Portland observer., June 18, 2025, Image 1

Volume LII • Number 12
‘City
of
Roses’
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • June 18, 2025
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Clark College Grants Tenure to Educators
Recognized for
Professional
Excellence and
Exceptional Expertise
Clark College Board of Trustees
unanimously granted tenure to 14 out-
standing educators. Tenure is awarded
by the college’s board of trustees based
on professional excellence and out-
standing abilities in their disciplines.
The granting of tenure is based on the
recommendations of tenure review
committees to the Vice President of
Instruction, which are then forward-
ed to the President, who presents a
final recommendation to the board of
trustees. Recommendations are based
on self-evaluations, tenure review
committee evaluations, student eval-
uations, supervisory evaluations, and
peer evaluations. The final decision to
award or withhold tenure rests with the
board of trustees.
Mohammad (Giga) Alqeeq, (Cybersecurity)
With over 18 years in information
security and software development,
Giga earned his IT associate degree
from Everett Community College,
where he later taught and conducted
security research. He runs QeeqBox,
a company focused on advanced digi-
tal security tools. At Clark College, he
Back row, left to right: Trustee Marilee Scarbrough; Giga Alqeeq, Cybersecurity; Gibran Zogbi, Accounting; Molly Lampros,
Communication Studies; Jesse Morse, English; Victor Morales, Philosophy; Brandon Johnson, Automotive; and Trustee Suzanne
Donaldson. Front row, l-r: Teresa Lashchuk, Nursing; Halina Brant-Zawadski, Nursing; Janine Rieck, Health Information
Management; Jay Fancher, Anthropology; Cydney Topping, English; President Dr. Karin Edwards; and Vice President of
Instruction Dr. Terry Brown. Not Pictured: Josie Lesage, Environmental Science; Brian Miyake, Surveying & Geomatics; and
Natasja Swartz, Chemistry.
helped build the Cybersecurity BAS
program and leads workshops on pri-
vacy. His student-first teaching style
emphasizes adaptability and humility.
Halina Brant-Zawadski, (Nursing)
Halina holds degrees in biology and
nursing, including a Ph.D. from the
University of Washington. She joined
Clark in 2022 after extensive work as
a nurse and educator. Known for her
trauma-informed, inclusive approach,
she’s a calm and supportive presence
for students in both clinical and class-
room settings.
Jay Fancher, (Anthropology)
Jay holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology
and has 20 years of teaching expe-
rience. Since joining Clark in 2014,
he’s served as interim chair and brings
Continued on Page 4
Portland Parks & Recreation
Completes Transformation,
Reopens Expanded 25-Acre
Parklane Park
Huge Investment
in Outer Southeast
Portland with
Playground, Splash
pad, Skate Park, Sports
Fields, Much More
Councilor Loretta Smith, Portland City Council District 1, Adena Long, Director of
Portland Parks & Recreation, Naomi Likayi, Artist and Graphic Designer, Sondra
Burtzos, Capital Project Manager, City of Portland
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R)
has completed the long-awaited ex-
pansion of outer Southeast Portland’s
Parklane Park . Following a five-and-
a-half-year design and construction
process, the park is now open and has
been transformed from five acres to
an impressive 25 acres of recreational
space in District 1. It is now Portland’s
largest developed park east of I-205.
The new Parklane Park features a
new playground, splash pad, basket-
ball and tennis courts, soccer fields,
pavilion for community events, cov-
ered picnic areas, community garden,
skate park, dog off-leash area, paved
walking paths, additional restrooms,
parking, public art, and hundreds of
new trees.
“The expanded Parklane Park is a
community centerpiece,” says PP&R
Continued on Page 4