The Advocate, Issue 29 - May 24, 2019 by The Advocate

Volume 53, Issue 29 MAY 24, 2019 advocate-online.net

Cracks in US healthcare PAGE 2

Students represent in campus gallery PAGE 5

Put an end to math anxiety PAGE 6

MHCC TAKES NWACS BY 'FORM' PAGE 4

Advocate takes first in PNAJE competition PAGE 8

>>>>

2019 FIRST PLACE

General excellence

Pacific Northwest Association of Journalism Educators

OPINION EDITORIAL | NEWS

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

HEALTH CARE, NOT DISEASE CARE

ccording to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 7 out of 10 deaths in the U.S. are caused by chronic disease. Roughly half of the country’s population has been diagnosed with chronic illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, AIDS and more – all conditions that have been classified by medical experts as preventable. Preventative care can be achieved in many ways: Routine checkups, screenings, physicals, standard immunizations, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are a vital part of this country’s health standards. Unfortunately, in some ways those standards are being eroded away by various institutions. Lack of preventative care in the current U.S. healthcare system is what separates us from the rest of the world – whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is mostly a matter of opinion – but the Advocate staff here can name several individual experiences that don’t suggest confidence in the current system. For most people, the complexities of insurance, Medicare, primary care providers, and all of the other extra institutional odds and ends can prevent regular folks from

seeing a doctor. Finding a primary care provider close to your residence can be the difference between seeing a medical professional within the week, or waiting six months. By the time you can find a doctor, a lot of things can happen that you don’t know about. It’s a reality that we want to pretend is “normal,” but it shouldn’t be. As a nation, we pay more for health insurance, yet our health outcomes are worse and our life expectancy ranks only 53rd worldwide. Medical mistakes are believed to be the third-leading cause of death here. The entirety of our healthcare system is being overworked. Not only does this lead to an increase in neglect and poor quality of care, but being overworked also drains health workers’ enthusiasm and desire to be on duty. Physicians get paid based on the volume of patients they can see in a day, and not just on the quality of their care. So, do you want to go to the doctor’s for a small health issue, or skip out to just not have to deal with potential problems that come with visiting? Nursing homes take the fall of decreased quality of care, as well, due to understaffed/ overworked caregivers. Residents or their

families often complain about the amount of time taken to answer “call lights,” for one example. What isn’t being taken into consideration is the side of the staff, and why it may take a long time to respond. Legally, CNAs (certified nursing assistants) can be in charge of 7.5 patients during day shift; 9.5 during evening shift; and 16 for night or “graveyard.” Even though this is legal, it is no easy task. If the facility is understaffed, CNAs need to care for more patients and are likely to work longer hours, with few or no breaks. These holes in the US healthcare system should be looked at from a different perspective with open minds. Preventative care is one of the solutions. About 65% of Americans are overweight and almost 75% of healthcare costs are spent on preventable diseases that are the major causes of

disability and death in our society. Simple things such as regular checkups, eating healthy and regular physical exercise go a long way to impede health issues from arising. For those times when preventative care does not cut it, the U.S. should move toward universal healthcare. A different system from the one we currently have could help people get care before it’s too late. A new system could also prevent neglect in h e a lt h c a re facilities by eliminating the socio-economic barriers between expensive and affordable care. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is a pillar of our American ideals – what’s a ‘pursuit of happiness’ without fundemental support of healthy lives? Graphic by: Svetlana Meshcheryakova / the Advocate

SERVING AND PROMOTING STEM TALENT Omar Saradi the advocate

To help open career paths for nontraditional students, Portland State University is now offering its Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program for undergraduate STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) majors on the MHCC campus. The program is funded by the National Science Foundation with the goal to serve and promote the success of traditionally underrepresented students – i.e., African American/Black, Latino/a, Native American, Alaska Native,

