Barry Levenson, Class of 1970
Curator and "Chief Mustard Officer," Mount Horeb Mustard Museum

Barry Levenson credits his days at Clark for giving him his entrepreneurial spirit and open attitude toward life. After graduating from Clark, he went to graduate school in economics and then to law school. After practicing law for several years, his life took a different turn in 1986. He left law practice to open a mustard museum in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin and write a book about the World Series. Here he talks about some Clark memories and his passion for mustard.

My days at Clark were truly magical, so I wanted to start a business that shared that same attitude about life. That's what motivated me to found the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum—only a Clarkie would leave a safe, secure (and well paying) job to open a museum dedicated to mustard.

Clark was a place where I was encouraged to explore all my interests and try new ideas. I was involved in theater and remember placing Mr. Pinchwife in Wyncherly's "The Country Wife" and the role of Commander Squatriglia in Pirandello's "Ceci." I was an economics major, and my senior year I remember my looking for a senior project that was challenging and interesting. When I went to the economics department, my professors found me an internship at the Council of Economic Advisers. There was no program already in place with that organization, but my professors helped make the project possible. It was something that could only have happened at Clark.

To be completely fair, in addition to Clark, I must also 'credit' the Red Sox for their role in my career change. I was so depressed when the Sox lost the 1986 World Series that I went to an all-night grocery store and heard the voice coming from the mustards: 'If you collect us, they will come.'

Visit Mount Horeb Mustard Museum Web site at http://www.mustardweb.com/