Students enjoyed painting pots during the "Pottery and Plants" event this week.

Campus News 

Frigid temperatures may make the arrival of spring seem a long way off, but the exciting activities on campus keep spirits and energy high as we move closer to that season. 

For example, students gathered for our Pottery & Plants event that was sponsored by the Arts at Clarke committee. Students painted planters with the Ceramics Club and will choose a plant from among those supplied by the Biology Club this evening. This scientific and artistic collaboration showcased student work while providing a fun, stress-relieving event for students of all majors.

Clarke Music Days are a popular event among high school musicians in the area. They are so popular, in fact, that we are hosting two Music Days this year instead of just one! These FREE events offer an excellent opportunity to support young musicians, so please encourage friends and family to attend. 

While the Clarke Music Days event focuses on the musicians of tomorrow, our annual Musical Menus is a celebration of the very best of the Clarke Music Program today. This year it’s a must-see, one-night only event at the Hotel Julien on March 28. The theme is “Dining with Divas,” and we are sure that the dining experience will include an exceptional meal and stellar performances from students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Purchase your tickets now.  

Scheduling note: Unfortunately, we had to postpone the Mackin-Mailander Lecture titled “Crucial Conversations: Turning Pain into Purpose and Setbacks into Success” that was scheduled for February 12 due to bad weather. The event will be rescheduled for April. Check the campus event calendar for updates.  

Strategic Plan Update   

Inclement weather also impacted the Board of Trustees meeting venue on February 13 and 14. Instead of meeting in-person, the group met virtually to discuss potential new academic programs, plans for facilities updates, explorations of strategic partnerships, and enrollment projections, as well as fundraising and retention efforts. All of these discussion topics align with key areas of our Strategic Plan.

Living our Legacy Spotlight

Julie Cirks ’06, Vice President of Enrollment Management, 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.  

There are few who have championed Clarke as passionately as Julie Cirks has during her more than two decades of service here. From her days as a student-athlete on the Clarke Cheer & Dance team to working in nearly every role within the Admissions Office, Julie has approached her work with enthusiasm, critical thinking, and compassion. In addition, during her tenure as Vice President for Enrollment Management, Clarke ushered in its largest incoming class and developed unique educational pathways for students during challenging times. 

It is also clear that Julie lives the BVM Core Values in the greater Dubuque community as a yoga instructor, frequent volunteer at her children's school, and in her role as a BVM Associate.  

As many of you know, Julie has shared with the Clarke community the health challenges she faces. In light of these challenges, she will step down from her role as Vice President for Enrollment effective February 28. She and her eternal optimism will be sorely missed on campus, yet we know she will remain our steadfast cheerleader in many ways. 

Thank you, Julie, for the leadership and the embodiment of the BVM Core Values that you shared with us. We wish you much health and happiness.  

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

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