Echoes of shouts and laughter filled the gymnasium in the O’Connell Sports Center – it was the first day of Clark’s Healthcare Pathway Camp, and the energy was high!

For three days, local middle and high school students immersed themselves in the healthcare field, exploring a wide range of careers through hands-on activities, interactive rotations, and insightful conversations with industry professionals. This camp, now in its fourth year and free for participants – thanks to generous funding by Guided Pathways – sparked curiosity, and perhaps even a calling in a new generation of healthcare workers.

Game On

From the moment students walked into the gym, the vibe was electric. In a mat-flipping showdown that introduced participants to the importance of physical fitness, students battled to cover the floor with their team’s mats, strategizing between rounds like seasoned athletes. It was messy, loud, and full of joy – and that was just the beginning.

That energy carried into the day’s rotations. In the health information management station, Jenga blocks became quiz questions, a giant crossword became a collaborative challenge, and even a round of Pictionary got students thinking about patient care and medical systems.

A few buildings over, students visited the Dental Hygiene Clinic, creating dental molds like pros. They asked questions about wisdom teeth with the intensity of future oral surgeons. Meanwhile, EMT hopefuls practiced CPR and how to administer an EpiPen, picking up lifesaving skills.

Sweet Stakes

Day 2 brought the campers to Clark’s building at the WSU-Vancouver campus, where the tools of the trade changed. From necessary skills to the various career pathways it can lead to, these sessions allowed students to imagine bright futures in the field.

In the medical assisting rotation, students were now the ones holding the stethoscopes. They measured blood pressure, removed stitches from practice pads, tested vision, and wrapped their classmates’ arms in bandages. Some couldn’t resist texting pictures of their arms expertly wrapped in bandages to their families.

The nursing lab introduced the art of wound care and medication measuring, while phlebotomy students learned the science of blood: its components, how to handle it, and how to locate veins on practice arms. There were no actual needles, but the intensity was real.

Interest in Clark’s newest surgical technology program (coming this fall) sparked a steady stream of questions for Professor Jim Reynolds, like the length of the longest surgery he had ever attended (13 hours!), the kinds of surgeries he’d participated in, and whether surgical teams get to have snacks or take restroom breaks during long procedures. Then it was time to put their skills to the test. Professor Jim turned the session into a high-stakes round of the classic “Operation” game—played with low lighting and deliberate distractions to mimic real-world stress where focus was the real test.

At the pharmacy tech station, students read prescriptions filled with cryptic shorthand (just like the real thing) and filled mock orders using Skittles as pills. It was colorful, tactile, and had just enough sugar to keep everyone engaged. Then, they moved into a DIY lip balm lab, measuring, melting, and mixing as they learned about pharmaceutical compounding. Science had never smelled so sweet.

The Big Picture

The camp ended with a lively round of Healthcare Jeopardy (naturally competitive to the very end), and a celebration where families were invited to cheer on their campers. Certificates were handed out. Awards were given. But the real reward was harder to pin to paper: confidence, direction, and the spark of possibility. Learn more about Clark’s Allied Health

Home to one of the oldest and most respected nursing programs in the region, Clark has an established reputation as a premier trainer of health care professionals. The Allied Health programs prepare students for careers in diverse healthcare settings, including home care, hospitals, medical offices, pharmacies, dental offices, and more.

These programs include Dental Hygiene, Emergency Medical Services, Medical Assisting, Health Information Management, Nursing, Pharmacy Technician, and Phlebotomy. Starting this fall, Clark College is adding a new Surgical Technology program, the first of its kind in the Southwest Washington region.

Learn more about Clark’s Health Care and Biosciences programs.

On June 10, we were proud to represent Clark College at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Conference. Our session, titled “Guided Career Pathways: Infusing Career Readiness into the Student Experience,” drew a crowd of approximately 150 higher education professionals and employers from across the country and received overwhelmingly positive feedback.

The presentation tackled a well-documented concern: the perceived disconnect between college preparation and real-world career readiness. We highlighted data from both students and employers, demonstrating the need for stronger alignment between academic learning and workplace expectations.

We outlined Clark College’s dual-track approach to student success, integrating career development alongside onboarding, academic planning, and retention through the Penguin Path model. Our data – from faculty surveys, participation in communities of practice, and student focus group feedback – showcased how Clark faculty are already actively engaged in career-connected teaching strategies.

Career-connected learning is truly a cornerstone of Clark College’s student success strategy, aligning closely with the Guided Pathways framework. This approach emphasizes experiential learning, work-based opportunities, and industry-informed curriculum – critical elements in ensuring that students achieve course and program outcomes that meaningfully prepare them for career advancement. Pillar 4 of the Guided Pathways model states: “Ensure that learning is happening with intentional outcomes,” which includes alignment with successful transfer and career readiness.