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students – in the STEM field. Ayumi Giampietro, the community college liaison for the program here at Mt. Hood, says the program isn’t exclusive to MHCC students or transfer students. The goal here on campus is to create a network between PSU, Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College for STEM students to receive assistance with all aspects of their college experience. For people majoring in STEM programs, balancing academics with other aspects of life is a difficult task, especially if you come from a challenging background. It’s already

hard enough to handle things such as financial aid, so program is designed to help students in all steps, in addition to academics. Giampietro talked about the importance of building a community for students, with the common goal of STEM field academic success, mentorships, study groups, and peer relationships that are diverse and sensitive to student needs. This network engages the different community colleges that offer the LSAMP program in order to create group dynamics in a diverse setting. For example, a group study session can be the difference between passing or failing a test for the students involved – communication

is key, she said. PSU has its own LSAMP building where member students can access their resources, study, or take a break. On top of academic success, the program specializes in outside development for the students, including internships, research, seminars, and industry tours. These are all important aids for students who come to a college setting and feel lost. Giampietro described her own experiences as an international student who felt the same way coming to college (something I and many other new students can relate to). With the diversity of the student body, it’s

great that both PSU and MHCC are recognizing how important resources like LSAMP are for students who feel disconnected. Students who are fit for the program are usually referred and introduced to liaisons like Giampietro, so it’s exciting for students who are inherently reluctant to find help from peers to become aware of extra opportunities, especially those planning to transfer to PSU. Giampietro is in the Diversity Resource Center, inside the Student Union, on Mondays and Tuesdays. For more information on the LSAMP program, see: pdx.edu/ lsamp.

ssue! First year i Each spring term, the Advocate encourages first year staff to try out new positions. This is their work. Editor-in-Chief Chloe Collins News Editor Omar Saradi Arts & Entertainment Editor Kurt Larson Sports Editor Cassie Wilson Opinion Editor Sadie Klein PA G E 2

Graphic Design Team Leydi Perez Carrasco Svetlana Meshcheryakova Angeles Ramirez Eli Rankin Photo Team Zarah Escutia Bethany Fallgren Maysee Thao Fletcher Wold Radio Producer Naethaniel Lile

Copy Editors Hannah Meisenhelder Positions Open Web Editors Positions Open Ad Manager Darcy Hitchcock Social Media Manager Kaleb Moring Distribution Specialist Julia MacDonald

Staff Writers Benjamin Anctil Chris Barney Corwin Benedict Julia Empleo Megan Phelps Anna Riggs Jennifer Salazar Positions Open

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@theadvocateonline

@mhccadvocate Get Involved! Come visit us during our weekly meetings on Monday and Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. in our office, room AC1369.

OPINION | NEWS

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FEDERAL GUN CONTROL: Necessary for campus safety

Anna Riggs

the advocate In the wake of the Parkland, Florida, shooting in February of last year (and the 31 school shootings in America that occurred in the following year), there has been an eerie lack of federal legislation being passed in order to prevent such events from transpiring yet again. Even in Oregon’s progressiveleaning House and Senate chambers, there has been unmistakable inaction to protect grades K-12 school students from facing the threat of mass shootings. In fact, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, in what legislation that has been proposed since February 2018, the most popular form of “gun control” has been allowing teachers to carry weapons on campus, across 20 states – completely ignoring the possibility of an active shooter actually being a teacher, such as the case in 2012 when a teacher opened fire in the Episcopal School of Jacksonville after being fired earlier that day. Additionally, when it comes to college campuses, Oregon’s famously liberal political leadership has not successfully produced any major new legislation on campus

safety since 2011, when the Oregon Court of Appeals overturned a previous holistic ban of firearms on every college campus. The ruling therefore allowed concealed carry across all college campuses in the state; a law so conservative it hardly resembles the culture we seem to be most known for. Soon after, in 2012, the Oregon Board of Higher Education protected students from this major threat of gun violence as much as they could without imposing on the 2011 law: it prohibited the possession of firearms inside any/ all buildings on the major public university campuses across the state. This means that carrying a firearm outside of buildings on a campus is still legal. Ideally, there should not be a threat of a firearm in proximity to any learning environment, and so the ability to carry one across campus only makes it easier to endanger students. While it would be a step in the right direction, banning firearms on all campuses will not prevent gun violence in college permanently, however. Common-sense federal regulation is the solution not only to school shootings, but for gun violence in general. If we are to prevent another mass shooting, the only solution is to regulate and limit access to firearms. While strong supporters of the Second Amendment dislike hearing this, it is a fact of American life that at times we must sacrifice certain personal luxuries for the benefit of the common good. Of course, I don’t mean to take away guns from every current gun owner. I mean that it is necessary

with Omar Saradi

to make the process of purchasing a firearm more thorough, and to maintain a certain level of safety standards to be achieved after its purchase. When thinking about possible solutions, I look at the actions of other countries that have suffered from mass shootings, similar to the ones we seem to experience on a monthly basis. These nations have promptly and successfully changed their laws to prevent further casualties. For instance, Norway, with some of the highest gun ownership rates in the developed world, regulates the commerce (sale/ purchase) of firearms by requiring citizens to present their reason and intent of purchase (sport, hunting, etc.), on top of the more common procedures such as comprehensive background checks. After purchase, safe usage is regulated by enforcing random safety checks by government officials to ensure guns are kept in safes when not in use. This way, citizens are not completely blocked from their right of owning a firearm if they feel it is their inherent right, while still ensuring safety and proper use of these weapons. This only scratches the surface of the changes that must be made, but the more we have a conversation between opposing sides, the closer we can come in preventing the fartoo-common school shooting. Until then, I side with New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, on the U.S. gun control laws (after she implemented strong measures in her own country following the recent Christchurch mosque mass shootings): “I just do not understand the United States.”

On the cover: Saints Athlete, Elijah Johnson, getting ready to run the 4x100m relay on Tuesday, May 21. MHCC took fourth in the event.

E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 Website: advocate-online.net Mt. Hood Community College Room 1369 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham OR 97030

OSAA 5A & 6A STATE TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS Competition takes place at Earl Klapstein Stadium on the Gresham campus. The daylong events take place on Friday and Saturday, May 24-25, starting at 10 a.m. General admission tickets for one-day pass for adults is $12, $5 for students; two-day pass for adults is $24, $10 for students. Concessions will be available. GRESHAM SATURDAY MARKET The Market is hosted in Parking lot “W” nearest the corner of Northeast Kane Drive and Southeast Stark Street from 8:30 a.m to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 25. BIG WAVE DECATHLON The annual decathlon meet hosted by the Columbia River Swim Team, at the MHCC 50-meter swimming pool, Room GE 201. The event runs Saturday and Sunday, May 2526, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. MEMORIAL DAY The Mt. Hood campus is closed on Monday, May 27. MOUTHS OF OTHERS DIANA KIRK The final “Mouths of Others” guest speaker series event, with Astoria-based author Diana Kirk in the Visual Arts Theatre (VA22) takes place from

noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29. Kirk will read from her collection of essays, “Licking Flames,” a series of essays about growing up and facing adulthood. The event is free and open to the public. PERCEPTIONS RECEPTION MHCCs annual magazine of the arts, “Perceptions,” will have a reception at the Elks Lodge in Gresham on Thursday, May 29, starting at 6:30 p.m. Author Diana Kirk will read from a selection of her work, along with other contributors to this year’s magazine. This issue includes poetry, fiction, nonfiction, art and photography. Copies will be sold at the event. BARNEY BASH Join MHCC for Barney’s Bash, the end of year celebration on Thursday, May 30, from 10 a.m all the way till midnight in the Main Mall. The ASG-run event will have lots of activities like a live band, henna tattoos, free food, photo booth, games, and family movie night featuring “Zootopia.” The evening includes a dance exclusively for students featuring  DJ Fanatic JR.

GET TO KNOW THE ADVOCATE

Cover by: Fletcher Wold / the Advocate

NEWS BRIEFS

The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission. Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board. The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length. Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print. Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.

Graphic Designer

Leydi Perez is a second-year student who has lived in Gresham for nine years. After completing her IECC (intensive English) classes, she decided to enter Mt. Hood’s Graphic Design program to pursue a design career. She most enjoys cooking and making desserts, drawing tribal tattoos or women’s and men’s clothing, listening to music, going out with her cousins, taking photos, reading, and watching movies.

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SPORTS

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GET TO KNOW YOUR SAINTS Andre Dorn

BY: JULIA EMPLEO

Andre Dorn is a sophomore pursuing a career in sports medicine. He’s been running track for seven years. He took a season off last year to focus more on school. Coming back with a different motivation this season, he’s been exceeding his best performances in all his events. The hardest part of this season for him is staying motivated and keeping up with schoolwork. In 10 years, he is wanting to be in the Olympics, and doing sports medicine.

Photos by Fletcher Wold / the Advocate

Teamates (Left and Middle) Hana Alvarez and Christa Anderson embrace.

