community College Trustees Association for two years and received the 2000 Outstanding Trustee Award. The 1984 recipient of the First Citizen Award, Sally is described by nominators as a humble, generous woman who is a leader, role model, and inspiration.

Mary Strehlow is the developmental disabilities manager for the Clark County Department of Community Services. As one of her nominators wrote, “The past 30 years have seen a revolution in our attitudes and acceptance of disabilities and Mary has been at the forefront in this revolution. She is a community hero.”

We’re also excited to announce that KGW news anchor Brenda Braxton will be our emcee. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow through the Vancouver Business Journal.

We hope that you will join us in honoring these remarkable women on March 8.

OUR STATE’S PROMISE

In the past few years – as state funding decreased and the economic crisis took hold – our full-time enrollment jumped from 8,800 to nearly 11,000.

Generally, we’ve been able to serve students by cutting back on the hours when services are available, trimming the number of class sections and increasing class sizes, and by relying more and more on talented part-time faculty and staff.

In other words, like many families and businesses, we are doing more with less.

I’ve heard some people – in fact, I’ve heard some of our legislators say – Yes, you’ve had cuts but you’ve been able to keep going.

We’ve been able to hang on, but we know this isn’t sustainable.

We also know the results.

Our reliance on part-time faculty, who are wonderfully talented people, has impacted student access to advising and counseling.

A lack of funding impacts the ability of our faculty to remain current in the state-of-the-art technology that our students need to be successful in the 21st century economy.

As we trim our class offerings, we see the frustration when students aren’t able to get the classes they want and need. This keeps students from moving forward as quickly as they could.

We have had to cut back on the number of seats in Basic Education. That also slows student progress. 13 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

And, since we can no longer add sections based on student demand, can we truly say that we are an open access college?

This is the reality of Clark’s budget situation today. It follows years of budget cuts. And we know that there are discussions about deeper cuts.

Governor Chris Gregoire recommended an additional 13% budget cut for higher education.

At Clark, that would translate into a loss of an additional $3 million. Because our students will be paying more in tuition, the cut may be closer to $2 million.

Beyond the impact on our students, these cuts don’t make economic sense.

As a Washington taxpayer, you see a 6.4 percent rate of return on your investment in our community and technical colleges.

Across the state, we generate more than $100 million in added tax revenues each year. For every dollar that the state invests in community and technical colleges, it receives $1.70 in tax revenue.

All of the messages coming from Olympia and our local legislators make it clear that the cuts to state funding for higher education won’t end anytime soon. Many have said it more bluntly: We will never return to the state funding levels of past years.

These are tough times, and we are not asking for a budget increase. However, more cuts will impact our ability to train the skilled workforce that Washington needs to drive our economic recovery.

In her budget proposal, Gov. Gregoire suggested offsetting the budget cuts to higher education, K- 12 and public safety through a temporary one-half cent increase in the sales tax. That increase which would expire in 2015.

If you share our belief that this is a wise investment in our state, we hope that you will let your voice be heard.

After all, our state has made a promise too. Historically, Washington has promised to invest in higher education because we know that a skilled workforce drives our economy.

OUR SUPPORTERS’ PROMISE

So much of what we are able to do is only possible because of support from generous donors through the Clark College Foundation.

For years, when we talked about the Foundation, we spoke about the margin of excellence that they provide for our students and the college.

Today, the Foundation helps us meet our basic needs.

They provide scholarships for our students and equipment for our classrooms. 14 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

Our Early Childhood Education program is a leader in the state. But it has been housed in old and crowded buildings. Donor support through the Foundation made it possible to build phase one of our new Early Learning Center.

Their support made it possible to build our new dental hygiene lab to ensure that our students get a quality education and that we keep our accreditation.

We will need their support for some of the equipment in our new STEM building. In fact, we need their support for our technology – from our infrastructure to our classrooms. We need their support for equipment for our health and technical programs.

The Foundation purchased the land for Clark College at Columbia Tech Center. That building has helped us meet demand in the eastern part of our service district. More than 2,000 students took classes there during fall quarter. That building is not only beautiful – it’s green. It earned LEED Gold certification. Your support - through the Foundation - made that possible.

We’ll be seeking your help again as we build for the future in northern or central Clark County.

We need your help more than ever to fulfill our mission. It’s that basic.

Over the years, many people have supported the college through the Foundation. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that many people view the Foundation as having so much money that they don’t need any more.

It’s just not true.

Most of the funds donated through the Foundation are restricted. They can only be used in the way that the donor directed.

To look at it another way, the Foundation’s endowment is less than our operating budget for one year.

In today’s world, that’s a sobering thought.

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A PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE

Each month, we welcome a student speaker at our Board of Trustees meeting.

All of their stories are inspiring. I’d like to share one with you.

This student had lost her job. She came to Clark to learn new skills to help her support her children.

Then, unexpectedly, she was hired back.

She had to make a tough decision. Go to work - or continue her education.

With the support of her family – she and her children moved in with her parents. She works at night and takes classes during the day.

When she’s asked when she sleeps, her answer is: in the car while I’m waiting to pick up my kids.

She is doing this because she made a promise – to herself and to her children. She honors that promise every day.

We owe it to her to keep our promises.

We promise to do our best – every single day – to support our students and our region.

But we need our community to honor its promise too.

It’s a promise that was first made back in 1933.

It was a promise made by our business community and a handful of passionate educators.

They promised to bring higher education to Southwest Washington.

They promised to do whatever it took to support that vision.

Look at the results of that promise.

You see it across this magnificent campus – and at our facilities at Columbia Tech Center, Town Plaza and WSU Vancouver.

You see it in the pride of our faculty and staff.

You see it in the passion of our students as they juggle classes, work and their personal commitments.

You see it in the pride of families and friends when that student earns their certificate or degree. 16 | Page – 2012 State of the College Address

I feel that pride as I go out into our community to talk about the wonderful work that our staff and faculty do on behalf of our students.

We are asking our community to once again honor that promise.

We are asking you to do everything you can to support that dream of higher education in Southwest Washington.

It’s a promise to do whatever it takes to help us survive as we emerge from the Great Recession.

It’s a promise to help us ensure that our children and grandchildren know – with certainty – that they can attend college, graduate, and lead rich, meaningful lives.

That’s not only a penguin promise.

It’s the promise of a bright future for our region for generations to come.