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Photos by Devin Courtright/The Advocate
Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Kitzhaber and MHCC President John Sygielski talk with Onjalai Flake, Rho Theta vice president of scholarship and international vice president of Phi Theta Kappa, in the Main Mall on Monday.
Kitzhaber revisits campus to tour and answer questions
The Advocate
Former Gov. John Kitzhaber visited MHCC Monday afternoon to look at the allied health programs, and met with ASG President Larry Collins-Morgan, students, staff and faculty during a three-hour tour and sit-down Q&A session.
This was Kitzhaber's second visit to MHCC in the last four months. Collins-Morgan said Kitzhaber visited in July to "check out the solar panels on top of the roof of the school, for part of his green ideas." The solar panels are mainly located right above the vista dining center on the school's roof top.
Kitzhaber, a Democrat, was the 35th governor of Oregon, serving two consecutive terms from 1995-2003. He is in a neck-in-neck race with Republican Chris Dudley, a former Portland Trail Blazer, in the Nov. 2 election.
Collins-Morgan originally reached out to Kitzhaber and Dudley to debate here on campus. Both declined due to schedule restrictions, but Kitzhaber decided to come solo for a second visit.
"It wasn't going to be feasible for their campaign," said Collins-Morgan on the two candidates coming to campus to debate.
"In all fairness, we're planning on getting Chris (Dudley) to campus. I'm waiting to hear back from him. He's on his bus tour right now."
MHCC President John Sygielski, who toured campus Monday with Kitzhaber, said Wednesday that one of the main focuses of Kitzhaber's visit was to "present him with our success in our allied health programs, to include our outstanding faculty and the students who come here because of our pass rates and reputation."
Kitzhaber expressed interest prior to his visit that he wanted to see some of the "workforce development related programs" such as MHCC health care programs on campus.
"The governor requested to see some of our workforce development related programs," said Sygielski. "We wanted to celebrate our allied health programs because we know he has an interest in making healthcare affordable for all Oregonians."
Collins-Morgan said the visit was a success in the sense that Kitzhaber took time out of his day and showed that he cared and had an interest in community colleges such as Mt. Hood.
"I believe we are one of the only colleges (two-year and universities) he has visited twice recently," said Collins-Morgan. "I think his main goal was to talk to the students. One of the reports says he wanted to come back (for a third visit). That says something about our student leaders and school."
Although most of Kitzhaber's tour was to see the campus, he finished his visit with a 45-minute Q&A session with about 25 students, faculty and staff in the district board conference room.
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