This content was published: September 15, 2008. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Cascade hosts first-ever campus open house
Photos and story by James Hill
Portland Community College’s Cascade Campus will show its appreciation for its friends and neighbors later this month with the first annual Cascade Campus Open House.
The event is set for 3 to 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 19. It will give members of the community the opportunity to tour the North Portland campus, have a bite to eat, and get a firsthand look at all that Cascade has to offer.
“We would be nothing without the support of the people in this community,” said Algie Gatewood, campus president. “We exist for them and because of them, and this open house is a chance for us to show just how much we appreciate their support.”
The event at Cascade, 705 N. Killingsworth St., will feature a barbecue meal at 4 p.m. in the Borthwick Mall (while supplies last), music, games, activities and a range of information on the campus’ academic offerings, clubs and services. Attendees will even have a chance to apply on the spot for fall term admission, which begins on Monday, Sept. 22. A pair of special guests, state Reps. Tina Kotek and Chip Shields – will be on hand to greet visitors.
A student outreach squad will lead tours of the campus throughout the day, which will feature exhibits and demonstrations from many of the campus’ academic programs. Visitors will have the chance to experience the campus’ state-of-the-art multimedia lab, see its emergency services training facilities – where Portland’s next generation of police officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, 9-1-1 operators, and emergency managers learn their trades – and view the art gallery, to name a few.
“We have so much to offer here, and we’re so proud to be making a positive difference in the lives of the people in our neighborhood,” Gatewood said. “It’s our goal to be the educational anchor and the economic engine of this community, and I truly believe we are doing that.”
Gatewood added that he hopes the open house will help to expose more people to the opportunities available to them at Cascade Campus, particularly with regard to workforce development.
“Our students come from all walks of life, and all phases of life,” he said. “We have young people just out of high school, and some who are still in high school. We have working people who are looking to change careers, and we have people who are simply interested in broadening their horizons. We really are a campus of the community, not just a campus in the community.”
The Cascade Campus Open House is sponsored by State farm Insurance, The Portland Skanner, Neil Kelly Co., Yost Grube Hall, The Portland Observer, and DLR Group.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »