Clarke University

[EduCativ]

Clarke University is a community of scholars working together to inspire the practices of self-discovery and lifelong learning.
There are a million reasons why Clarke students love Dubuque. From bike trails, ski slopes, and the Mississippi River to a 4-D theater, USHL hockey team, and even a Symphony Orchestra, Dubuque is a perfect mix of small-town charm and more extensive metro amenities. This is where family-owned dining and shopping favorites combine with a host of national chains to provide an ever-expanding array of offerings.
Our treasured campus, outstanding programs, and accessible faculty and staff empower students to take risks and accomplish them. In its most profound sense, the educational work of Clarke University is guided by steadfast principles. The values of the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary inspire those who work, teach and live at the university, provide a clear framework for institutional planning and decision making and serve as a guiding compass during times of opportunity or challenge. Whether in the classroom or the field, faculty, and students engage each other in challenging and exciting learning opportunities that build skills, expand knowledge and widen perspectives.
Here, you are family. We will help you every step of the way. You will be challenged, supported, and driven to be your very best.
The real beauty of our campus is what takes place here. Our students live, learn, reach, risk, build, and discover. Clarke's leadership development program, CU LEAD, is based on the Social Change Model of Leadership Development, which approaches leadership as a purposeful, collaborative, values-based process that results in positive social change. The Health Services Department's mission is to promote health in mind and body by assisting you in being successful during Clarke's college career. By maintaining good health, you are better able to attend classes regularly, concentrate, and deal with stress. Students are served through direct services, referrals, and health education. All health services are confidential. No medical information will be released without a student's permission.
Counseling Services staff are here to help students pursue a contented and balanced life as they strive for academic, personal, and intellectual growth. For many students, this is a time of new challenges as they learn to balance the schedule, academics, work, and athletics, with leisure activities, relationships, and quiet time. Taking the time to address these issues in a comfortable and confidential setting can positively impact academic, physical, and personal performance. Counseling Services is located in the Stoltz Student Life Wing on the ground level of Mary Frances Hall.
In counseling, the student can focus on and identify problems or stumbling blocks, which may impact his/her ability to function optimally in various settings. The counselor provides a confidential atmosphere and an objective perspective for the student to explore any big or small issue. Please remember that the Counseling Services staff is here to offer support and assistance long before the student is feeling too overwhelmed or hopeless. We desire that the student feels comfortable working on issues long before they begin to cause interference in his/her life. No topic is too big or too small to warrant attention.
Psychoeducational presentations, workshops, seminars, and class lectures are offered throughout the academic year. Programs are announced on the Counseling Services web pages and through faculty, staff, and residence hall advisors.
One predictable aspect of life changes. The college years are often a time of transition and adjustment to all kinds of changes. Many students are away from home, meeting new people, and getting used to different social dynamics. New demands in time can challenge even the most organized students. Homesickness can be very upsetting for new students, while sadness over leaving friends and uncertainties about plans can plague upper-class students. Increased responsibilities and balancing new choices can create anxiety and confusion. It is important to remember that all of these things are a normal part of change and growth. Intermittently struggling through these issues and making peace with old issues is a very usual and healthy part of growing.
Clarke University has moved into the 21st century with an impressive tradition of excellence in education. Clarke was established in 1843 and is named for an Irish woman, Mary Frances Clarke, who founded a congregation of religious women, the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVMs). When the community arrived in the river town of Dubuque in 1843, it was a pioneer territory. The city has changed radically over the years, while its vibrancy and Mississippi River beauty remain.
The antecedent institution of Clarke University, St. Mary's Academy, was established three years before Iowa became a state, in 1843 by BVM sisters. After occupying several locations in its early years, the school was renamed Mount St. Joseph Academy and, in 1881, moved permanently to its present location. The academy became Mt. St. Joseph College, a liberal arts institution, in 1901 and was chartered by the State of Iowa in 1910. First accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in 1918, the institution was named Clarke College in 1928, and 2010 became Clarke University.
Clarke University has remained "progressive with the times" throughout its growth and change. As new programs have developed, Clarke has continued to challenge and support students, who are the institution's heart, in their intellectual and personal growth. Clarke is known for its long tradition of excellence in education, and its students, faculty, and staff work together to maintain and strengthen that heritage.

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