Rodney S. Clark
Senior Consultant
Rodney.Clark@academicsearch.org
Mr. Rodney S. Clark brings to Academic Search a wealth of higher education knowledge acquired through decades of administrative and teaching experience at community, private, and R1 institutions across the country.
The Rhode Island native spent most of his prolific career as Director of Admissions and then Dean of the Attleboro campus of Bristol Community College in Massachusetts. He also taught business courses during his tenure, all while playing a crucial role in the college’s enrollment, recruitment, academic affairs, community relations, fundraising, academic advising, and more.
Mr. Clark also served the University of Washington in Tacoma as its interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Services in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. This enlightening experience gave him valuable insight into the realm of large state universities and a broader understanding of higher education administration. Most recently, Mr. Clark was the Vice President for Student Affairs and Strategic Enrollment at Pittsburgh Technical College, a private nonprofit institution that awards associate and baccalaureate degrees.
As a teacher, Mr. Clark spent nearly two decades as an adjunct faculty member in business departments at two-year and four-year colleges, providing him with a direct line of communication with students, which aided him in his administrative work and continues to guide him as a search consultant. Additionally, Mr. Clark is a devoted father with three of his four children attending HBCUs. This personal connection to today’s higher education fuels his passion for consulting work, as he sees first-hand the impact exceptional hires have on students.
Not only does Mr. Clark have career experience in higher education, but he holds a deep, personal connection to students who weather a tumultuous path as they work toward their degree. Mr. Clark initially attended a university in the Greater Boston area, but was forced to withdraw for financial reasons. He secured a promising position with Fidelity Investments, but after eight years, he, along with 250 others, was laid off during the economic hardships of the early 1990s. However, during that time, Mr. Clark earned his master’s degree in management from Cambridge College, and was determined to find a new, fulfilling career. He attended a job fair at Roxbury Community College, and through a serendipitous twist, he struck up a conversation with the RCC event organizer. That conversation eventually led to him accepting a position as an assistant registrar, and his career in higher education began.
Mr. Clark’s rich administrative experience is an asset in all types of searches, especially since he has been part of countless search committees. He understands the critical importance of institution fit, potential, and finding applicants who reflect the student body.
