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

2025-26 ASMHCC members, left to right: Jared Young, Becca King, Andrew Gonzalez, Liana Navarro, Jeffrey Erickson, Rachel Jones, Niang San Cing, Elaria Salib, Isaias Figeroa, Rhuan Carneiro. Not pictured: Brooklyn Noel, Nam Dang,Stephani Ortiz Moreno. The Associated Students of Mt. Hood Community College’s (ASMHCC) election for student body president and vice president for 2025-26 has concluded, with the Office of Student Life announcing on April 24 that Jeffery Erickson and E

Left to right incoming 2025-2026 ASMHCC president, Jeffrey Erickson, and acting 2024-2025 ASMHCC president Rachel Jones. The new Mt. Hood student body president for 2025-26 has ambitious goals for next year’s student leadership team. Jeffery Erickson told The Advocate during his campaign that his primary goals were to be responsive to the needs of students, build community by running social events for students, put work into cleaning up the campus grounds, and the challenging

HOW THE MHCC CAMPUS MIGHT FARE AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE The proposed $136 million bond measure for Mt. Hood Community College on the May 20 special election ballot would help pay for badly needed repairs and upgrades at the Gresham campus.Perhaps deserving a top priority: Addressing campus areas most vulnerable to devastating earthquake damage. All Photos by Leo Fontneau Daina Hardisty, a geology instructor at MHCC, recently produced a video clip for the college where she argued t

MHCC Barney’s Pantry Photo by Leo Fontneau Mt. Hood students who use Barney’s Pantry are already feeling the effects of recent Trump administration budget reductions. At the beginning of April, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture reduced the amount of food it supplied to food banks nationwide through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which included the Oregon Food Bank, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. Steve Herff, coordinator for Barney’s Pantry, said the cutb

WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED APRIL 24 I have high hopes for the 2025-26 student body leadership, as there are two candidates running for both president and vice president of the Associated Students of Mt. Hood Community College (ASMHCC):· Jeffery Erickson and Heart Pham as student body president· Rhuan Carneiro and Elaria Salibas as student body vice presidentErickson said he is running because he’s passionate about making a real difference on campus. One of his top priorities is

The long–sought Mt. Hood Community College bond measure (following a handful of unsuccessful attempts, the most recent in 2017) is finally going to have its moment on the ballot, again.Oregon’s May 20 special election will include the $136.4 million tax proposal for all property owners in the college’s far-reaching district, which was formally adopted on Jan. 15 by the MHCC District Board of Education.The summary submitted to explain the bond proposal to voters mostly focuses

PUSHBACK AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION Unfortunately, it’s not a bold statement to say that we live in some very troubling and interesting times. No matter what side of the political fence you sit on, I think that’s something we can all agree upon. I have never been very active when it comes to politics, but as a result of current events, that’s changed. So, on Tuesday, March 4, I decided I would attend my first protest, in downtown Portland. The day began with me nervously ta

2025 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AT MHCC Celebrating International Women’s Day at MHCC means honoring the women who have continuously worked hard to achieve their own personal dreams and make positive impacts in our communities. The focus in this year’s event, held March 6 in the Student Union, was to recognize some of the inspirational and hardworking women at MHCC, including those in vitally important healthcare fields. Special guest speaker Fernanda Baños Cervantes, communi

Union to vote on new contract The MHCC administration and the college’s Classified Employees Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract, both sides have confirmed. The pending agreement reached on March 5, to be voted on by CEA members by March 17, would replace the previous five-year contract that expired last June 30. Mt. Hood’s District Board has scheduled an executive session prior to its regularly scheduled meeting on March 19 to address the n

A proposed Mt. Hood Community College operating budget for the 2025-26 academic year includes an increase in tuition – but would still exceed expected revenue, pushing the college’s reserves to the limit, according to the college’s budget director. At the Feb. 19 MHCC District Board of Education meeting, Jennifer DeMent, the vice president of finance and administration, presented the college’s budget assumptions for the upcoming year. To address rising costs, a tuition increa