Clark University

06/24/2026

Congratulations to Alexander Bradshaw, a postdoctoral researcher at Clark University, who contributed to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew's 2026 State of the World's Plants and Fungi report.

Bradshaw, who works in Clark’s Hibbett and Tabima labs, provided genomic data from fungaria specimens — some more than 100 years old — for the report’s chapter on the comparative genomics of museum specimens.

"It is an honor to be included in this report, which highlights the intersection of modern molecular biology, technology, and collections-based research, a topic close to my heart," Bradshaw says. "Natural history collections are a treasure trove of biodiversity, and using them for fundamental research on fungal diversity provides valuable insights into how life has evolved and how shifting climates are affecting the diversity we see today."

📄 Read the full report ➡️ https://bit.ly/4wsepb5
🍄 Read more about Bradshaw's research, which recently helped uncover a new fungi species ➡️ https://bit.ly/4cL3d0t

06/22/2026

Clark University has joined the Massachusetts Transfer Guarantee, a partnership that helps community college students transfer seamlessly to four‑year institutions and earn an affordable bachelor’s degree.

Read more about the program, which guarantees admission for qualifying students who complete an associate degree and meet eligibility criteria. ⬇️ https://bit.ly/4w2gF8v

Clark signed a memorandum of understanding with the New England Board of Higher Education this spring, establishing its place in the program.

06/19/2026

Abolitionist and author Frederick Douglass was among the first to speak at Mechanics Hall in Worcester when it opened in 1857.

The Civil War was four years away; the Emancipation Proclamation, six years; and it would be eight years until Union soldiers reached Galveston, Texas, to free the last remaining enslaved people in the country, a day now celebrated as Juneteenth.

In April, Douglass' words again rang out from the Mechanics Hall stage in a cantata conducted by Cailin Marcel Manson, director of music performance at Clark, with a chorus that included the Clark University Choir.

Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/3QbB389
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Photo by Troy B. Thompson Photography

06/18/2026

The Hadwen Arboretum is Clark University’s 26-acre public green space in the heart of Worcester. 🌳 Tag someone you’d take hiking here! 👇

06/18/2026

Did you know you can read Clark Magazine online? 📖💻

Along with the print edition that arrived in your mailbox, you can also explore the Spring/Summer 2026 issue on our website ➡️ clarku.edu/magazine

Inside, you'll find stories about how Robert and Esther Goddard helped launch the future of spaceflight; how Clark is shaping the role of AI on campus; how author George Jreije ’17, MBA ’18, transformed his experience with alopecia into powerful fiction — and more.

100 years ago, Robert H. Goddard put humanity aboard a rocket ride to other future. We celebrate the centennial with a gallery of artifacts housed in Clark’s Archives and Special Collections.

06/17/2026

Class of 2026 memories on film 📸🎞️
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Photos by Luca Houtsmuller '25, MSC '26, and Turna Barua '26

06/15/2026

This spring, Clark graduate students collaborated with the Newton, Massachusetts, Energy Commission on a project that will make a meaningful contribution to the city’s climate strategy.

Read more about their work, which blended technical skills, policy insight, and community engagement ⬇️

Graduate students collaborated with the City of Newton on a project that became a meaningful contribution to the city’s climate strategy.

06/13/2026

Before you toss a Frisbee around on a summer day: Did you know that Clark was a founding member of the first-ever Ultimate Frisbee collegiate league? 🥏

Read more in this 2010 story from the ➡️ https://bit.ly/4dZOIIu

06/11/2026

Abby Frazier, a climatologist and professor in Clark's School of Climate, Environment, and Society, told The Associated Press and USA TODAY that a developing El Niño could amplify extreme weather around the globe.

The warm, deep waters of an El Niño affect weather patterns by bringing “a lot of extra heat to the surface, fueling a lot of extreme events for a lot of places around the world,” Frazier told the AP.

She noted that the impacts vary by region: while the U.S. East and Gulf coasts may see a quieter hurricane season, Hawaii and other Pacific islands could face heightened risk, along with other areas susceptible to heavy rain, drought, and wildfires.

📰 Read more in the AP ➡️ https://bit.ly/3QAPPVV
📰 Read more in USA Today ➡️ https://bit.ly/4upKApX

U.S. meteorologists say an El Nino has formed. That's the natural warming of parts of the Pacific that changes weather around the globe.

06/09/2026

🔥 Wildfire smoke has become an increasingly common feature of North American summers — and with the 2026 World Cup beginning this week in Los Angeles, experts warn the event is one wildfire away from an air‑quality crisis.

Dominik Kulakowski, professor of geography in Clark's School of Climate, Environment, and Society, told Grist.org it's only a matter of time before FIFA and other sports leagues are going to have to reckon with a smoky future.

“Having to think about smoke from wildfires and how that affects athletes, athletic ability, and sporting events is a new thing,” he said, but it’s becoming an increasingly common issue across North America, Europe, and elsewhere. “We’re seeing wildfires become a larger part of life.”

⚽️🏆 Read the full story ⬇️

FIFA says it's prepared for "climate-related risks" but doesn't appear to have a plan for wildfire smoke, which can be harmful to players and fans.