If Janice Clarke ('19) could sum up her college experience at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) in a few words it would be "a people journey".
Initially, UMD wasn’t her top choice. As a high school senior, she was apprehensive about enduring four years of Duluth’s notorious cold and snow. However, everything changed when her cousin convinced her to visit campus that fall. She quickly fell in love with the beauty of the campus and the city of Duluth.
Clarke pursued a degree in Communication and minored in Organizational Management. Throughout her time at UMD, she actively engaged in various internships and jobs that helped shape her career path. Her journey began as a freshman intern on the University Marketing and PR team, where she discovered her true interests lay outside of writing. The following year, she interned with Grandma’s Marathon, which sparked her interest in event planning. This experience led her to an internship with the Department of Communication, where she was part of the planning committee for the 2019 graduating class grad party. Here, she discovered her love of people-facing roles, coordination, and event planning.
One of Clarke’s most transformative experiences came from her senior seminar, "Communicating About Race in America," taught by Associate Professor Ryan Goei. "I loved that class. It was one of the best ways to end college," she said. "It prepared me for a lot of things in the recruiting and corporate world."
Today, Clarke continues her passion for connecting with others in her professional life. She works as a field learning consultant in the Learning and Development Department at the McDonald's corporate headquarters, where she facilitates learning opportunities with franchise owners. Her commitment to fostering relationships and empowering others remains at the heart of her career.
Header image caption: Associate Professors Ryan Goei and Aaron Boyson celebrate with alumna Janice Clarke ('19) at Commencement.