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Morgan McCarraher
19 hours ago
Morgan McCarraher
20 hours ago
Jennifer Childers
Oct 8
Olin Finders
Oct 8
SPECIAL
THE CONVERSATION IS STILL OPEN: Navigating Cuts, Uncertainty and Responsibility
Photo by Elijah Camacho Jennifer Childers The Advocate When Mt. Hood Community College President Lisa Skari sat down with The Advocate, she kept things simple. “Call me Lisa.” It is a small thing, but an intentional one — a genuine effort to break down hierarchy and keep conversations open. “I think we have a role beyond just educating students,” Skari said. “Students can get skills without sitting in a classroom. How do we remain relevant, and what’s our role and our space a
Jennifer Childers
Apr 20
GRAMMY ARTISTS SPEAK OUT ON ICE
Chiderah Edeh The Advocate This year, the Grammys became more than an awards show. Immigration, equality and human rights were central themes of the night. Pins, speeches and statements worked together to ensure artists’ voices were heard. The event reminded viewers that music and activism are often connected, and that small gestures can spark conversation and inspire change. It started on the red carpet: artists wearing “ICE OUT” pins — small symbols carrying a powerful mes
Chiderah Edeh
Feb 11
MHCC Policies If ICE Were To Potentially Come to Campus
Malikaih Mulloy The Advocate With recent activity in our communities involving ICE, many students, staff and faculty members may be increasingly concerned about the potential presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on campus. While MHCC Public Safety has indicated that there has not been ICE activity on campus to date, the college recognizes these concerns and has provided information on what to do if ICE were to come to MHCC. Illustration by Leo Decklar (
Malikaih Mulloy
Feb 11
ICE RUN-INS REPORTED IN GRESHAM
Adam Elwell The Advocate In December 2025, three Gresham residents were detained after being lured out of their home by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Federal agents cannot enter a home without a warrant; however, this has not deterred ICE or Border Patrol from using deceptive practices to contact residents. Tactics have included fake license plates, Mexican flag bumper stickers and, most recently, posing as utility workers. Despite multiple reports from resident
Adam Elwell
Feb 11
STUDENT VOICES REFLECT FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY ABOUT ICE
Malikaih Mulloy The Advocate Reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the Gresham area have drawn increased attention and concern within the Mt. Hood Community College community. Several MHCC students say the presence of ICE, along with uncertainty surrounding its operations, has created a growing sense of fear and distress, even for those who have not directly encountered agents. In interviews conducted by The Advocate, students described a heightened sens
Malikaih Mulloy
Feb 11
The Latest
Jennifer Childers
May 263 min read
News
MHCC NAMED IN FEDERAL LAWSUIT
Mt. Hood Community College’s Board of Education is among the defendants named in a federal lawsuit challenging Oregon laws that allow certain non-citizen students to receive in-state tuition and state financial aid.
Morgan McCarraher
19 hours ago
POLITICAL CLUB CHARTERS ON HOLD
As previously reported, at the beginning of last spring, three political organizations, The Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), Turning Point USA (TPUSA), and Sunrise Movement, made efforts to establish local chapters at Mt Hood Community College. At the end of the 2025-2026 academic year, following an outpouring of student response, the fate of their efforts remained uncertain. So, where do we stand now?
Chloe Hart-Methke
Oct 8
FEDERAL GRANT CUTS LEAD TO COMMUTE CHALLENGES FOR STUDENTS
As construction continues on the I-5 Rose Quarter improvement project, one of the project’s key contractors has announced it is pulling out from the project. Mt. Hood Community College students and faculty that commute should be aware of this important change as it will affect the improvement project.
Morgan McCarraher
Oct 8
TRIMET CUTS CREATE ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGE FOR MHCC STUDENTS
As of Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, TriMet once again reduced its service offerings, this time adjusting 34 transit lines. The agency is currently looking at a $158 million budget gap and is expected to reduce services even further to balance its budget by 2029. For many Mt Hood Community College students, the changes have spelled longer commute times and uncertainty over transit system reliability.
