Orangeburg, SC (WLTX) - James Clark is officially the new president at South Carolina State University.
“The future looks bright for SC State,” Clark said with a bright smile. “I feel great! I feel absolutely great.”
He says his focus now is the students.
“Going forward that we educate and graduate on a timely basis, students who have the skills that are appropriate for success in this new technological knowledge base economy,” the new president explained. “We have to make sure that we have students that have the opportunity to learn and to gain knowledge in those areas that fulfill the requirements of the economies of South Carolina as well as the nation or their own follow on academic choices.”
When it was first announced that former Interim President Franklin Evans would resign and Clark was elected the new president, alumni and students voiced their concerns prompting Clark to give a fiery speech defending the Board of Trustees’ decision to elect him the new president.
“A potential cloud being built up you know that was implicating or implying things that I absolutely disavowed, disbelieved, did not believe in, and I could not sit still and let that be the message that was out there,” Clark said enthusiastically.
As for gaining trust from alumni, students, faculty and staff, Clark said he will have to prove himself.
“I have to show some successes in areas, and if people have questions about me. I want to reach out to you. I want to speak with you. If you get a chance to come here, my door is always open,” Clark promised.
He said he is ready to move the university forward. He added that he has a lot of learning and listening to do.
“My goal is really for the university to do everything I can to help this university be absolutely all that it can be,” Clark said.
Clark is an MIT graduate and has worked at General Electric, Gillette, Exxon, and AT&T. He also served on Benedict College's Board of Trustees for 18 years.
The board of trustees are expected to have a meeting next week when they will finalize the terms of Clark's contract.