SAINTS ATHLETES SHINE AT NWACS Benjamin Anctil the advocate

On Monday and Tuesday, May 20-21, the Saints hosted the 2019 Northwestern Athletic Conference (NWAC) track and field championships on their home turf, collecting three individual titles, and eight All-American honors. There were numerous successes for Mt. Hood athletes throughout the two-day meet, as they peaked right on time. The Advocate interviewed MHCC co-Head Coach Kelly Holding a few days before the meet began, and she was optimistic about the Saints who qualified for the championship meet. “We’re really excited,” she said. “Our team had a lot of PR’s (personal record bests) in the Southern regionals last weekend and we’re just looking to have a better year than last year.” Entering the NWAC meet, there were some obvious standouts, names like Andre Dorn, conference champion two years ago. After redshirting (sitting out one year) Dorn had led the NWAC in the 200 meter and 400 meter sprints this season. Another was Mackenzie Smith, who came in first the qualifying heptathlon meet (a seven-event competition for women) to begin the season and since suffered a concussion, PA G E 4

taking four weeks off. “Taking a month off was very difficult,” Smith said. “You lose a lot of muscle and it’s kind of a mental game, too. Right now, I’m a little worried about high jump. I feel like I could compete well at the NWACs, but I just don’t feel ready yet.” Meantime, she added, “I’m pretty excited about the 800m. I think I’m going to break 2:30 (minutes).” Overall, Holding described the team as a tight-knit group that has been working harder than ever in the classroom, too. SAINTS SPRINT AND SOAR The Saints’ hard work paid off in several ways, as they recorded more personal bests and honors. In team competition, the Mt. Hood men placed fourth overall with a total of 80 points. Dorn, a sophomore, took first place in the 400-meter dash, blowing his competition out of the water with a 48.36-second PR, and took third in the 200m, with a time of 21.96. The 4x100-meter men’s relay team took fourth place, with freshmen Elijah Johnson and Justin Kavanaugh and sophomores Nolberto Aguilera and Dorn competing.

TO CONTINUE READING, SEE PAGE 7

Alex Moore Alex Moore is a sophomore at MHCC planning to be a pediatric nurse. He will stay at Mt. Hood after this season to focus more on his academics, to be able to get into Concordia or Portland State. The hardest part this season for him is having mental blocks: it’s hard to be motivated to go to practices every day and find time to fit everything in. But he stayed motivated so that throughout the season his times were dropping to the point that it got him to this place in his track career. In 10 years, he’s looking to be a pediatric nurse, and if he’s given an opportunity he would go back to Estacada High School to coach track.

Grace Buchanan Grace Buchanan is a sophomore athlete in MHCC. She is pursuing a career in psychology and looking forward to attending Warner Pacific University next year to play volleyball and throw the javelin. She works as a water aerobics instructor in a community center while balancing school and track this season. Her role in the team is to lead as an example and make everyone feel included. In 10 years, she’s looking to go back to her high school as a school psychologist, since her family graduated from there and they have a very tight community.

Ujunwa Nwokoma Ujunwa Nwokoma is a first-year student ready to enter the dental hygiene program and also looking to study accounting later at MHCC. It’s her fifth season running track, and she’s looking forward to carrying her progress to next year. The hardest thing for her this season is keeping up with her schoolwork and she’s not a fan of her sprint workouts, but everything else is just her having fun and enjoying this journey. Her role has been to support her teammates. In 10 years, she’s looking forward to living in a rural area and just having peace and quiet.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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STUDENT ART AT ITS FINEST IN VA GALLERY Corwin Benedict the advocate

Mt. Hood is currently hosting a juried Student Exhibit in its Visual Arts Gallery. Wishing to promote the college’s up-and-coming artists, the Advocate took this chance to look at some of the mesmerizing work on display. While in the Gallery, we met with three of the student-artists, each with their own story and artwork to share. Due to her grandmother’s death a few years ago, Claire Curtiss took a break of around 12 years, but is back in school now to pursue her interest in the arts, she said. She discovered that her grandmother, a pastor’s wife with five kids, had a hidden passion for art but had never pursued it. “Her passing made me realize that I’m not limited to (that) lifestyle,” said Curtiss, who has taken several art classes the past few terms. Waltzing around the Gallery, a visitor might find an aggressive cat giving them the stink eye. This piece, created by Curtiss, inspired her to

cathartically get out an emotion she tends to feel: anger. “Simmer” came to her after being assigned the task of creating a painting of an animal showing emotion. Her intentional use of warm tones really strikes the message/emotion home. Suzanne Shonk, a student in Mt. Hood’s nursing program, was drawn to art because of how stressful school can be, feeling that art was an incredible way to release that stress, she said. She has two paintings in the Gallery. The first one, “Body Snatcher Portrait,” is based off a French painter’s work. In her art class, Shonk was asked to paint her face over the face of another person. She chose a Polynesian girl because of her own Hawaiian ancestry, and the bright colors that the artist (Paul Gaugin) used in his own painting. Her second piece, a collage painting based on the likeness of her daughter’s cat, was created for her daughter for when she moves off to college. “Farm Cat” is an expression of all the skills she has learned over her time in the MHCC art program, with painting, collage, and texture all combined to create a

Photos by Megan Phelps / the Advocate

LEFT: Claire Curtiss with “Simmer.” CENTER: Suzanne Shonk with “Body Snatcher Portrait.” RIGHT: Ganitu Henbeto With “Self Portrait.” Their works will be on display in the Visual Arts Gallery through Thursday, June 6.

beautiful image. Ganitu Henbeto, also an MHCC nursing student, took an art class as an elective, but soon found her interest growing after completing her first painting. She found that her teacher had a big impact, motivating her and helping her to do better. Henbeto’s self-portrait collage has words and text hidden throughout, each word having its own special

M A R Q U I S M I L L PA R K IS H O S T I N G A J O B FA I R A ND

Y O U 'RE

INVIT ED!

meaning, she said. Henbeto also has a landscape painting on display, based on a Multnomah Falls-like image of water falling behind, and in front of, a footbridge. There are flowers with bright colors blooming in front of the waterfall, Henbeto explained how much she loved the colors of the painting. If you get the chance, I would

suggest taking a look yourself at these impressive works. Mt. Hood has an amazing array of art students, each with their own style and presence. The Student Exhibit continues (free and open to all) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays in the Gallery, through Thursday, June 6. Megan Phelps contributed reporting for this story.

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WE’RE HIRING -RNs -CNAs -Housekeeping/Laundry -Maintenance -Activities Director -And More!

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | NEWS

JAZZ: STILL RELEVANT Kurt Larson the advocate

The third annual OMEA Oregon State Jazz Championships were held on the Mt. Hood campus last Saturday, May 18, and thanks to efforts from the Dan Davey, director of jazz studies, and the rest of the college’s music department, it was a resounding success. Attendance has tripled since MHCC’s first year hosting the jazz festival, with more high schools playing for the championships than in either of the previous years. Adjudicators from universities around the country, as far away as West Virginia, critiqued the participating groups in six divisions as they competed during the all-day event that culminated in a final performance by MHCC’s own “big band” just before the awards ceremony. Professional saxophonist and touring artist Jared Sims joined Mt. Hood’s jazz band on stage, playing a number of stunning solos throughout the final set (along with Davey, who took a break from conducting to play sax alongside Sims in the penultimate number).

A sea of cellphones could be seen recording the performance as hundreds of jazz-loving parents sat in awe of Sims and Davey, and hefty applause from the crowd followed. As for the OMEA awards: Ryan Helms, from Willamette High School, took home an award for outstanding saxophonist, along with several other students from North Salem, West Salem, Sunset, and other high schools who received Outstanding Musician awards for their respective instruments. Jefferson High School took first place in the 1A/2A divisions, with Creswell taking the title for Division 3A, Sisters in 4A, Willamette in 5A, and, finally, Lakeridge in 6A. As the evening came to a close, hordes of exhausted students and attendees exited the College Theatre, wrapping up a successful statewide jazz competition. Anyone who missed MHCC’s big band jazz performance during the festival gets another opportunity soon: The group will perform, along with Mt. Hood’s symphonic band, in a free, yearend concert set for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5, also in the College Theatre.

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HACK YOUR MATH ANXIETY Megan Phelps the advocate

You’re sitting at home, trying to figure out a math problem. Your mind wanders from “I can’t do this,” to “I’m better off working on that other assignment, for science...” The thought of sitting down to work on math homework might even make your heart race. If you’re feeling like this, you’re likely experiencing math anxiety. Obviously, anxiety can occur for various reasons, but on May 14, Mt. Hood students and staff had the chance to listen to noted researcherauthor E.A. Francis Hruzek discuss how the brain functions, ways to manage anxiety, and how college staff and tutors can best support students who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety. The majority of Hruzek’s presentation (“A Neurohacker’s Guide to Math Anxiety”) discussed the work of Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel laureate honoree. Kahneman’s work explains the functions of the human brain as two systems: System 1, and System 2. System 1 is fast-thinking, generates intuitive responses, and does a majority of the day-to-day functioning. System 1 is much more

economical when it comes to using the body’s energy to function, and is essentially our autopilot mode. Meanwhile, System 2 requires slow thinking, generates corrective and rational responses, and requires a large amount of the body’s energy to work. It usually take some amount of effort to use this second system. A natural response our brain