One of the session’s key takeaways was the importance of deepening industry engagement, particularly by expanding internship opportunities and weaving career connections into general education coursework – an effort that will be supported with Title III funding.

Clark College continues to lead in developing innovative, career-ready curriculum that bridges the gap between classroom and career. The enthusiastic response to this national presentation confirms that the work happening at Clark resonates with institutions and employers across the country.

Learn More

Learn more about this impactful session by downloading the NACE 2025 conference presentation.

Participation in career-connected learning allows students to gain career-related work experiences, which has been shown to increase student completion and short-term employment/earnings. Learn more about career-connected learning by visiting Clark’s Career Hub.

Director of Medical Assisting Sarah Kuzera (above, far left) stood in her classroom and held up a medical mannequin torso affectionately named “Roberta.” Sixteen middle- and high-school students watched Kuzera demonstrate how to remove surgical stitches and staples. Then it was their turn.

These students were among about 100 students who attended career pathways camps at Clark College during the week of June 25-28. Clark College hosted Health Care Pathway Camp and STEM Pathway Camp for middle- and high school students to consider careers in health care and STEM fields. Both camps were funded by Guided Pathways, Clark College Foundation, and Career Connect Washington. This was the second year these camps were offered to systemically non-dominant students¹. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks were provided, along with a Clark T-shirt.

“Guided Pathways is thrilled to support both the healthcare and STEM camps again this year,” said Rhianna Johnson, director of Guided Pathways and Partnerships. “Sparking interest in young minds is critical for helping students believe that college is a viable path for them. Providing exploratory opportunities to gain hands-on experience in these careers and learning pathways is a hallmark of equitable access, a foundational component of the Guided Pathways model.”

In each classroom and laboratory, students were provided instruction from Clark faculty and were offered opportunities to learn hands-on skills used in those careers. 

Health Care Pathway Camp

The Health Care Pathway Camp was attended by about 70 enthusiastic students who spent one day in Clark’s Allied Health building at Washington State University Vancouver. Students were introduced to a variety of potential careers, including dental hygiene, emergency medical technician, health information management, medical assisting, nursing, pharmacy technician, and phlebotomy technician.

• In the medical assisting classroom, students practiced removing surgical stitches and staples, used a cuff to check blood pressure, performed vision and hearing tests, and wrapped arms with casting material.
• Students in the pharmacy technician classroom practiced counting pill blanks, making hand sanitizer in a simulated compounding pharmacy, and performing syringe draws in a protective hood.
• In the phlebotomy technician classroom, students used syringes to practice injections into artificial venipuncture and injection arms and more.
• In the nursing simulation laboratory, students performed CPR compressions on lifelike interactive patient simulators, practiced treating a deep wound, and more.

In every classroom and laboratory, students were engaged and asked questions as they learned about potential health care careers.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Pathway Camp

The STEM Pathway Camp partnered with Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) to introduce systemically non-dominant students¹ to biology, engineering, chemistry, rocketry, surveying and geomatics, and more. During the free, two-day camp, 30 attendees participated in six activities. Campers also received breakfast and lunch.

Engineering Professor Carol Hsu mentioned that she noticed students were already making connections with each other and exchanging contact information during lunch on the first day of camp.

Activities included:

• Dissecting a lamprey eel.
• Creating plastics from corn and milk to compare the strength, durability, and biodegradability of them.
• Using rocket kits to build their own tiny model rockets. They will have to wait to launch them at an approved park.
• 3D printing. Students created tiny, plastic objects ranging from spiders to penguins.
• A compass scavenger hunt plus a contest to see who could guess the length of 100 feet.
• Touring Clark College campus.

Students were treated to a panel discussion by current Clark MESA students, who talked about their educational journeys, career pathways, and how the staff and faculty helped to demystify college and STEM fields specifically.

Johnson said, “Guided Pathways funding supports opportunities like the Health Care Pathways Camp and STEM Camp to ensure that potential students have access to information and experiences that will help them make positive career choices and challenge stereotypes about who can benefit from jobs in the healthcare and STEM fields.”

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish and Carly Rae Zent

At the Cascadia Manufacturing Partnership Symposium on May 30, Clark College hosted manufacturing industry leaders from all over the region. The Cascadia Manufacturing Network is focused on identifying opportunities facing the manufacturing sector and developing solutions for talent development, marketing, advocacy, and more.

The cross-agency talent team of the network has identified specific focus areas as part of their goal to build career pathways to high-wage, in-demand jobs. As Clark’s Director of Guided Pathways and Partnerships, I serve as a convener for the team and work with industry partners to develop a talent needs survey, and to identify strategies for fulfilling the workforce needs of manufacturing.

To guide this work, we use the Next Gen Sector Partnership Model, a structured framework for connecting businesses, colleges, workforce development, and other community organizations to meet the needs of industry.

