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Washington native returns to oversee academic, workforce programs
Walla Walla, Wash. – Following a national search, Dr. Jessica Clark has been selected as the next Vice President of Instruction at Walla Walla Community College.
Clark, who earned her doctorate in History and a post-doctorate in Higher Education, will play a pivotal role in the development and management of instructional policies and procedures for all WWCC academic and workforce education programs. She joins WWCC after serving as Vice President for Learning and Student Services at Northland Pioneer College in Show Low, Arizona.
Clark brings more than a decade of higher education experience at various levels, including faculty member, principal academic and student affairs officer, and researcher.
At Northland, also known as the Navajo Community College District, Clark created a Division of Instructional Innovation to support students and faculty, alike. She transformed an office for Disability Resource and Access into an Office of Accessibility and Inclusion to enhance its mission and empower the students served.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Clark to the college’s executive leadership team,” WWCC President Chad Hickox said. “She brings extensive experience, a dedication to the community college mission and a commitment to continuous improvement.”
A native of Washington State, Clark earned a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and History from Central Washington University; a master’s degree and doctorate degree in History from North Dakota State University. She holds a post-doctoral certificate in Higher Education Leadership – Community College from the University of Wyoming.
Her doctoral dissertation in Rural History focused on 20th century immigrant history and family studies through the use of oral histories and memory studies.
“In all my roles – from adjunct faculty to instructional designer to full-time faculty to administrator – my reason has always been to provide students with the educational opportunities that I was so fortunate to have as a first-generation college student,” Clark said. “My education transformed me and I believe in paying it forward to the next generation of students who may not see themselves as college-bound or who may not even know how to get started. I’m honored and excited to join Walla Walla Community College. Returning home, after nearly twenty years, is a dream come true, especially to serve WWCC – an institution committed to innovation and inclusion. I can’t wait.”
Clark is joined by her husband and two children as they return home to Washington. She assumes her new role at WWCC on March 1, 2021.
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