Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Public Affairs media and website report for November 2011

Photos and story by James Hill

Here is a look at some of the news stories about PCC from around the local area and the nation in November. In total, PCC events and people appeared 53 times in the local community or national online media, newspapers or TV/radio.

Nov. 1: Oregon Live: Local artist Evertt Beidler has been awarded an Ox-Bow Residency Award for an installation artwork that can be ridden called a “walking machine.” The work won Beidler, based in Portland and a teacher at Portland Community College’s Sylvania campus, an award from the nonprofit.

Nov. 5: State-Journal Register (Springfield, Ill.): Rebecca Skloot, aged 16 and sitting in a classroom at Portland Community College, has no idea she’s about to have one of the pivotal moments in her life.

Nov. 7: Oregon Live: Deputy Chief Fred Charlton has been selected as the next fire chief of Clackamas Fire District 1. Charlton earned an associate’s degree in fire science technology from Portland Community College.

Nov. 7: The Oregonian: Mother Dell Taylor comforts son as Portland Community College nurses Evan Ahrendt and Robyn Hossler administer several vaccines.

Nov 7: Asian Reporter: International Education Week starts Nov. 14.

Nov. 8: AASHE Bulletin: New PCC building to seek LEED Platinum and debuts twin fuel cell project.

Nov. 8: Blue Oregon: “What I think Portland Community College has done and what I perceive we’re doing at community college level and making that connection- an affordable connection- from high school to four-year to people who are not going to go to a four-year school, that a two-year education is going to get them what they need, I think has been excellent.”-Kyle Curtis.

Nov. 9: South County Spotlight: Portland Community College plans to spend $2.2 million on a new classroom center in Columbia County that could serve as a stepping-stone to considerably more development east of Scappoose Industrial Airpark, school officials said.

Nov. 10: Portland Tribune: A promise of free tuition, books and fees is a big deal in the college world. But that’s not what gives the city’s “Future Connect” scholarship its drawing power, says Josh Laurie, who manages the scholarship program at Portland Community College.

Nov. 10: Portland Tribune: Local ClearEdge fuel cell buyers included Portland Community College, with many of the company’s technicians trained at PCC.

Nov. 11: The Oregonian: For 20 years, members of the Senior Studies Institute have been organizing classes, presenting lectures and otherwise trying to better their senior selves by keeping their brains engaged.

Nov. 14: Oregon Live: Portland Community College is celebrating its fifty years of serving the community and few people better exemplify that spirit than PCC board of director Jim Harper, who was honored recently with national and statewide accolades.

Nov. 14: Oregon Live: A PCC community service event aims to make this coming holiday season a pleasant one for homebound seniors and residents of community centers.

Nov. 15: Hillsboro Argus: This fall, total headcount and full-time equivalent students have grown by 8.7 percent.

Nov. 16: The Oregonian: Jane Comerford’s favorite pastime is digging up the past. The 68-year-old Northwest Portland resident and former Portland Community College administrator spent most of her life writing budgets and crafting proposals.

Nov. 16: Oregon Live: Julia Brim-Edwards of NIKE, Jill Eiland of Intel, Preston Pulliams of Portland Community College (PCC) and Sue Levin of Stand for Children all spoke passionately about the goals of new legislation.

Nov. 16: The Portland Observer: PCC’s Theater Arts Program send their comedic skills into a frenzy with the play, “Footlight Frenzy.”

Nov. 21: Portland Business Alliance Newsletter: In 50 years, Portland Community College (PCC) has educated more than 1.3 million people. In October, the college celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a kick-off celebration featuring remarks from Senator Jeff Merkley.

Nov. 23: Forest Grove News-Times: As Portland Community College begins $60 million worth of construction and improvements to the Rock Creek campus on Springville Road, three mayors of Washington County cities and numerous business leaders applauded the college’s other building work: partnerships.

Nov. 23: The Portland Press: Darren Cooper, now a member of the Maine Red Claws, got his start in education as a part-time student at PCC while working full-time at night at UPS, taking his mother to chemotherapy and helping run a household that included a sister 10 years younger.

Nov. 23: Beaverton Valley Times: At a recent 50th anniversary event honoring the college’s longstanding business and government partners, Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle, Hillsboro Mayor Jerry Willey and Forest Grove Mayor Pete Truax encouraged PCC to continue building on its partnerships with industry in Washington County.

Nov. 25: Hillsboro Argus: The mayors of three Washington County cities were on hand at a recent partnership breakfast applauding PCC’s bond plans for the Rock Creek Campus and honoring longstanding partnerships with business and governments.

Nov. 26: The Oregonian: Motivated by a class assignment at Rock Creek PCC, Isaac Sunday procured a $3,450 grant to finance 50 benches, six-month salaries for four teachers, and a table for a school back home in his village of Awing in the Northwest region of Cameroon.

Nov. 28: Daily Journal of Commerce: The Portland Plan proposes a special funding strategy to create an education center, based on a partnership between several local school districts, Portland Community College, Portland State University and the city.

Nov. 28: KEZI (Eugene): The Oregon State Board of Higher Education has been in the spotlight lately regarding UO President Richard Lariviere’s contract. The Board is made up of 12 men and women, including PCC District President Preston Pulliams, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.

Nov. 30: KGW TV: 19 year old Isabella Estrada has overcome a rough childhood in the Portland area with the help of a caring, court appointed mentor. She now looks forward to the rest of her life, which includes college classes at the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College. “Yah. It’s a good school,” she said.