Clark State College will conclude its year-long 60th anniversary celebration with a commemorative book launch on December 13. Clark State College: 60 Years of Academic and Community Success is a 100-page, hardback book marking the College’s growth and achievements throughout the last 60 years.
“The content is a timeline of major events in Clark State's history, from the founding of the college in 1962 to present day,” said Dr. Melinda Mohler, professor of history at Clark State and co-chair of the 60th anniversary history committee.
The book will be available at the Clark State bookstore on the main campus in Springfield in January 2023.
“During our research, we uncovered a short booklet commemorating the college's 20th year. A text was also published to commemorate the first ten years of the college,” said Mohler. “The current project includes a pictorial timeline of the college. This is the first book of this scope/magnitude and traces the school's journey from a garage at North High to a college offering bachelor's degrees. Our progress has changed the way people live and work in our region.”
Mohler - along with the appointed Clark State history committee – said many interesting topics are covered in the book including the founding of the college, the project to raise funds for and to complete the Performing Arts Center; the first college graduation when the College collected leftover flowers from funeral homes for the stage, building the Leffel Lane campus, name changes, and the move to community college status.
The book also contains black-and-white and color photos of the college, from 1962 to present.
“Clark State is proud to celebrate and commemorate its 60th Anniversary with this well-researched history of excellence in serving students and the community,” said Dr. Jo Alice Blondin, president of Clark State. “While our history instills pride in alumni, students, employees, and community members alike, we look to our next sixty years as an opportunity to grow and serve Ohio. Clark State is known for its innovation and its laser focus on the students we serve, and our history demonstrates both.”