Unsung Heroes of MHCC

 

Shannon Valdivia

“Forensics coach shares inspiration” 

 

Forensics coach and public speaking instructor Shannon Valdivia is pleased to be chosen as one of ASG’s unsung heroes.

“It’s an award that means a lot because it comes from the students and working with students is my job, so to get the recognition from them meant the world,” said Valdivia, who spent a year away from teaching and coaching the Mt. Hood speech and debate team, and didn’t expect to be chosen as a hero.

“I was surprised, ‘cause I’ve been flying under the radar,” she said.

Valdivia took a year off to get away from the hectic lifestyle of being an instructor and coach. “I was burning out,” she said.

Her break grew more stressful due to the death of her mother, who had fought cancer. “I really spent my year off taking care of my mom,” said Valdivia, who gives her credit for helping set a teaching path.

“It was my (first) speech coach who, along with my mother, got me involved in speech and debate,” Valdivia.

The friendships created on Valdivia’s first team remain very strong. One member from that team came to Portland from Los Angeles within 24 hours after learning that Valdivia’s mother was in hospice.

“When my mother was at the hospital, I had about three or four of my former students come by the hospital to check on me,” she said. They rushed to “make sure I was okay, but also to see mom, because my mother was an important part of this team in the early years. She was my assistant.”

Valdivia’s dedication to the forensics program is unmistakable.

“Even though I was off (last year), I was still texting, ‘How are things going?’ ” she said. “I will always care about how our program is doing. I wanted to make sure they (student competitors) knew that I didn’t abandon them.”

Valdivia describes the life of a speech and debate coach as a lonely one.

“Forensics is not for the weak-of-heart. You give up a personal life; that’s probably why I’m single,” she said. She typically fields calls and emails from students, regardless of the time of day. “Most people would not understand my lifestyle.”

 

 

Craig Marks

 

“Audiovisual technician meets student needs”

 

Craig Marks, MHCC audiovisual technician, is one man who could tell anyone where to find an obscure room on the Gresham campus.

Marks treks all over campus each day, delivering technology to meet instructors’ and departments’ needs.

When a classroom teacher cannot fix a machine that refuses to operate properly, chances are it is Marks who will come to the rescue.

ASG also works closely with Marks, who provides all of the electronic needs for the student group’s events. “Sometimes they give me short notice or things get kind of mixed up. I’m usually able to overcome it and help them out,” he said.

While not many co-workers attended the Unsung Hero event on Feb. 18, he said, “a lot of instructors emailed me and said, ‘Oh, this is great. I’m so glad you got it.’

“I thought it was neat and kind of fun that I got the award,” he said.

Inspired by the award-show season, Marks even wrote an acceptance speech for his “captive audience.”

After nearly 30 years on the MHCC campus, Marks said he still hasn’t gotten bored. He enjoys learning from instructors he meets, he said, and “I like interacting with the students.

“I think I have a good mix of being able to deal with the equipment pretty good… but also being sociable,” he said.

A big challenge for him is to keep pace with new technology. “The changes keep coming faster and faster,” but he’s been curious all his life and isn’t afraid to pick something up and figure out how it works, he said.

Those talents help explain why Marks calls his position at MHCC a “good fit.”

 

Christy Weigel

 “Making the Orientation Center a success”

 

As Orientation Center Coordinator, Christy Weigel has the opportunity to interact with students, and be one of the first faces they see on campus.

The center opened at the beginning of Fall Term, and provides students a place to obtain help with any online forms not required for homework.

Weigel said one her highlights at the Orientation center is “getting to know all of the students that I work with and all the students who are coming in. It’s kind of fun to be one of the first people that they get to talk to,” she said of the latter.

The Hero award came as a “very big surprise” and it “brought a little tear to my eye.” she said.

“It’s one thing to be noticed for your hard work by your supervisor or your co-workers. But when it comes from the student side, it (is) really nice and really sweet.”

Weigel said she has received “pretty good” feedback on the center’s work so far.

“It’s not just because of me. It’s largely because we have so many great students working in here. It makes people come in and feel a little more comfortable, knowing there’s a fellow student who’s gone through what they’re going through,” she said.

Open registration for Spring Term opens Monday, so Weigel said the center is ramping up.

It’s often new students’ first stop after they take placement tests. Weigel and center workers discuss students’ unique situations so they are not overloaded and can succeed in college.

“We aim to keep it friendly and exciting… but with a little dose of reality,” she said of the initial college experience, for many.

The center offers help navigating the MyMHCC portal, registering for classes, applying for graduation and other assistance.

It is in Room AC 1002, at the far south end of the Main Mall.