Graphic by Angeles Ramirez / the Advocate

has between these systems is to quickly shift out of the morerelaxed System 2 state-of-mind, when in any dangerous situation. And an anxious mind has trouble staying in the System 2 state, since math can be perceived as a danger to the individual. If someone identifies themselves as being bad at math, having someone invalidate or attack their identity also triggers the same anxious state. This is why it’s

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important for educators and tutors to know how to work with someone with these tendencies, Hruzek said. The experience of anxiety can take several forms, she noted: negative self-talk, being easily distracted, and having physical responses such as a racing heart, sweaty palms, slumped posture, and ragged breath. Hruzek also shared ways to manage anxiety and allow the brain to shift from System 1 to System 2. A popular technique is called the “Five Sense Grounding Technique,” which has the anxious individual find five things they can see; four things they can feel; three things they can hear; two things they can smell; and one thing they can taste. Another common technique is deep breathing, which Hruzek explained is like remote control for the brain. Meta-cognition, or being self-aware, also can help. She also mentioned that due to the tendencies of a math-anxious individual – avoidance or being afraid to ask for help – it is helpful to have those students visit tutoring services early in the term, and to have extended preparation for tests.

NEWS | SPORTS

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HUB CONSTRUCTION KICKS OFF WITH A SMASH Cassie Wilson the advocate

On Wednesday morning, there were many smiling, excited faces as MHCC leaders gathered to formally kick off construction for the new Student HUB by smashing holes in a wall in the former Financial Aid office with golden hammers. The HUB is set to be complete by Aug. 15, before new students arrive for Fall Term. The brief kickoff event was used to recognize the many groups who have worked to make the HUB concept come to fruition. John Hamblin, executive dean of student development, thanked the college’s Title III team, which did the research to create the HUB; the Associated Student Government (ASG); Hue Architecture and Design; and Dave Pontious, director of Accessible Education Services at Mt. Hood. Hamblin talked about how much courage it takes for new students to make the choice to come to the Gresham campus, figure out where to go to get started, and apply to be a student here. “We thought, ‘Let’s be really

Photo by Megan Phelps / the Advocate

Al Sigala, executive director of the Foundation; MHCC Board members Jim Zordich and Diane McKeel; ASG members Bob Hansen and Kim Poling; and College President Lisa Skari at the HUB construction kickoff where Financial Aid is located.

intentional about being studentfocused. Let’s design a space that’s 100% student-centered,’ and this is that space,” said Hamblin. “This is about a physical space, but also about changes in process, changes in how we go about serving our students, and there’s been a lot of work that’s gone into that.” Lisa Skari, college president, thanked MHCC District Board members Diane McKeel and Jim Zordich for attending, and thanked the MHCC Foundation for making the HUB financially feasible with

a sizable contribution (a total $287,000 toward the HUB/New Student Experience project) to its cost. Skari said, “Our hope is that this design work better serves students.” Six people got to swing the golden hammers into the left (north-facing) wall inside the current Student Services lobby – the space which will become the focal point where all incoming students get started on campus in the new orientation center. It seemed fitting that students

were the first to get to bash into the taped-off section of the wall. Kim Poling, ASG’s campus affairs representative, expressed her excitement for the HUB. “Mt. Hood has been the same for a really long time, so it’s nice to see the changes being made to improve the onboarding experience and the new student experience for current and future students,” she said. “I’m really excited to see the final outcome.” Bob Hansen, ASG president for 2018-19, said that while he

had a great welcome to MHCC, he recently met another student who was struggling to figure out just how to get started. He said the future MHCC student was intently staring at the main map out front, and that he (Hansen) wasn’t sure where to send him, and so he’s excited that as of this fall, the HUB will be the quick answer. “I’m very grateful that we’re taking this opportunity to think about the students and help them out,” said Hansen. Poling and Hansen punched their holes in the wall, followed by McKeel, Skari, Zordich, and Al Sigala, MHCC Foundation executive director. While most participants just took one swing, Zordich went back for more after everyone else to really open the up hole, much to the amusement of everyone watching. There will be a more decorous ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the HUB in August. For all the latest on construction, keep an eye on your Saints (or Mt. Hood) email for updates on various office closures and relocations.