Multiple employees from local community colleges, nonprofit agencies, and workforce development organizations attended the symposium to learn about the project’s goals and to learn how they can support career pathways. The conversation included a mix of ideas including career exploration and preparation, job fairs, and internships. Clark College’s new Career Connected Curriculum Liaison, Stephanie Leeper, was on hand to listen and gather ideas related to the college’s Title III grant and career-connected learning initiative.

This project illuminates the high-level possibilities of working directly with employers to create strategies related to career-connected learning and high-wage, in-demand career pathways for students.

Partnerships with our local workforce board, Workforce SW Washington, allow the college to leverage relationships with businesses and employers, and contribute to the regional Quality Jobs framework.

Learn more

Workforce Southwest Washington Quality Jobs Initiative: https://workforcesw.org/investments/quality-jobs

Clark College held its first Guided Pathways and Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Fair on May 22 in Gaiser Hall. Geared for college faculty and staff, the event was a showcase for programs and departments to demonstrate their development of Guided Pathways framework. 

Attendees viewed project exhibits and talked to project leads. They learned about projects and activities that connect students to sustainable career pathways through increased enrollment, improved retention and completion, reducing equity gaps, and ensuring robust program options and resources and culturally inclusive classroom environments.  

What is Guided Pathways? 

Clark College and other Guided Pathways colleges focus on making academic-to-career pathways clear for students.  

Guided Pathways’ college framework provides students with clear program options, an understanding of how to identify the best options for them, support to develop a comprehensive plan for completion, tools for addressing and resolving any challenges along the way, and imbedded outcomes assessment. Internally, it is a vehicle for collaboration between departments toward student outcome goals.  

Clark has an extensive Guided Pathways framework that will lead to improved student outcomes in the next several years.  

How Clark is implementing Guided Pathways 

Clark’s STEM programs displayed their robust plan for infusing Guided Pathways principles for STEM students transferring to four-year colleges.  

Dr. Travis Kibota, a biology professor who is leading the Guided Pathways STEM transfer piece, said Clark is building connections with research communities at four-year institutions, including WSU Vancouver, Portland State University, Eastern Washington University, and others. 

Dr. Roberto Anitori is a biology professor and the STEM lead for connecting Clark’s STEM students with undergraduate research opportunities. This summer two Clark biology students will participate in paid research internships in labs at WSU Vancouver. 

Dr. Anitori said, “Undergraduate research—it’s the new, hot thing. Data backs it up, demonstrating it keeps students engaged.” 

Clark’s MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement) program is the lead for peer mentorship and enrichment for Clark’s STEM students. Román Lara, director of MESA, said MESA provides mentorships between students at Clark College and Washington State University Vancouver. It also provides opportunities for Clark students to participate in enrichment workshops at Portland State University. 

In addition to STEM, exhibits from English, Math, College 101, Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) and Open Educational Resources (OER) and other emerging programs were represented. 

Advising and Career Services have several projects in the SBCTC Guided Pathways 2022-2024 state work plan. The department participated in the Guided Pathways Fair with displays revealing useful information, such as the fact that more than twice as many Clark students choose to meet with academic advisors virtually as compared to in-person visits. Tasaday Turner, associate director of Advising Services, explained that her department is working to increase clarity on who is and who is not using their services. 

She said, “It’s important for Advising to understand the populations we’re serving, and the populations we’re not serving.  We want to dig deeper to ensure all students have access to advising.” 

Additional Student Affairs areas participating in the Guided Pathways Fair included Entry Services, Credentials, Disability Support Services, and others.  

Several displays highlighted the many outreach activities funded by Guided Pathways this academic year, including CTE Showcase Day, Level Up, Noche de Familia, Black Student and Family Day, and ODEI success coaches. 

Rhianna Johnson, Director of Guided Pathways and Partnerships and organizer of the fair, said about the Fair’s success: “It was great to see the turnout and engagement from the campus community. Exhibitors enjoyed putting together their displays and having the opportunity to share information in a livelier format than the typical slide deck. Some participants reported that they were surprised to learn how much activity has taken place during the year related to Guided Pathways.” 

About Guided Pathways 

• Guided Pathways vision: A college that advances racial, social, and economic justice by achieving equitable student aspiration, access, economic progress, and educational and career attainment. 
• Guided Pathways mission: Creating an equitable system that prepares all learners to engage in a diverse society and workforce, achieve economic mobility through educational attainment, and contribute to a socially just society. 
• Listen to Penguin Pathways Podcast 
• Learn more about Guided Pathways here 

About Clark’s Strategic Enrollment Management Plan 

• With feedback and input from departments across campus, the SEM plan is designed to advance racial, social, and economic justice by achieving equitable student outcomes in terms of aspirations, access, economic progress, and educational and career attainment. 
• Learn more about SEM here. 

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish