Photo By Jennifer Childers Jennifer Childers The Advocate The delicate balancing act of juggling classes and staying afloat financially is a struggle understood by most MHCC students. For many, the need to work while attending school not only impacts their ability to keep up with coursework but also prevents them from engaging in co‑curricular activities and other valuable student experiences.  But more than $1 million in scholarship funding is offered to students each year

Photo by Aung Pyae Lin Cassidy Thao The Advocate ASMHCC 2026-27 presidential elections are being held from March 10 to March 12, and every student has a chance to make a difference. The current student body president, Jeffery Erickson, and vice president, Elaria Salib, have been working hard all year, and it’s nearly time to pass on the responsibility. There are three candidates running for student body president: Liana Navarro, Nick Stone and Emanuely Igwira; and two candida

Chris Woods The Advocate Avel Gordly, 1947–2026  Avel Louise Gordly, born Feb. 13, 1947, was an activist, organizer and politician in Oregon, and the first Black woman elected to the Oregon State Senate. She served from 1997 to 2009.  She grew up on Williams Street in the predominantly African American neighborhood of Northeast Portland and later became one of only 20 Black students at Girls Polytechnic High School (later Washington-Monroe High School). The school tried to st

Chris Woods The Advocate Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist, politician and Baptist minister, died Feb. 17, 2026.  Born Jesse Louis Burns on Oct. 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, to single mother Helen Burns, he later had good relationships with both his biological father, Noah Louis Robinson, and his stepfather, Charles Henry Jackson. A high school honor student and class president at racially segregated Sterling High School, he attended the University of Illinois i

Jennifer Childers The Advocate Students may have noticed individuals affiliated with Turning Point USA gathering in the Main Mall courtyard in recent days, speaking with students and collecting information. Turning Point USA is a national nonprofit student organization founded by Charlie Kirk in 2012. The group describes its mission as identifying, educating and organizing students to promote conservative principles of limited government, free markets and individual liberty.

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 The Advocate Mt. Hood Community College may be between a rock and a $5 million hard place.   In an email to MHCC faculty on Feb. 6, President Lisa Skari wrote that “even with careful planning, the college is still facing an estimated gap of nearly $5 million that must be addressed in the coming fiscal year’s budget.” Earlier this week, Oregon released its economic forecast, revealing a $15 billion budget shortfall driven in part by federal cuts to Medicaid and SNA

Morgan McCarraher The Advocate MHCC is unlike most community colleges in the state of Oregon in its geographic reach and unique and specialized programs. However, like the other state community colleges, it is locally governed by an elected board. State laws and policies, along with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission — as defined in ORS 341.015 — guide how Oregon’s community college districts are determined. Because of this, MHCC’s district includes eight high schoo

Art by Bianca Vandijk S uper Easy One-Pot Mashed Potatoes   PREP TIME: 5 mins, YIELDS: 4 servings  By Valentina | The Baking Fairy  Ingredients: 2+ lbs potatoes, cubed   2+ cups of milk, or nondairy milk, or ½ cup - 1 cup heavy cream plus milk, not quite covering the potatoes  ½ tablespoon salt  ½ teaspoon garlic powder  ¼ teaspoon onion powder  ¼ teaspoon black pepper  2-3 tablespoon butter or vegan butter to taste  Wash and scrub your potatoes. Peel if desired. Cut into sm

Christian Ilechukwu The Advocate As many students wonder how to stretch their grocery budgets, one student is making it her mission to lighten the load. Promise Funchess, an MHCC student with a warm smile and a drive to help others, has stepped into the role of peer navigator for the Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC). “I became a peer navigator for a few reasons,” Promise said. “Mainly, I enjoy helping and supporting others. Additionally, I believe students—especially at M

Kaung Sat Han The Advocate International students, tasked with future planning often face navigating school, finances and strict visa rules. Recently, a proposed U.S. immigration rule could end or restrict Optional Practical Training (OPT) which is a program that allows students to work in their related studies field after graduation to gain work experience. OPT currently allows international students to work in the United States for up to 12 months in their related studies f

The Mt. Hood Community College District Board of Education approved two high-value contracts and appointed seven community members to the newly formed Bond Oversight Committee during its Nov. 19 meeting. These decisions move the college into the next phase of work connected to the $136.4 million general obligation bond measure approved by voters earlier this year. Project management contract approved MHCC completed a competitive solicitation for project management firms to su

Photo by Aung Pyae Lin MHCC’S NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SPECIALIST In this feature, The Advocate interviews Taeya Hillman-Johnson, who in August became Mt. Hood Community College’s new International Student Recruitment and Engagement Specialist. With a background in event planning, community building, and student support, Hillman-Johnson brings creativity, warmth, and a deep commitment to helping international students thrive. Advocate : Tell us about yourself, please. Hillma

Including Mt. Hood Students TriMet, the Portland metro area’s public transit agency, is facing a $300 million gap between expected revenues and expenses in the next few years. The agency is trying to close that gap by cutting back some services and laying off employees to avoid more severe service cuts in the future. But the impact on many riders, including MHCC students, has already come. “We are facing a fiscal cliff in 2030, so we must act now to balance our budget for the

At Mt. Hood Community College, a small room filled with shelves of food and care helps students meet one of life’s most basic needs. Known as Barney’s Pantry, it’s a place where no student is turned away, and no one has to face hunger alone. Making sure every visitor feels welcome, Pantry clerk Solana Sonnier helps to keep the space running with empathy and dedication. “When a student comes to the Pantry for the first time, all they need to bring is a physical copy of their s

Paintings by Nathan Orosco, prominently 'The Spill', being observed by a student - Photo by Marisa Engelhard Alma Perez The Advocate The annual Faculty Art exhibit was held in the MHCC Visual Arts Gallery from Sept. 22 through Oct. 30. All of the art presented in the showcase was created by our talented faculty members here at Mt. Hood.The individual faculty got the opportunity to present their hard work and passion for their art  with different forms of art – including call

On Saturday, May 3, Mt. Hood Community College celebrated the 50th year of Head Start, which it hosts on its Gresham campus. The fiesta-themed event was attended by various community organizations involved in early childhood education and community support, which the federally funded Head Start program provides to about 800,000 children nationally. Dr. Hilda Pena-Alfaro, MHCC executive director of childhood development and family services, told The Advocate, “We are celebrati

By: Brandonn Catabay The Advocate The year a building was completed largely determines the occupant’s safety during the next big earthquake, and MHCC finished building its Gresham campus in the 1970s, well before the implementation of seismic codes or the discovery of the Cascadia subduction zone in 1988. But Mt. Hood isn’t alone, in this regard. According to a 2022 video from PBS, which ran a special on Oregon’s buildings and seismic safety, 70% of the built infrastructure i

On May 16, state Reps. Zach Hudson and Ricki Ruiz, Democrats who represent House districts 49 and 50 in the Oregon Legislature in Salem, participated in a forum in the MHCC Visual Art Gallery Theatre. Just days before the May 20 special election that decided the fate of MHCC’s proposed $136 million bond measure, the two discussed federal and state budget concerns and other pressing issues during the session. The forum was moderated by The Advocate’s S. Cousins and Christopher

MHCC President Lisa Skari (left) and MHCC Board Chair Diane McKeel (right) at a May 21 Board of Education meeting after the bond passed. After initial results of the proposed $136 million Mt. Hood Community College bond measure were posted the evening of May 20, election day, showing it lagging in support, the next vote updates showed it gaining support as additional mail ballots were counted. Now, from a narrow lead of just 11 votes on May 21, the winning margin has increase