Lee Delay
Oct 8
ANSWERING THE CALL
This year, more scholarship recipients attended the gala than in recent years, a shift many guests noted. It changed the energy. It wasn’t just about donors giving to students in theory; they were face-to-face, sharing stories and shaking hands.
Jennifer Childers
May 26
COMMUNITY, CONNECTION, AND COTTON CANDY
Barney Bash Returns to MHCC Barney Bash has become one of Mt Hood Community College most beloved community traditions, drawing more than 1,200 people to campus each spring for a celebration designed to close out the academic year. On May 21, students and community members experienced Barney Bash in full swing. Music and vendors filled campus for this annual event as children enjoyed snow cones and cotton candy. Hundreds of people gathered in the sun—a feat achieved through mo
Jennifer Childers
May 22
Community
MHCC NAMED IN FEDERAL LAWSUIT
Mt. Hood Community College’s Board of Education is among the defendants named in a federal lawsuit challenging Oregon laws that allow certain non-citizen students to receive in-state tuition and state financial aid.
Morgan McCarraher
19 hours ago
NEUTRAL, FOR NOW
There is comfort in neutrality. Neutrality asks very little of us. We don’t have to pick a side, defend a position or risk being wrong. We can stand somewhere in the middle and say that we understand both sides. Sometimes, that is exactly where we should stand.
Morgan McCarraher
20 hours ago
From the Editors Desk: CARRYING A 60-YEAR LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE
Welcome to the 2026-27 academic year and the first issue of The Advocate’s 61st volume. The pages you hold in your hand (or perhaps you’re reading online) represent a tradition that has served as a frontline storyteller, investigator, mirror and archivist for our community for exactly six decades!
Jennifer Childers
Oct 8
GIRL OF GLASS’ LATEST RELEASE
Girl of Glass’ particular strain of deathcore is all about stripping the music down to its basics and making it as brutal and heavy as possible which is what they are known for. This really pushed them into the spotlight at the time and made them one of the biggest names in the scene.
Olin Finders
Oct 8
FUN & GAMES ANSWER KEYS
Find your Volume 61, Issue 2 Sudoku Answer Key Here
Advocate Staff
Oct 8
HUNDREDS OF SCHOLARSHIPS
The Foundation has worked hard to ensure that these scholarships are available and accessible to every student.
Jennifer Childers
Oct 8
Features
CHANGES TO AVID PROGRAM
Over Spring term, an email landed in the inboxes of Mt. Hood Community College’s AVID staff with news they were not expecting: the AVID Coordinator position would be cut at the end of the term due to the school’s budget cuts. What the email didn’t make clear was what would happen to everyone else.
Natalie Brooks
Oct 8
Where Clay Becomes Art: A Look Inside MHCC's Ceramic Program And Process
Photo by Aung Pyae Lin Christian Ilechukwu The Advocate The potter’s wheel goes round with stillness, and a wet ball of clay slowly turns into the shape of a mug. It’s a lot of work, it takes time, and things may not always go as planned, but for Jamie Teigen, a student at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon, that spinning wheel became something they love and can’t stop doing. During the pandemic, their ceramics classes were all online and all hand-building: rolling
Christian Ilechukwu
Mar 12
Behind Closed Curtains: Inside A midsummer night’s production
Photo By Elijah Camacho Timothy Grassley The Advocate Imagine the thunder of applause echoing through a packed theater, the stage bathed in golden light and the pulse of live piano filling the air. That’s exactly what greeted me at Mt. Hood Community College’s new production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”—a performance so bold and ambitious I left the theater breathless. A twist of fate landed me face-to-face with Mt. Hood Community College theater director Zach Hartley on W
Timothy Grassley
Mar 4
NEW YEAR, NEW NEWSPAPER
Faithful readers, This winter marks a new chapter for The Advocate—and, unexpectedly, a new chapter for me as well. When I returned to MHCC after a decade-long hiatus, I did so with the practical goal of learning the technical skills needed to stay relevant in my field. I never imagined that journey would lead me to serve as editor-in-chief of a paper I’ve been reading, on and off, for nearly 30 years. It’s an honor and an opportunity I don’t take lightly. I’ve always been a
advocate19
Jan 27
MEET THE ADVOCATE - Aung Pyae Lin
Aung Pyae Lin came to MHCC from Myanmar as a computer science major with no plans to become a photographer. Last spring he walked into The Advocate with nothing but an old childhood camcorder and curiosity. One assignment later, everything changed. “I didn’t expect to love it,” he says. “But framing a shot started feeling like debugging – except the result is something people actually want to look at.” What began as a side gig quickly turned into passion. His photos sharpened
Christian Ilechukwu
Dec 8, 2025
MEET THE ADVOCATE - Adeola Ade-Serrano
Hello!, I’m the writer behind the “Frugal Living” column for The Advocate. I share practical money tips, budget-friendly hacks, and everyday strategies to help students stretch their dollars and still enjoy life.
