PC Degrees: BA in English

PC Activities:  

• Managing editor of The Cowl
• Editor of  "The Alembic"
• First PC student in history to be nominated for a Rhodes Scholarship
• Member of "Tuesday's Children" rock band
• Active in the student politics of the Vietnam era

Career Path:  After graduating from PC, Roy Peter Clark earned a Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, specializing in medieval literature.  He taught writing, language, and literature at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. There he wrote newspaper articles on language, media, and American culture and was interviewed on NBC's Today Show .
 
In 1977 Clark was hired by the St. Petersburg Times to become one of America's first writing coaches and worked with the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) to improve newspaper writing nationwide.  Because of his work with ASNE, Clark was elected as a distinguished service member. From 1977-78 Clark wrote news, features, and reviews for the St. Petersburg Times . 

Clark has worked at the Poynter Institute, a school for journalists in St. Petersburg, Florida, since 1979 as director of the writing center, dean of the faculty, and associate director.  He currently is Vice President and Senior Scholar at Poynter.

Clark has worked with journalists and taught writing in more than 40 states and five continents and is widely considered one of America's most influential writing coaches.  He is the founding director of the National Writers' Workshops, regional conferences that attract more than 5,000 writers annually. 

Clark has edited seven volumes of Best Newspaper Writing, the annual collection of ASNE writing award winners, and has written or edited various books, papers, anthologies, and newspaper columns.  In 1996 he began writing serial narratives for newspapers, including "Three Little Words," "Sadie's Ring," "Her Picture in My Wallet," and "Ain't Done Yet," a serial novel syndicated by the New York Times .

Family: Wife Karen Major, former employee of PC's Alumni Development Office; three daughters.

Staying Involved: Clark has stayed in touch with his professors at PC; many have become his closest friends and mentors, especially Dr. Rodney Delasanta, Dr. John Hennedy, Rev. John Cunningham, O.P.,  Dr. Brian Barbour, Dr. Richard Grace, and the late Rene Fortin and Paul Thompson.  He was invited to return to campus to address graduates of the Arts Honors Program.

Memorable Quotes: "When we graduated from PC in 1970 it was a mediocre school with some corners of brilliant light. The student activists of that time lobbied the faculty and administration to reform the curriculum, reform the governing structure of the college, and introduce co-education.  These reforms changed the school forever, and for the better.  I learned at PC that if you love an institution enough, you have a duty to try to make it better."