They weren’t kidding. Four years can go by pretty quickly.

I’m glad I spent those four years at Clark – I wouldn’t have it any other way. Being here, learning and growing here, fundamentally changed me for the better.

I have made life-long friends: one of the first of which was fellow senior William Schechter. My friends have grounded me, taught me, and supported me. Love you guys.

As soon as I got to Clark that first year (after they let us out of quarantine), I set about exploring the campus. They left a lot more doors unlocked back then. I had so much fun trying to piece together the University’s history and understand its place in the world. What does it mean to be a Clarkie? Has the meaning changed over the years?

I try not to romanticize Clark’s past. Some parts of its timeline are stained with embarrassment. But in so many ways, the ethos at Clark has always been the same. I think that’s worth recognizing, especially our decades-old streak for boundary-breaking studies and courageous activism.

I love looking at The Scarlet’s archives, and the old editions of Clark’s sadly defunct yearbook, Pasticcio. They beautifully capture, flaws and all, the events and issues that mattered to Clarkies.

That’s part of why The Scarlet is so important to me. We have the privilege of recording the challenges and triumphs of our peers.
But working for The Scarlet has taught me much more. I learned from my advisor, Michael Carolan – and from my editors – to take criticism gratefully and apply it intentionally. I learned to listen with humility, follow up on every lead, and ask tough questions. I learned to build stories and honor perspectives. Maybe most importantly, I learned how to recognize what I don’t know.

Serving our readers as News Editor, and this year as Editor-in-Chief, was the great privilege of my Clark career. I believe in the promise of student journalism, and I’m proud of what our team has accomplished this year.

I’ve spent so much time getting to know our University, and it still feels like I’ve only scratched the surface.
Coming out of high school, it seemed like many people – myself included – constructed elaborate expectations for our college life. In many ways, Clark challenged my assumptions. I’m glad it did. Otherwise, I’m not sure I would’ve learned anything.

Now, as I embark on a new academic journey in a different part of our community, I’m looking forward to having my new assumptions challenged. There’s another Clark that I need to get to know.

But I’ll never forget the lessons I learned at The Scarlet, and its staff will always have a special place in my heart.

– Everett Beals ’24
Editor-in-Chief 2023-24