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The 4x400-meter relay did one better, reaching the winner’s podium with a third place finish, with Dorn, Kavanaugh, Aguilera and sophomore Jerrell Jae Waddell competing. Last but not least for the Saints, freshman Willie Tran was runnerup in the long jump, soaring for a 22-foot, 7-inch mark. With only nine athletes competing this year, the Saints women placed sixth overall with 52.5 points, meantime. Sophomore Grace Buchanan snared first place with a 134-foot, 10-inch PR in the javelin, to finish a strong year. Freshman Ujunwa Nwokoma won the long jump, flying to a mark of 18 feet, 5 3/4 inches. Smith ended up fourth in the high jump, and teammate Shania Parker, a freshman, earned fifth place, both at a height of 4 feet, 9 3/4 inches. ‘RAISING THE BAR’ Mt. Hood’s other co-head coach praised the efforts of the Saints this week and all during the year. “This championship, out of

a scale of 1-10, I put it at a 9,” Fernando Fantroy said. “They put the work in, and it really paid off. “If you ask me what I would grade my coaching, I give myself a 5,” he added. “(I’ve) been here five years and it’s my first year co-head coaching. Once I get a championship, then I’d start putting myself at, like, 6 and 7. Other than that, I’m excited for them. When they look good, I look good.” Asked how his coaching contributed to the cause, Fantroy said, “Just being patient and trusting the process. We don’t care what happens during the season. I coach for the championship. All the practices and all the meets we have, I consider them practice meets.” The one thing that sums up the 2019 Saints track and field team is, in his words: “Raising the bar. That was our thing this year. Not only on the track, but academically.” To view more photos and Saints stats, visit: advocate-online.net

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NEWS

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

PNAJE ANNOUNCES WINNERS IN COLLEGE JOURNALISM CONTEST The Advocate takes TOP honors for general excellence, third in sweeps

Oregon State University College of Business

Finish

DAM STRONG in Portland

Why HYBRID?

Megan Phelps the advocate

The Advocate, Mt. Hood’s student newspaper, won first place for print general excellence in the Pacific Northwest Association of Journalism Educators (PNAJE) 2019 college competition, in results announced this week. This year, there were 380 team/individual entries from Oregon and Washington schools; however, Idaho, Alaska, and Montana schools were also eligible to enter. Entries consisted of work that students completed from Spring Quarter 2018 through Winter Quarter 2019. Students were given constructive feedback from 19 judges, comprised of communications professionals who currently or previously worked for publications across the U.S., including the The Washington Post, Newsday, The Detroit News, McClatchy Newspapers, The Olympian, The News Virginian and The (Tacoma) News Tribune. Other judges included communication professors from Western Washington University, Everett Community College, Foster Web Marketing, Averill & Associates LLC and PRI/PRX. (For a list of judges, please view online version.) The Advocate also placed third in the publications sweeps categories – meaning it placed third in most awards won overall. Individual awards not mentioned above include the following:

IT’S FLEXIBLE Our hybrid degree completion program combines classroom learning with the flexibility of Oregon State’s top-ranked online classes.

IT SETS YOU APART A degree from OSU is recognized beyond the I-5 corridor. Businesses know the professional caliber of our graduates, and they hire them.

Individual sweeps: Third place, Fletcher Wold

Editorial cartoon or illustration Third place, Eli Rankin

LESS MONEY, LESS TIME

Comprehensive coverage: First place, Cassie Wilson & Megan Phelps

Best website: Honorable Mention (staff)

Staff editorials: First and second place

Sports photo Honorable Mention, Fletcher Wold

You'll finish your OSU business degree by completing just 60 upperdivision credits, which saves you money and time.

YOU’RE IN GOOD COMPANY There are nearly 10,000 College of Business alumni in the greater Portland area — you’ll expand your professional network and connect with industry professionals.

Sports feature reporting: First place, Jonathan Zacarias Review Third place, Kurt Larson Photo essay: First place, Fletcher Wold

JOIN US. FIND OUT HOW: business.oregonstate.edu/hybrid | bridget.jones@oregonstate.edu PA G E 8

Features photo: Honorable Mention, Fletcher Wold

Portrait photography: Honorable Mention, Fletcher Wold Photo illustration/graphics Honorable Mention, Eli Rankin Personality profile: Honorable Mention, Cassie Wilson