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Clackamas Community College President Dr. Tim Cook is lacing up his running shoes and setting out on a journey — running 1,500 miles across Oregon, connecting all 17 of the state’s community colleges. 

An avid marathoner, his goal is to run to each community college, averaging 32 miles per day. The campaign, Running for Oregon Community College Students (ROCCS) aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by students and advocate for increased state funding to support their basic needs.

At Clackamas Community College, 38% of students reported food insecurity in a survey this spring. They also shared challenges with affording child care and transportation. At the state level, a survey from The Hope Center reported:

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

On Monday, June 16, Cook will start his run at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Ore. From there he will work his way across eastern and central Oregon, then south to Klamath Falls, up the Willamette Valley, over to the coast up to Astoria, down through the Portland metro area and finishing in Hood River where he plans to end his run with a jump in the Columbia River.

“Some have questioned why I’m doing this run and why I would subject myself to this, but our students deserve to be able to afford college and be able to pay for rent, child care, groceries and transportation,” Cook said. “If this run helps raise awareness and funding for basic needs, it will be worth every blister.”

Oregon's community colleges serve approximately 200,000 students, accounting for 52% of all public and private higher education enrollments in the state. The funds raised during the ROCCS campaign will be distributed to each community college, directly supporting students' essential needs. To donate or learn more about the run, visit run4orccstudents.org. 

ROCCS is supported by Rivermark Credit Union, Johnson RV, Daimler Truck North America, The Ford Family Foundation, Jim Laden and Rep. Rob Nosse, and the CCC Foundation.