Adeola Ade-Serrano
Nov 24, 2025
Sports
MHCC’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM HOLDS DOWN FOURTH IN THE REGION
Mt. Hood Community College volleyball has reached the middle portion of its 2026 season with a 9-7 overall record and a 4-2 record in conference play. This puts the Mt. Hood Saints in an impressive position, sitting fourth in the NWAC South Region and No. 11 in the NWAC Coaches Poll.
Cassidy Thao
Oct 8
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: River McClure
McClure had the fastest time in the NWAC this season in the 400-meter hurdles at the Linfield Jenn Boyman Memorial Invitational.
Advocate Staff
Apr 24
Track and Field Kicks Off: A Large Roster of Athletes Anticipate The Season
Adam Elwell The Advocate MHCC showed up at their first track and field meet with the largest team they have had since 2020 last Saturday, March 7 at the perennial Erik Anderson Icebreaker in McMinnville. While the season is still young, spirits are high. Both head coach Fernando Fantroy and teammates cited men’s hurdler River McClure and women’s field Ava Hanson as standout athletes to watch for the season. Fantroy nominated both for NWAC athlete of the week after last week’
Adam Elwell
Mar 12
Softball Perched On The Brink of a Fresh Season
Photo from MHCC Softball Adam Elwell The Advocate MHCC’s longtime athletic dynasty is off to another hot start. The softball team is 13-1 so far this season, despite — or maybe because of — a majority-freshman roster. Only four players returned from last year’s team; the remaining 17 are freshmen. Softball assistant coach Taylor Gould gave credit where it was due. “Historically at Mount Hood, I think softball has always been one of the more dominant sports… A lot of recruitm
Adam Elwell
Mar 12
Saints '26 March Softball Schedule
The 24-25 MHCC softball team in the NWAC championship where they came up just short. The Saints have appeared in the past two championships Columbia Basin College Location: Pasco, WA Mar. 1st | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Centralia College Location: Gresham, OR Mar. 14th | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Umpqua Basin College Location: Gresham, OR Mar. 20th | 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Southwestern Oregon Community College Location: Gresham, OR Mar. 21st | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Grays Harbor College Locatio
advocate19
Mar 4
Cougars Claw Past Saints
The perennial grudge match leaves the saints teetering at 7-7 Clif Wegner, FORMER coach OF MHCC AND CLACKAMAS, Remembered SeaJay McConville The Advocate The evening of Jan. 7 was chilly with light rain outside, but inside Yoshida Events Center, the Mt. Hood Community College men’s basketball team was warming up for a heated rivalry against the Clackamas Cougars. The game was special for both colleges as they played in honor of Clif Wegner, who died July 22. Wegner coached at
SeaJay McConville
Jan 28
STUDENT LIFE & Culture
GIRL OF GLASS’ LATEST RELEASE
Girl of Glass’ particular strain of deathcore is all about stripping the music down to its basics and making it as brutal and heavy as possible which is what they are known for. This really pushed them into the spotlight at the time and made them one of the biggest names in the scene.
