Long-Time Advisor Calvin Walker Retires From Mt. Hood
Photo sourced from albinamusictrust.com
After over twenty years as an employee of Mt. Hood Community College, longtime academic adviser Calvin Walker has retired this spring.
I had the opportunity to interview him after his departure, during which I learned about his path through MHCC, his advising philosophy, and how he has seen our school change over the years.
Walker worked in several positions during his tenure here, starting in 2003 as a development director for the campus-operated radio station, KMHD. But when the radio station left our campus in 2009 [taken over by Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB)], he settled into his role as an academic adviser, where he would stay for the next 15 years.
Becoming an adviser was never a goal for Walker; it was simply the right job available at the right time. But that does not mean he was not passionate about this work.
“I’ve enjoyed every single second of it,” he told me. “I really love helping people, so it’s the perfect job for me to help students.”
And helping students is exactly what he has done, with his advising philosophy coming down to three words: “Lead with compassion.” He told me that it is important to uplift students and encourage them, something he wants not only advisers but also instructors, administration, and fellow students at Mt. Hood to take on.
Walker took the opportunity to highlight some of the instructors at MHCC he believed thoroughly embodied this approach: Valory Thatcher, Jessica Wittman, Bernadette Harnish, Nicole Bragg Scott, and Matt Hart.
As it turns out, when you lead with compassion, you make lasting positive impacts on students. And so Walker occasionally gets emails from past students who thank him for helping them during their time at MHCC, however many years ago.
He has seen students go on to accomplish amazing things, such as getting admitted to selective graduate schools, such as the UCLA medical school and Columbia University law school. “If I had even one small bit to help them get to the next level, I am quite proud of that, and that’s really what I’m here for,” he told me.
Of course, it is not always going to be easy for every student to succeed. Life circumstances, a tough upbringing, and the limited number of hours in a day can make it difficult to excel academically. But Walker said he believes it is not impossible for anybody to overcome: With the right encouragement and compassion from those around them, any student can be enabled to accomplish anything.
During Walker’s two decades-plus at MHCC, the diversity of the student body has grown substantially. Because of this, he believes it is important as ever to build a strong sense of community with everyone on campus. Once again, this goal is accomplished by leading with compassion, he said.
Although clearly passionate about and taking pride in his work, Walker said now is the right time to step back from this role and retire. At 72 years old, he wants to do other things in life – including dedicating much of his time to the Albina Music Trust, a community archive for Black music in the Albina neighborhood of Northeast Portland that he co-founded.
Walker has left an indelible mark on MHCC and its community. Even after retiring, students are still reaching out to him for support and he is still working hard for their success, off the clock and off the payroll. There’s little doubt he will be remembered as a compassionate leader who gave his all to help others, and here’s hoping he enjoys his well-deserved retirement.
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