Running for Oregon Community College Students

Clackamas Community College President Tim Cook is running to every community college in the state of Oregon this summer! President Cook is spending his vacation time running more than 1,500 miles to 17 community colleges over 50 days, averaging 32 miles per day.

On July 10 at 9 a.m., President Cook will run into the Marjorie Holzgang Concert Bowl at the RCC Redwood Campus in Grants Pass. Community members are invited to join students, staff and faculty as we cheer him on!

The aim of President Cook’s run is to raise awareness about the challenges faced by students and advocate for increased state funding to support their basic needs, and he is seeking support for the cause.

A survey from The Hope Center highlights the pressing needs of Oregon's community college students:

• Food insecurity: Approximately 41% of students reported experiencing food insecurity within the previous 30 days.
• Housing insecurity: About 52% of students faced housing insecurity in the past year, which includes difficulties such as affording rent, utilities or the need to move frequently.
• Homelessness: Nearly 20% of students experienced homelessness in the past year, indicating a lack of stable and safe housing.

Oregon's community colleges serve approximately 200,000 students, accounting for 52% of all public and private higher education enrollments in the state. Many of these students encounter significant obstacles, including housing and food insecurity, lack of childcare and transportation issues. Through this run, President Cook seeks to highlight these challenges and generate support to address them.

For questions, contact Lindsay Griffiths at the RCC Foundation at 541-956-7327 or [email protected].

The ROCCS campaign is made possible through the generous support of Rivermark Community Credit Union, Johnson RV and Daimler Truck North America.

Follow President Cook’s daily progress on Instagram!

To track Tim live and see run routes and stats, visit Tim's blog!