Dr. Meri Clark has been named the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award at Western New England University. Winners of the prestigious Excellence in Teaching Award are nominated by students, faculty, and administrators for outstanding contributions as educators and advisors.
During the review process, current and former students praised Clark as somebody who possessed a "brilliant teaching manner" and as a "champion of learning and understanding." Students added "her passion for history radiated throughout the classroom" and "She saw each student as a unique person with their own story, and she wanted to get to know that story."
Clark is Professor of History and Coordinator of the Global Scholars program for the College of Arts and Sciences. She has taught Latin American and world history at the University since 2005. Her research specializes in the history of nineteenth-century Latin America, with particular attention to the themes of education, nationalism, gender, race, and ethnicity in Colombia.
After earning her B.A. in History from Reed College (Phi Beta Kappa), Clark researched in Colombia under a Fulbright scholarship. She then earned a M.A. and Ph.D. in History from Princeton University.
