feature
A good man, a good job, and a good life
As he walks by, one could imagine him as the
president of almost any large company. And, in
deed, as the president of Clackamas Community
College, Dr. John Hakanson is just that.
The College is one of the larger employers in
Clackamas county and has a budget of over $5
million a year. As president, Dr. Hakanson is the
person in charge of the day-to-day operation of the
College.
A native of Oregon, Dr. Hakanson was born
May 21, 1920. His father was a road contractor
and an immigrant from Sweden.
During his youth Dr. Hakanson lived in
Southern Oregon. He started working at .12 years
old and at 13, began working in a hardware store
owned by a relative.
After working at the hardward store, Dr.
Hakanson worked at a variety of jobs. First as a saw
mill worker, and later as a construction worker.
Graduating brom Oakland High School in
1937, he went , on to study at Southern Oregon
College, Oregon State University and Vanport Col
lege from 1938 to 1941.
“I was drafted late in 1941,” he said. “And
because I’d taken a term of ROTC at Southern
Oregon College, I was made an officer in the field
artillery.” He served in the Army for four years be
ing stationed in Oklahoma, California, Ft. Lewis,
Washington, the Mojave Desert, Hawaii, New
Guinea, The Philipines and Japan.
After leaving the Army Dr. Hakanson enrolled
at Willamette University. He graduated with a BA
in Political Science and Economics in 1950.
During 1951 he learned of a program the
federal government was running called the National
Campaign for Young Men of High Potential. Out of
22,000 people taking the test 1,800 went on to the
interviewing stage. After being interviewed, 700 of
the finalists were then given lifetime civil service
commissions.
Wednesday, February 17, 1982
Dr. Hakanson, being one of the 700, began
working for the Bureau of Reclamation in Boise,
Idaho. After two years he was transferred to the
Salem office. “I was the office manager there,” he
continued. “Then I started to become disenchanted
with what the Eisenhower Administration was do
ing with the Bureau. I began to realize that no mat
ter how long I was there I would never be making
the important decisions.”
Shortly after that Dr. Hakanson resigned and
made the decision to return to college.
“I enjoyed going to school so much that I
decided that I wanted a career in education or
business management,” he said. “It seemed like the
right choice so I decided to give it a try.”
He enrolled at the University of Oregon, and
graduated in 1957 with a MS in Political Science
and Economics. After graduating he became the
principal at Canyonville High School and later at
Harrisburg High School.
In 1963 he left to enroll at the University of
California. “It,was one of 10 universities with a pro
gram for community college educators, Hakanson
commented. “I was able to talk my way into the
program.
,, “I’d come to the decision that I wanted to get
involved with community colleges through observa
tions,” he continued; “There were many people
who weren’t being served by the Universities. At
one time over a third of students at the University of
Oregon were dropping failing. There aren’t that
many young people who are incapable.”
A short time after he left the University of
California, Dr. Hakanson began working at the
College. “The College passed its first levy in June
of 1966, which later turned put to be illegal, and I
accepted the position of Dean of Instruction.”
Hakanson said. “At the time there was only four
people working for the College; the President, his
secretary, an instructor and myself.”
At this time, the College began its first classes
at the then new Gladstone High School. After two
years Hakanson became president of the College.
And, for the last ten years has been the person in
charge at the College. Some of the programs that
he’s been involved with include food delivery to
charities, the gleaming program and Handicapped
access, a program in which community colleges in
the Portland area combine their resources to meet
the needs of the Handicapped.
“I’m a person who likes to stay at home in the
evenings,” he said. “My family is a large part of my
life. “Dr. Hakanson has a wife, three sons, a
daughter and a grandchild. “I belong to my wife
and the College.”
One of Dr. Hakanson’s hobbies is singing. “I
started singing in High School,” he said. Since then
he’s been involved with radio performances, a
barber shop group -and most recently the Area
Metro Lutheran Choir.
Although Dr, Hakanson is 61 years old, he
sees retirement at least a ways off. “But, it has been
1942 since I’ve known when quitting time was,” he
continued.
Surprisingly enough, Dr. Hakanson sees the
College basically the way he did when he first came
here. “I think the College is going to experience an
amazing amount of growth,” he commented.
“Community Colleges are going to take a larger
and larger number of the students who would have
gone to universities.
“In the next ten years I see the College doubl
ing in size,” he concluded.
Story by David J. Hayden
Photos by Duffy Coffman
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