A Natural Born Teacher
Reflecting on the life and legacy of Professor Richard Clark.
Richard “Dick” Clark was a mainstay in the School of Education for 29 years. He began teaching in the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies in 1968, and, by 1983, had distinguished himself as a leader in the school, serving as chair of TECS until 1997, and as an associate dean from 1979-1985.
His impact emanated beyond the walls of Furcolo Hall to the rest of the Commonwealth, too. In 1997, Dick joined UMass Boston as the dean of the Graduate College of Education, serving until 2000. Equally important to his individual positions, however, was the litany of partnerships, collaborations, and programs he helped to develop and implement throughout the Commonwealth:
- 1980s: Boston Secondary Schools Project (BSSP), a program where UMass faculty would travel to Boston every Monday to conduct graduate courses for teachers from middle and high schools throughout the city. BSSP began with a partnership with Boston English High School and expanded to multiple schools around the city.
- Late 1980s into the 1990s: MESTEP (Math, English, Science Technology Education Program), an award-winning program that partnered school systems, high-tech companies in the eastern part of the state, and the School/College of Education. New teacher candidates worked for six months in a public school classroom and six months in the high technology company's education and human resources departments.
- 1998: 180 Days in Springfield, a program that Dick began as part of a statewide partnership of colleges and universities that featured higher education institutions working with schools in the cities of Boston, Worcester, and Springfield.
“Dick made these amazing programs happen through the power of his vision and effectiveness of his strategies and interactions,” says Senior Lecturer II Robert Maloy, a longtime colleague and close friend. “Conversations with him…shaped my understandings of education and what it takes to achieve meaningful change from the position of a University and a College truly committed to impacting the day-to-day lives of students.”
For all of Dick’s accolades and accomplishments, a simple truth always kept him grounded. Casey Clark, Dick’s wife of nearly 50 years before his passing in 2009, puts it like this:
“My first thought is that he was a natural born teacher. He loved it.”
Dick’s innate ability to teach, according to Casey, stemmed from his ability to listen. The reason he had so many doctoral students in the School of Education, she said, is that “he would be a master of having them take on their own responsibility, and hopefully make it so they could go after their goals feeling stronger.”
In June 2010, his family established the Richard J. Clark Memorial Scholarship for Teacher Education to commemorate his life as an educator. The scholarship is reserved for TECS students who have demonstrated a commitment to equity through community service, internships, or employment. Casey says the Clark family is grateful to have the opportunity to support educators who share Dick’s values and work ethic.
“It boosts their morale, these students who get this scholarship,” she explained. “It makes them feel proud of who they are and what they are doing, and gives them incentive to keep going, even though it’s not easy.”
Casey and Dick met in graduate school at Harvard in 1960. The more they spent time together, the more she realized just how graceful Dick was while working under pressure. He excelled at motivating people to work together, she said, even under the most trying and challenging circumstances. His gentle demeanor would serve him well throughout his career, she added, whether he was serving as the principal of an elementary school in Colorado in the 1960s, or advising doctoral students at UMass Amherst.
A dedication to improving urban education
Building upon the success of BSSP in the 1980s, Dick was the chief architect of the MESTEP program in Greater Boston. In 1988, the Massachusetts Board of Education recognized MESTEP with the “Exemplary Partnership Award,” and in 1990, the Business-Higher Education Forum honored the program with the “Exemplary Business-Higher Education-Public School Alliance” Award.
“Dick felt very strongly about getting in touch with urban schools,” said Casey. One of the primary benefits of MESTEP, she added, was that graduate students were able to immerse themselves in new communities and expand their understanding of social realities.
Charles F. Desmond ’92EdD, who served as the associate chancellor for school and community engagement at UMass Boston from 1997-2002, frequently collaborated with Dick on school-university partnerships. He notes that Dick’s “unparalleled composure and grace” tempered his hands-on leadership style.
“Without question, Dick Clark stands out as one of the most exceptionally gifted leaders I’ve ever had the pleasure of collaborating with,” says Desmond. “His wisdom and guidance continue to shape my work today, providing a poignant testament to the lasting influence of his dynamic personality, leadership, and mentorship in the education field.”
Donna LaLonde ’91EdD collaborated with Dick on the MESTEP project while working toward her doctorate. She credits Dick’s guidance and mentorship for being invaluable to her academic growth.
“I remember Dick for nurturing my academic curiosity,” she said. “That support included providing opportunities for exploration. Perhaps most importantly his advice and support helped me focus that curiosity so that I accomplished my goals.”
Dick’s influence in the college is still felt to this day, in the form of the 180 Days in Springfield program. His dedication to achieving equity in urban schools is evident in the 88 alumni of the program who still work in Springfield Public Schools to this day.