Our Guiding Principles

What drives us

students collaborate in the library

We aim to create a community that provides every student with the opportunity to find their sense of purpose, cultivate their authentic selves, feel a sense of belonging, foster lifelong connections, achieve academic excellence, and engage in transformational Clark experiences to change the world.

We prepare students to be imaginative, engaged, and positive change agents of the world who advance the frontiers of knowledge and understanding through rigorous scholarship and creative effort and, ultimately, who can meet the challenges of a complex and rapidly changing global society.

Women's soccer players assisting new students during move-in

Excellence

We instill and cultivate excellence in everything we do. We inspire students to rise to their potential. We encourage students to undertake research and experiential learning opportunities grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion to influence their overall learning and development. Students demonstrate that they are prepared to excel in a challenging work environment, be responsible members of society in a diverse democracy, and are ready for life after Clark.

Community

We are committed to learning from and celebrating our shared community within our curricular and co-curricular experiences. We welcome the diverse experiences of each member of Clark University and prioritize fostering an equitable and just community for all. We value our sustained connection to one another, to our campus, and to the greater Worcester community.  

Social Justice

We foster a socially just environment through our practices and services, recognizing the necessity of developing an equitable approach to addressing the needs of our student body through implementing policies, programming initiatives, and leadership development. We ensure that our policies and procedures are fair and just by prioritizing our students’ experiences as the center of our practice, especially for our underrepresented students (e.g., BIPOC, LGBTQ+, diverse-abilities, and first-generation students).

Leadership

We develop leaders who understand themselves and their relation to others while recognizing shared ownership in their communities. We maximize opportunities for students to engage, invest, and lead, centering community and the ways in which the intersections of identities impact their understanding and practice of leadership. We recognize that leadership goes beyond formal positions and is a relational and ethical process focused on creating change.

Wellness

We prioritize the health and well-being of the campus community. We create a culture of equitable wellness, resilience, and adaptability, and participate in intentional self-care and community wellness practices that support our holistic well-being. We are committed to ensuring that members of the Clark community approach their time on campus with peace of mind and body, and that essential services and resources are in place and easily accessed when the need arises. 

Integrity

We espouse a set of aspirations through our why, vision, and values to guide our day-to-day actions and decision-making. We enact these aspirations by being people with integrity who call ourselves in (to account) to ensure the alignment of these aspirations with our actions. We facilitate learning that cultivates student habits (or behaviors) of integrity to promote a vibrant, cohesive, and just community. We believe role-modeling is an effective way to bolster students’ integrity. 

cover of the 2023-24 annual report

Division of Student Success Inaugural Annual Report

Academic Year 2023-2024

Download the 2022-2023 Annual Report.

We are here for you.

Division of
Student Success

2nd Floor
Shaich Family Alumni and Student Engagement Center

1-508-793-7423

success@icandcocustoms.com

students study on the green