Olin Finders
Oct 8
HUNDREDS OF SCHOLARSHIPS
The Foundation has worked hard to ensure that these scholarships are available and accessible to every student.
Jennifer Childers
Oct 8
MHCC WELCOMES SAINTS TO FALL TERM WITH OPEN ARMS
Mt. Hood Community College had a head start with their orientation in early September, welcoming over 400 new Saints to campus.
Cassidy Thao
Oct 8
CHANGES TO AVID PROGRAM
Over Spring term, an email landed in the inboxes of Mt. Hood Community College’s AVID staff with news they were not expecting: the AVID Coordinator position would be cut at the end of the term due to the school’s budget cuts. What the email didn’t make clear was what would happen to everyone else.
Natalie Brooks
Oct 8
AAPI CELEBRATION SHARES CULTURE AND TRADITIONS WITH MT HOOD COMMUNITY
Mt. Hood Community College’s annual AAPI Heritage Month event gives students a chance to honor those experiences. On May 14, the Multicultural Diversity and Resource Center (MDRC) held the annual celebration in the Vista Dining Hall.
Cassidy Thao and Malikaih Mulloy
May 22
KODOMO NO HI: Celebrating Growth and Community at Gresham Japanese Garden
“Kodomo No Hi in general is about the strength and vitality for young children born out of a time where children often died young,” Shonk continued. “There’s a special time for kids at the age of 3, 5, and 7. Children’s Day is about strength, and there’s a story about koi climbing a waterfall and becoming a dragon—facing adversity and becoming stronger.
Malikaih Mulloy
May 22
Opinion
NEUTRAL, FOR NOW
There is comfort in neutrality. Neutrality asks very little of us. We don’t have to pick a side, defend a position or risk being wrong. We can stand somewhere in the middle and say that we understand both sides. Sometimes, that is exactly where we should stand.
ANSWERING THE CALL
This year, more scholarship recipients attended the gala than in recent years, a shift many guests noted. It changed the energy. It wasn’t just about donors giving to students in theory; they were face-to-face, sharing stories and shaking hands.
MHCC SHOULDN'T BE IN THE NATION'S CULTURE WAR
Clubs are for a handful of students who like frisbee golf. They are not for political organizations with eight-digit budgets that are overtly trying to influence the school's culture. Is there a hard, fast line in the sand that explicitly defines these parameters? No, but discerning students absolutely know it when they see it, and it's pedantic to imply otherwise.
STUDENTS VOICE THOUGHTS AMID CUTS, AVID TERMINATION
Here is what you might have missed on campus regarding the budget crisis. Students joined staff in a joint effort to lobby the MHCC Board of Education by showing support for AVID and the Transitions program. During the most recent meeting, students and faculty provided testimonials to the board. Students shared personal stories highlighting the AVID center’s transformative impact on their academic and personal lives. Some described how AVID provided personal coaching, academi
MHCC IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A Fair Look at How It Compares to Oregon’s 17
Christian Ilechukwu The Advocate Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham is a strong option for many students in the eastern Portland area. The campus is known for affordable classes, hands-on programs and a quiet environment with views of Mount Hood on clear days. As an MHCC student, you might wonder how it compares with other community colleges in Oregon. Here’s a fair look based on recent numbers. While no school is perfect for everyone, MHCC holds its own in many ways. Oreg
COMMUNITIES HINGE ON NEWSPAPERS: As Local Papers Vanish, Legacy Media Matters More
Morgan McCarraher The Advocate Most people do not think much about their local paper on an ordinary day. It is there, quietly doing its work: reporting on meetings, highlighting achievements, documenting decisions and recording the life of the community. Like many institutions that function well, it fades into the background. Until it doesn’t. Across the country, communities are learning what happens when local journalism weakens or disappears. The change is rarely dramatic
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