Campus News 

While most students are away for the summer, there is no shortage of activity on campus! On Saturday, May 17 we were proud to host the first annual High School Graduate Military Enlistee Recognition Event for Eastern Iowa. The event, held in partnership with Our Community Salutes – Eastern Iowa, honored 46 graduating seniors from across 20 Eastern Iowa communities who are about to enter service in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.

Then on Monday, June 2, Clarke held the 38th annual Clarke University Golf Classic. Thirty-six teams representing many area businesses and long-time supporters of Clarke raised over $67,000 for student-athletes, which makes up nearly 80 percent of the student body at Clarke. A sincere thank you to Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa, the Dubuque Golf & Country Club, the Mackin Institutional Advancement Office, and the Athletics Office for making this event possible.

We are also proud to celebrate the 240 students named to the Spring 2025 Dean’s List. Your hard work deserves to be recognized, and I hope all reading this will join me in wishing you a sincere, “congratulations!” for all you have accomplished.

Events continue off campus now and into the summer. One example was the Celebration of Generosity, a prayer service and reception hosted by the BVM Sisters that several members of the Clarke community attended. We are also looking forward to many alumni events, including a Buffet Dinner at the Army Navy Country Club in Fairfax, Virginia on June 28 and the sold-out performance of “Wicked” on Broadway at the Overture in Madison, Wisconsin on July 19. Closer to home, there is the annual Coffee with Clarke for our Education alumni in Quigley Gallery on June 30. See our Alumni Events page for a full list of activities near you.

Strategic Plan Update   

Strategic planning and implementation will continue throughout the summer of 2025, focusing on successfully completing the current strategic plan by the end of 2026. During this period, the Strategic Planning Implementation committee will work collaboratively to continue actionable steps that align with the university’s mission and vision, ensuring measurable progress toward established milestones.

We will also initiate the creation of new long-term goals, clearly defined objectives, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to guide and influence the university’s growth and success through to the year 2030, positioning Clarke University to meet future challenges and opportunities with strategic clarity and impact.

Living our Legacy Spotlight

Andrea Simmons ’01, ’08 MSN, ’16 DNP Associate Professor of Nursing is in this volume’s spotlight.

Living our legacy stems from our mission:  

Clarke University is a Catholic academic community that believes learning is lifelong and life changing. We inspire intellectual curiosity, cultural engagement, professional preparedness, spiritual exploration, and a commitment to contributing to the common good in a global society.   

As a three-time graduate of Clarke’s Nursing programs, Andrea’s dedication to Clarke and the field of healthcare is clear. Her courses focus on Nursing Informatics and Accountability in Practice-Based Education, and she is happy to share experiences from her own DNP practice with her students. This extends to her daughter Taylar, who graduated from Clarke in fall 2024 with a degree in Biology and has her own passion for health and science research.

Andrea also runs the Wellness Camp Clarke will offer on June 19 for children ages 8-11. With support from DNP students, Andrea will lead campers through projects to better understand nutrition, exercise, brain health, and more.

Thank you, Andrea, for seeking to improve the health and wellness of our Clarke community and beyond.

Go Pride! 

Fletch

Visit our Newsroom webpage to learn more about all the great things happening on campus and in the wider community!

Clarke University

www.clarke.edu