Web Photo Everyone knows the stereotype of the broke college student surviving on packs of instant ramen noodles. The cliché has made its way into popular culture and has long been considered just a part of college; some may go as far to say it is a rite of passage. The reality is, many college students struggle to cover basic needs. Those who don’t have family support are more likely to face challenges affording food. Prior to the pandemic, food insecurity was a common issue

Web Photo Nearly a dozen Mt. Hood Community College students are set to receive a nice payout, in the school’s latest effort to confront the COVID pandemic. In a schoolwide email sent Oct. 7, MHCC, in cooperation with the federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), announced it had secured grant money to provide any unvaccinated Saints students and faculty/staff with a monetary incentive of $500 if they acted to get a COVID vaccination. Initial confusion among som

Looking to scratch that creative itch? And perhaps earn tuition waivers or Federal Work Study pay while you’re gaining valuable experience? The Advocate, Mt. Hood’s student newspaper/online news organization, is looking to build up our student staff for 2021-22. We have several writing, editing, graphic design, videography and photography openings still available this autumn. These are great opportunities for creative, curious enrolled students to sharpen or build new work sk

This past weekend, four members of the MHCC Forensics Team participated in the Steve Hunt Classic, co-sponsored by Lewis and Clark College and Whitman College. 70 2 and 4-year colleges and universities from 26 states including Penn State, Western Kentucky University, Central Florida University, Ohlone College and Boise State, participated in the very competitive 3-day tournament. While MHCC may have had a small entry – they were mighty, advancing all individual events to sem

Web Photo This is quite literally “blood money”: Is it ethical for plasma donation centers to give monetary compensation to plasma donors? The primary argument in favor of compensation for plasma donation argues that past attempts of encouraging voluntary plasma donation have failed to provide an adequate minimum amount to support the ability to produce medicine, and that the only successful path to meeting demand is to pay for it. On the other hand, opponents argue that fina

Kayla Brown holds one of her delicious sweets. Photos by Fletcher Wold. The pandemic surely changed life as we know it this past year, especially the impact on local businesses, particularly restaurants and eateries. Showing my grandma, who lives in Mexico, around Portland was one of my highlights. But one regret I have is not taking her to my favorite bakery: Sugar Cubed Cakes. I remember when I first spotted this bakery, walking in downtown Gresham a few years back. I belie

The MHCC District Board in April adopted a proposed General Fund budget of $83.8 million for the 2021-22 academic year, which is the biggest component of the proposed college operating budget of $199 million. Web Graphic. Final approval of the budget plan is expected after the board holds a formal local tax district public hearing (by Zoom) at 6:30 p.m. on June 16. The biggest takeaway for students: There won’t be any tuition increases for 2021-22. There will be a significant

Founded by MHCC, KMHD-FM (89.1 FM on local radio and also streaming online) has been providing jazz to Multnomah County and the greater Portland area since 1984. Meantime, Mt. Hood’s KMHD2 currently livestreams music of new emerging artists and hosts student voices in what some would consider a classic “college radio” format. Web Graphic. The latter is about to undergo major changes. Since the MHCC administration chose in 2020 to eliminate the college’s broadcast study progra

Members of Mt. Hood’s speech and debate team are celebrating their participation in the 2021 National Forensics Championships, held online May 7-9. Competing against 16 other two- and four-year colleges and universities, MHCC placed second in the Community College Team Sweepstakes. Leading the way for the Saints was Austin Schubert, who won a bronze medal in IPDA Debate (International Public Debate Assoc. rules) and was named 2nd (Top) Speaker overall for NPDA Debate (Nation

Writer: Brad Le The respect of journalism has undoubtedly plummeted, to perhaps an all-time-low. While it was never a career that was revered, being a journalist used to mean being a messenger to the people and not someone who speaks on behalf of them. Regardless, I hope that everyone considers taking a class in journalism, or at least being part of a journalism group. I once heard a joke about news journalists: “The best way to tell if someone is a good news journalist is to

