This content was published: January 26, 2006. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
SHORT TAKES: Gateway-to-College announces more replication partners
Photos and Story by James Hill
On Tuesday, Jan. 24 at the Lloyd Center Doubletree Hotel, the PCC Gateway to College program hosted a banquet for the next four members of its nationwide replication project, which is funded through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 
The colleges selected for the latest round are Community Colleges of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, Mount Wachusett Community College in Massachusetts, Tri-County Technical College in South Carolina and College of the Albemarle in North Carolina. Four more colleges will be selected next fall and four more in 2007. PCC is targeting 17 total community colleges for replicating its successful Gateway to College program.The program serves at-risk youth, ages 16 to 20, who have dropped out of school or are likely to. It gives the students a chance to earn a high school diploma while also getting experience at a community college. Students can also earn college credits that can go toward earning an associate’s degree. PCC will give each selected college a total of $300,000 to $350,000 over three years to start up their programs. At PCC, 71 percent of the 375 at-risk students completed last year with a C grade or better and 92 percent of them had regular attendance in their classes.PCC’s annual Winter Powwow attracts more than 1,000 visitorsThe PCC Powwow Planning Committee extends a heartfelt "Thank You" to all who helped plan and volunteer time to help make the event a success. "This extraordinary event relies on the touch of many people involved to make it a success," said Claire Oliveros, Multicultural Center coordinator. "Thank you for your generous contributions." 
More than 1,000 people came through the gym during the event on Saturday Jan. 21 at the Sylvania Campus. The powwow also featured 14 Native American drum groups from throughout the region and Montana and more than 50 traditional dancers, including youth and adults.Other attractions included 35 arts and craft vendors, 10 colleges including one out of state, more than 50 youth, adult, and PCC employee volunteers and in excess of 850 community members who were served dinner during the free community feed. 
In total, the event featured drum groups and dancers from Portland, Warm Springs, Klamath, Grand Ronde and Siletz, to name a few. Ruben Twin Jr. (Lakota in South Dakota) was the arena director; Arnold Little Head (Assinoboine) the master of ceremony; Crazy Horse Singers (Pine Ridge South Dakota) served as host drum; and the Northwest Indian Veterans Association were this year’s the color guard."Thank you for your commitment and dedication to serving the campus and community through cultural enrichment and educational activities for all," said Oliveros.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »