Retiring Faculty Bids Farewell

Clark Personnel Departs With Three Decades of Experience

Max Manchester & Jacob Hanning | Reporters

Two important figures within Clark College faculty are retiring at the end of the Spring and Summer quarter. Respectively, Interim Vice President Miles Jackson and Dean of health and buisness Brenda Walstead were instrumental in implementing equitable and engaging programs at Clark. The Indy presents a double feature of both Jackson and Walstead, covering their retirement as well as a brief reflection on their careers. “It’s time for the goodbye and farewell,” said Clark health professor Veronica Brock.

Brenda Walstead

With 30 minutes left in the Business and Health Sciences Unit Zoom call, the statement brought with it an announcement by Brenda Walstead, dean of the health and business division at Clark College. Walstead is retiring at age 64 and announced the news over Zoom to friends and colleagues, many of whom joined in the call’s last moments solely to show their support. After her official last day on Aug. 12, Walstead is moving to Arizona where she anticipates being near her children and spending time in nature. For many faculty, her retirement marks the departure of a good friend with 26 years of history and accomplishments. Many in the Zoom call were teary-eyed as some struggled to find the words to bid farewell, but no one struggled to express their joy at having worked with the dean. Colleagues know Walstead as a hard worker and someone who made themselves available to anyone in her department. To some, she is also a friend and advocate. Kristi Taylor, a dental hygiene professor at Clark, views Walstead as a mentor. “Her guidance [through the Dental Hygiene Program] made me realize my decision to go into education was the right direction,” said Taylor. “Her enthusiasm and excitement for teaching was contagious and made me excited to go in that same direction.” Taylor noted the confidence Walstead instilled in her within her career path helped prepare her for the role of interim program director of dental health in July 2015. “I will never be able to thank her for all she has done

Brenda Walstead, dean of business and health division. (Courtesy of Brenda Walstead)

for me personally and professionally,” said Taylor. When she first joined Clark’s faculty, Walstead started as an adjunct professor in dental hygiene, successfully taking on greater responsibility over the years. In one of her most notable accomplishments, she led the first Baccalaureate of Applied Science at Clark College, which became the first bachelors program in dental hygiene in Washington state. Soon after, she became dean of dental health, helping to facilitate interdisciplinary learning at Clark through events such as the Healthy Penguin Walkabout. During this event, students walk around campus, take health assessments, enter raffle drawings, collect souvenirs and partake in educational activities. “[The Healthy Penguin Walkabout] was a prime example showcasing the benefits of interprofessional education while providing a valuable service to the community,” said Brock. “Brenda has always been a champion of our program, Health and Physical education, and the positive impacts HPE instruction has on students’ health.” Brock also added that Walstead “walks the talk,” prioritizing her own physical health through running, swimming and kayaking. The Zoom call exhibited a group of faculty whose knowledge and appreciation for the dean reflected her dedicated years of work for her department and teammates. “Thank you for being such a great friend and mentor,” said Armetta Burney, interim dean of workforce.

“The passion and commitment to your work that you have demonstrated over the years that I have had an opportunity to work with you has been exemplary and a great model to follow.” “You guys are in good hands,” Walstead remarked before everyone said their goodbyes. “It’s been a great journey. Thank you.”

Miles Jackson

While Walstead was an architect on various projects across Health and Business, Jackson’s contributions to Clark were focused more on the campus ethos, and heavily focused on student education. After 28 years of supporting Clark students, Interim Associate Vice President of Instruction Miles Jackson is retiring at the end of the 2022 spring quarter. Jackson started at Clark in 1995 as an adjunct professor in the psychology department and soon earned tenure. In 2007, Clark promoted Jackson to dean of social sciences and fine arts, a position he held until April 2021 when asked to step into his current role. In March 2022, Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards appointed Jackson to fill in as interim vice president of instruction temporarily while the permanent vice president, Paul Wickline, recovered from a heart attack.

Miles Jackson, interim associate vice president of instruction. (Photo by Jacob Hanning/The Indy)

While training at grad school to be a research psychologist, Jackson started teaching at various community colleges and fell in love with the community college ethos. Jackson saw the near universal acceptance rate and the diverse campuses as a step in a more equitable direction compared to the universities he previously taught at. “I really liked the diversity of the community college student population, the different ages and socio-economic groups,” said Jackson. “It’s a first, second, third, fourth and 11th chance for people in our community to get an education and to reach their career goals and so that’s why I’m here.” During his time at Clark, Jackson worked to cultivate more inclusive and equitable access to the college and its resources for all students. Jackson was integral in implementing the Culturally Sustaining Teaching and Learning Praxis Initiative, which provides professional development training to create culturally competent, inclusive and equitable teaching practices. “Let’s design instruction so that it’s recognizing and honoring experiences of students in non-dominant groups and then drawing upon their strengths,” Jackson said. Jackson’s last day at the college is June 30.