James “Jim” Zordich, two-term Zone 2 incumbent on the MHCC District board, was narrowly defeated in the May 18 election by Boring resident Marie Teune. James (Jim) Zordich Web Photo. Teune is a longtime Sandy-based real estate broker and current member of the Oregon Trail School District board of directors. In her voters guide submission, Teune noted that three of her four children have attended Mt. Hood after attending local public schools. In final election results posted J

Web Photo. The Saints women’s and men’s basketball teams have wrapped up their delayed and shortened seasons – without playing a single game this spring on their home Gresham campus court. That’s because the major February snow- and icestorm that left tens of thousands of customers without power in Portland-Gresham caused extensive water damage to MHCC’s main court floor in the Yoshida Events Center gymnasium. It will take another couple of months – and nearly a half-million

Web Graphic. The Advocate normally travels to participate in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association (ONPA) Collegiate Day seminar and awards ceremony each spring. While the complications of COVID-19 made the May 7 road trip impossible, it didn’t stop the college’s student newspaper from making the MHCC community proud with another strong showing. This year’s seminar was a Virtual Collegiate Day hosted by Kevin Slimp, a writer, news industry guru and entrepreneur from Kno

Web Graphic provided by Judi Charman. This year’s Barney’s Bash online auction ran April 21-25, with the livestream main event held on April 24. Annually the biggest fundraising event to support the MHCC Foundation, this year’s Bash raised $153,000 said officials – very close to the amount raised a year earlier, when the normally “gala” dinner event also was held online. The money raised will help Mt. Hood students. The funds raised by the event go towards the Foundation’s gr

Graphic by Mae Cossu|The Advocate. MHCC is currently weighing options for the 2021 Fall Term, and many faculty members and employees have different perspectives on what the school should do. With online student registration for classes set to open June 1, MHCC expects to offer a blend of online, in-person and hybrid (partially in-person) courses this fall. The Advocate reached out to leaders of Mt. Hood’s three main employee groups – full-time and part-time instructors, and c

Web Photo. The MHCC community is invited to “My First Ikebana,” a virtual, hands-on Japanese floral design tutorial, on Friday, May 28. Nana G. Bellerud, an Oregon certified Sogetsu Ikebana Sensei, will join Mt. Hood’s Japanese Culture Club to lead the online Japanese style floral arrangement lesson. Ikebana is a creative expression of blossoms, branches and stems that allow the creator to showcase a presentation of botanic beauty. The arrangements can be made “anytime, anywh

In our greenspaces and in our backyards, each day in May brings new additions to our community. Yesterday a Wilson’s Warbler, with his cap of black and his staccato song, joined the chorus of finches and towhees. Today a Black-headed Grosbeak lands on the top of a Douglas Fir, 2500 miles from its winter home in the pine forests of Nayarit, Mexico. These and other newcomers join a spectacle in full swing. The College backdrop is one of mixed conifer-deciduous forest, but the d

Sponsored by Japanese Culture Club and International Student Club. Photo provided from email by Sara Rivara. Hello MHCC colleagues, Here is an opportunity to learn about Japanese culture through the art of Ikebana: Flower Arrangement. Please forward this information to your students and anyone who might be interested in participating. They will need to sign up before the event. Though this event is organized for students, staff and faculty are also welcome to participate. Na

Entrance of Portland Cà Phê: Photo by Brad Le|The Advocate Talk about a caffeine rush: Vietnam’s coffee culture is heavily associated (and sometimes only associated) with the cà phê đá, or Vietnamese iced coffee Which is ironic given that Vietnam is second to Brazil in coffee productionand is primarily known for only one type of coffee. Kim Dam is the owner of the newly opened Portland Cà Phê on Southeast Holgate, translating to “Portland Coffee” in Vietnamese. The MHCC gradu

Graphic provided by Dan Davey. The 2021 Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, entirely free to the public and entirely online, will take place from this Friday, April 30, through Sunday, May 2. Sessions will run 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., with musical performances scheduled each day at 1 and 6 p.m. Masterclasses, presentations that include a Q&A and webinar session for musicians and others with an interest, will be at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m all three days. “It’s gonna be awesome,” said Dan Davey,