Pierce College News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contacts: Nancy Butterfield, (253) 964-7331 or nbutterfield@pierce.ctc.edu;
Dale Stowell, (253) 964-6780 or dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

A reception and month-long exhibit will showcase the work of Pierce College photography students and their award-winning photographer/instructor, Karyl Kolb, at the Lakewood Library, 6300 Wildaire Rd. SW.

The reception is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 4. The show, titled Independent Images, will be from June 1 through 30. Both are free and open to the public.

The photography class is offered through Pierce College’s Continuing Education Program. To learn more about the many classes available through Continuing Education, call (253) 964-6502 or visit www.pierce.ctc.edu/conted/.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contacts: Nancy Butterfield, (253) 964-7331 or nbutterfield@pierce.ctc.edu;
Dale Stowell, (253) 964-6780 or dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Pierce College District Chancellor Steve Wall will serve as the commencement speaker for Pierce College graduation ceremonies to be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday, June 10, at the Tacoma Dome arena.

Almost 1,900 students are eligible to graduate, including 1,040 who will receive Associates in Arts & Sciences; 440 who will graduate with vocational associates; 329 with vocational certificates; and 81 with high school diplomas. An estimated 500 graduates are expected to walk in the procession. The Tacoma Dome is at 2727 East D St. The doors will open at 2:30 p.m.

As district chancellor and president of Pierce College Puyallup since 1999, Steve Wall has led Pierce College through some of its most successful years. As an administrator in the district for almost 27 years, Wall helped develop Pierce College Puyallup from an extension site to a fully recognized community college. He began his career as a high school teacher before transitioning to higher education with Pierce. Other roles he held at Pierce include director of student services and executive dean of the Puyallup campus before being selected to lead the district and Pierce College Puyallup. Wall will retire June 30. Michele Johnson, Ph.D., who is currently the president of Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, will succeed Wall as District Chancellor.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contacts: Nancy Butterfield, (253) 964-7331 or nbutterfield@pierce.ctc.edu;
Dale Stowell, (253) 964-6780 or dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

State Attorney General Rob McKenna will give the keynote address for the daylong Homeland Security Community Connections Conference at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom on Thursday, June 9.

The event is designed for community and technical college faculty and administrators, industry representatives and emergency first responders to explore homeland security initiatives, according to Mike Campbell, director of the Homeland Security Center of Excellence based at Pierce College. The college is at 9401 Farwest Drive S.W., Lakewood, and the conference will be in the performance lounge on Cascade Level 4.

The event will begin at 9 a.m. with introductions and a welcome address by Michele Johnson, Ph.D., president of Pierce Fort Steilacoom and chancellor-elect for the Pierce College District. Attorney General McKenna’s keynote address is scheduled for 9:15 a.m., followed by a presentation by Jim Mullen, director of the State Emergency Management Division. Additional speakers will include Dr. Michelle Andreas, policy associate with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Discussion groups will highlight the afternoon’s activities. The conference will conclude at 4 p.m.

Early registration is recommended, as space is limited. Participants can register online at www.pierce.ctc.edu/HomelandSecurity or by calling Julie Cargill at (253) 964-6645.

To request disability accommodation, contact the Disability Support Services Office at least 10 days in advance at (253) 964-6468/V; (253) 964-6228/TTY; or dssaccess@pierce.ctc.edu.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2005

MEDIA CONTACT: Dale Stowell, (253) 964-6780, dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu or
Nancy Butterfield, (253) 964-7331, nbutterfield@pierce.ctc.edu

Alan Spence, the long-time leader of Pierce College District’s financial operations, has accepted the position of chief financial officer at Seattle Community College District. He will begin his new job on July 1.

Spence, the vice president for administrative services at Pierce, has been with the district for 24 years. He has been involved in many community efforts, including United Way, for which he is a past president. Pierce College District serves 28,000 students annually with two colleges – Pierce College Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood and Pierce College Puyallup – in addition to a far-ranging Extended Learning operation that includes continuing education, workforce training, customized business training and more than 20 sites throughout the county.

The Seattle Community Colleges are the state’s second-largest institution of higher education, with 54,000 students each year and a combined annual operating and capital budget of more than $200 million. The CFO is responsible for district-wide business and financial functions, including budgeting, accounting, purchasing, payroll and benefits, and for distributing and monitoring state and federal financial allocations to the colleges in the Seattle district.

“Al Spence brings invaluable experience working with our state’s complex budgeting model, and also working with a multi-campus college district,” said Seattle Chancellor Charles Mitchell. “He is highly regarded by his peers and colleagues throughout our state system, and we are pleased that he is joining us and bringing these assets to our district.”

