Almost 1,800 degrees and certificates conferred to over 1,600 graduates

VANCOUVER – Clark College honored its 88^th graduating class at the 2024 Clark College Commencement ceremony on Thursday evening, June 20, at the RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater. Over 640 graduates and their guests gathered with college faculty and staff to celebrate their achievements. This auspicious ceremony honored students graduating with their bachelor’s or associate degrees, and those earning certificates, high school diplomas, and/or GED completion. 

2024 Commencement Highlights include:

A total of 1,783 degrees and certificates were conferred to 1,616 of the next generation of our community’s workers, leaders, and scholars. This translates to the following:

• 1,193 Associate degrees including:
  • 1,024 graduates earned direct transfer associate degrees to continue their education seamlessly at a four-year university
• 617 graduates completed their associate degree or certification in career-focused fields, ready for the workforce
• 96 Bachelor of Applied Science degrees in the fields of applied management, cybersecurity, dental hygiene and human services including:
  • 5 graduates from the first cohort earning a Bachelor of Applied Science in Teacher Education
• 446 Running Start students who also are graduating from high school
• 431 certificates of proficiency, achievement and completion
• 63 graduates earned  high school diplomas

2024 degrees and certificates conferred included the:

• Bachelor of Applied Science degree;
• Associate in Arts degree;
• Associate in Fine Arts degree;
• Associate in Science degree;
• Associate in Applied Science degree;
• Associate in Applied Technology degree;
• Certificate of Proficiency;
• Certificate of Achievement;
• Certificate of Completion;
• High School Diploma; and General Educational Development (GED) Completion

Speakers at the 2024 Commencement included:

• Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards
• Clark College Board of Trustee President Cristhian Canseco Juarez, in both English and Spanish
• Graduating Student Ziyad El Amrani, Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management degree
• CCAHE Faculty Union President and Professor of Communication Studies Suzanne Southerland

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society for two-year colleges selected the following graduating students for its All-Washington Academic Team, based on academic excellence and community service:

• Addison Johnson, direct transfer associate degree in Bioengineering
• Lisa Segretto, direct transfer associate degree in Psychology
• Ethan Mahan, associate in applied technology degree in Medical Assisting; additional certification in Phlebotomy

2024 Community College Presidents’ Award in honor of Val Ogden was received by Graduate Simon Kirpa. This annual scholarship is awarded to a Clark College graduate who is transferring to Washington State University Vancouver.  The recipient must demonstrate leadership potential, a commitment to community service, and academic achievement.

About Simon Kirpa: 

Kirpa joined the U.S. Army and served as a medic in Iraq, where he demonstrated his leadership skills and his ability to put patients at ease. He chose to continue pursuing medicine after completing his military service and applied to Clark’s nursing program. He completed this challenging program while balancing being a husband and father, caring for his mother, and volunteering weekly at his church to offer free meals to those in need. Despite his responsibilities, he consistently completed high-caliber work in his classes, performed his duties with diligence, and provided excellent care in hospital settings. At WSU-Vancouver, Kirpa will study to become an Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner and specialize in family medicine.

Thanks to the generosity of Clark College Foundation, the Presidential Scholarship taskforce selected two other recipients of a $1,000 scholarship each:

• Alexandra Rose, direct transfer associate degree in Accounting
• Alita Sundberg, direct transfer associate degree in Human Development

Faculty and Staff Awards were also recognized during commencement:

2024 Exceptional Faculty Award recipients:

• Halina Brant-Zawadzki, Nursing
• Sarah Luther, Mathematics
• Sarah Blanchette, Human Services
• Tanya Diaz-Kozlowski, Women’s Studies
• Rebecca Engel, American Sign Language
• Catherine Johnston, English as a Second Language

2024 Exceptional Classified Staff Award recipients:

• Cheryl Davenport, Collections and Specialist, Library
• Jennifer Lea, Program Specialist, Business department

2024 Exceptional Administrative Exempt Award recipient: 

• Vanessa Watkins, Director of Entry Services

2024 Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award:

• Ezekial Wells

About Clark College 

Founded in 1933 and celebrating its 90^th anniversary, Clark College provides residents of Southwest Washington with affordable, high-quality academic and technical education. It is a public community college offering 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. About three-quarters of its students are in the first generation of their families to attend college.   

Located in Vancouver’s Central Park, Clark College serves over 8,000 students per term. Clark College is Southwest Washington’s largest public institution of higher education. The college currently offers classes at two satellite locations: Washington State University Vancouver campus and Columbia Tech Center in East Vancouver. Additionally, the college broke ground this June on its new auxiliary campus, Clark College at Boschma Farms, in Ridgefield, Wash.

Information provided by Clark College Communications.