A national community college leadership organization granted Mt. Hood Community College its annual equity award for the college’s efforts to address racism and poverty in the community. MHCC serves about 25,000 students per year, but its district ranges from Mount Hood to Portland — an area with a population of nearly 500,000 in parts of Multnomah and Clackamas counties.
The Association of Community College Trustees gave MHCC its Charles Kennedy Equity Award on Friday. According to MHCC, the award was based on the college’s recent work including creating a student basic needs resource team, establishing a multicultural diversity resource center and increasing its recruitment of employees from underrepresented backgrounds — particularly in management positions.
“We all agree that this work is imperative,” MHCC Board Chair Annette Mattson said in a statement. “We want to make sure our board’s commitment to equity is reflected in all our processes at MHCC and evident in the resources and services the college provides.”
Outside of the college itself, MHCC has also been partnering with community organizations to provide services and resources to the wider community.
Some of those community partnerships include working with Multnomah County Health Department to provide COVID-19 vaccination clinics to communities of color. MHCC has also partnered with the nonprofit Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization to offer vocational English career pathways and translation services.
“This award shines a light on the complex needs many residents in our district face every day,” MHCC President Lisa Skari said in a statement. “We are honored to receive this equity award, but this is just the beginning of our efforts to help students and potential students overcome barriers and reach their goals.”