Spence holds an MBA from Pacific Lutheran University and a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Redlands (California). He is a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Washington.

He was named following a national search to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the District’s longtime chief financial officer, Jim St. Germain.

The Seattle Community Colleges include North Seattle, South Seattle and Seattle Central community colleges; Seattle Vocational Institute; and five specialized training centers located throughout the city.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT: Dale Stowell, (253) 964-6780, dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

J.T. (Jacob) Mitchell and Devon Conner Green of Pierce College’s men’s basketball team have signed national letters of intent as student athletes with four-year programs.

Mitchell intends to play with Western Oregon State University in Monmouth, Ore., while Conner Green will play for Western State College of Colorado in Gunnison, Colo.

“J.T. will fit in very nicely for us, immediately,” said Western Oregon assistant coach Craig Stanger, whose team finished 16-11 last year. “He fills a big hole for us inside. This was a huge pick-up for us, there were plenty of other schools that wanted him.”

Mitchell, a 6-7, 230-lb. post, helped lead the Raiders to the NWACC title game against Lower Columbia this year, averaging 12 points and eight rebounds a contest. The former Capital High School standout (Olympia, Wash.) shot 62 percent from the floor last season at Pierce, led the Raiders in rebounds and maintained a 3.66 GPA in political science.

Western State head men’s basketball coach Al Sokaitis said Conner Green will help give the Mountaineers “a lot of extra scoring that we missed last year. So far with our recruits we’ve addressed our needs of scoring and size.”

The Mountaineers posted a 5-21 record last season. Conner Green, a 6-6 forward, was a first-team All-Northwest Athletic Conference performer. Green averaged 16 points and 7.5 rebounds during the season and then upped his scoring output to 19 points per game in the post-season tournament.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT: Dale Stowell, (253) 964-6780 or (253) 381-0616

Pierce College District’s Board of Trustees has selected Michele Johnson, Ph.D, as chancellor of the district. Johnson, who is currently the President of Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, will assume leadership of the district on July 1.

“After a nationwide search, we are proud that Michele’s qualifications and experience stand up to the test of leadership for Pierce College District,” said board chair James C. Tsang. “The board looks forward to working with Michele on future district governance strategies and measurable outcomes.”

Johnson has been the president of Pierce College Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood since 1999. She has more than 32 years of higher education experience including two years as interim executive dean for instruction and four years as dean and executive dean of workforce education at Pierce College. She has worked at Pierce College for almost 27 years. She earned her doctoral degree in educational and policy management from the University of Oregon, and her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in police science and administration from Washington State University.

“I’m very excited to lead a district so filled with creativity and dedication to serving our students and our communities,” Johnson said.

The presidential search process at the college began in January of this year. Students, employees, and community members have taken part in the selection process, which included open forums for creating the job description, a district-wide committee chaired by board member James Dawson that selected semi-finalists and finalists, and open forums for each of the final three candidates.

“There was tremendous consistency across the community that Michele was an excellent choice,” Tsang said.

Steve Wall will continue to lead the district as chancellor until his retirement on June 30.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contacts: Nancy Butterfield, (253) 964-7331 or nbutterfield@pierce.ctc.edu;
Dale Stowell, (253) 964-6780 or dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Steve and Sandy Wall have been chosen to jointly receive the statewide Award for Leadership by the Washington Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges.

Sandy Wall served as the director of administrative services for the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges until her retirement on April 30. Steve Wall is the chancellor of the Pierce College District and president of Pierce College Puyallup, and will retire on June 30. It is the first time the award has been bestowed jointly to a married couple.

The Walls were cited for their leadership in communicating the value and importance of the community and technical college system to policy makers and the community at large throughout their careers. Their advocacy has helped expand the system, which comprises 34 community and technical colleges statewide, to serve growing numbers of students. More than 250,000 students were enrolled in Washington last year.

Sandy Wall worked for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges for 16 years as director of administrative services, legislative liaison, administrator for the trustees association and director of student services. Her career spans 30 years working in higher education.

As district chancellor and president of Pierce College Puyallup since 1999, Steve Wall has led Pierce College through some of its most successful years. He initiated a strategic planning process and provided leadership that helped the district strengthen relationships throughout the communities it serves. As an administrator in the district for almost 27 years, he helped develop Pierce College Puyallup from an extension site to a fully recognized community college. He began his career as a high school teacher before transitioning to higher education with Pierce College. He served as director of student services and executive dean of the Puyallup campus before being selected to lead the district and Pierce College Puyallup.

The couple will receive the award at the statewide trustees meeting in Blaine on May 20.