Kimberly Clark

Kimberly D. Clark serves as the Director of the Black Cultural Center at Virginia Tech. In this role, she develops programs, events, and services that support the personal, social, and academic well-being of all students.

As part of her responsibilities, Clark analyzes campus, regional, and national data on global communities to inform and educate the university. Her work promotes advocacy and fosters a welcoming, inclusive campus environment for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.

With a strong emphasis on collaboration, engagement, and retention, Clark has led large-scale university initiatives, bringing world-renowned entertainers, performers, and distinguished speakers to the Virginia Tech community while extending these experiences beyond the campus through community outreach, so both students and local residents benefit from these enriching events and experiences. Clark also teaches in the Pamplin College of Business Management Department at Virginia Tech.

A dedicated advocate for global education and scholarship, Clark participated in a Fulbright-Hays International Education Grant to partner with the University of Ghana. This initiative included service-learning, curriculum development, and research, inspiring her continued collaboration with universities, K-12 schools, and community organizations. She has also studied and partnered with the University of Salamanca in Spain, where she developed content-based seminars for incoming students.

Clark has held leadership roles in national and regional organizations, including the Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education; the Association of American Colleges and Universities; the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)/International Community of Advisors; and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Regional Retention Alliance.

She earned a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on Culture, Curriculum, and Change from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Clark is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society, which celebrates excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. She is also multilingual, fluent in English, Spanish, and Twi (a Ghanaian dialect), with proficiency in Italian, Swiss-German, Swedish, and Mandarin.

With over 15 years of experience in higher education across academic affairs, enrollment management, and student affairs, Clark has made significant contributions to student success and institutional engagement. Prior to joining Virginia Tech, she worked within the University of Maryland system, serving as the Director of Retention at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and leading advising services at Salisbury University.