To the Clark Community:

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday weekend and that the remainder of the fall semester goes well for everyone.

Today, I write to share with you an upcoming change in the University’s leadership team. Vice president for undergraduate admissions and financial aid Meredith Twombly let me know last week that she has accepted a position at another university in the region and will be leaving Clark in January. This is an exciting opportunity for Meredith, which will be announced by her new institution soon. I not only wish her well but also thank her for her partnership over the past two years since I became president.

Since Meredith joined Clark in 2018, she has enhanced our admissions process in many ways and has placed a priority on making the process more engaging for prospective students and their families. I am especially grateful for, and appreciative of, her work to identify and address barriers to access and to increase diversity within our student body. This fall, under Meredith’s leadership, we recruited and enrolled Clark’s largest-ever incoming class while also increasing the representation of BIPOC and first-generation students. And our significantly simplified financial aid process has made it easier for students to apply for and receive the support they need. At the same time, Meredith and her team have increased overall prospective student interest in Clark, with our first-year applicant pool reaching record levels. All of this during an extremely challenging few years due to the impact and uncertainties of the COVID pandemic.

I am also pleased to let you know that Theresa Malone ’01, M.A. ’09, who has been a key member of our admissions team since 2002, has agreed to serve as acting executive director for admissions starting January 6, 2023, while we conduct a national search for a permanent leader.

Please join me in thanking Meredith for the many positive contributions that she has made to our University.

Sincerely,

David Fithian ’87
President