"My children have completely grown up while I've been employed here," says Linda Clark, Assistant Dean for Administration, who marked 25 years of service in 2006.
When her three grandchildren visit her at Craig Hall, one of their favorite activities is locating "Grandma's brick" alongside the front walkway, the one that reads "For Linda K. Clark in celebration of her 25 years of service--from faculty & staff, 2006." To put that timeframe in context, consider that the mother of those grandchildren, Clark's older daughter Andrea, was in the fourth grade when her mom took her first position at GSSW. And, counting GSSW's current dean, James Herbert Williams, Clark has worked with seven deans and interim or acting deans during her career!
Joining the GSSW team
Clark began her GSSW career in 1981 working part-time as faculty support, then became the school's admission assistant while earning her Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Denver. Appointed data base coordinator in 1986 by Acting Dean Kay Vail, Clark next worked with Prof. Walter LaMendola to create the school's initial digital technology framework, installing its first computers and connecting them to the Local Area Network.
"I can relate to a lot of staff positions in this school because I've held them myself," says Clark. That empathy has served her well since Dean Emeritus Jack Jones appointed her Assistant Dean in 1988 and Dean Emerita Catherine Alter subsequently expanded Clark's administrative duties to their current level. Clark has either hired or participated in the hiring of every current GSSW staff member, and she supervises, directly or indirectly, nearly all of them.
"GSSW is very team-oriented, and the people here are so dedicated and creative," says Clark. "It's just a joy to work with them!" Yet she admits that supervising so many people can also be challenging at times, and she appreciates the balance created by the budgetary aspects of her job. "Sometimes it's nice to close the door and just focus on the quiet, orderly world of numbers," she smiles.
A lasting contribution
Clark calls her role as "owner's rep" during the construction of Craig Hall, a role she shared with Office Manager Jennie Ratico, her most fulfilling task to date. "It was an opportunity to contribute to the school in a much different manner than usual," she explains. And her colleagues are quick to credit Clark with keeping the "team" together through the complex process of moving the entire school twice from building to building, as well as the during the 18-month construction period when administration and staff were split between Pioneer and Marjorie Reed Halls.
"This faculty and staff are really like family to me," says Clark. "We've shared so much over the years--not only the hard work, but the laughter and tears. It's that sharing that makes working at GSSW so rewarding."
