Clark University’s Senior Week is a time for connection, reflection, and — of course — celebration.
Back in fall 2016, the Class of 2020 gathered for Orientation and the annual class photo (above).
Now, during Clark’s virtual Senior Week 2020, we invite members of the Class of 2020 to hang out with peers, check out a wide variety of events, and, most importantly, have fun!
All events are free, but require registration. Stay updated on events, senior week opportunities, and daily engagements through the Senior Week 2020 Instagram account (@clark2020seniorweek), and be sure to tag us in any photos you post.
Thank you, seniors, for always giving back to the Clark community and supporting each other. The Class of 2020 is truly special, and Clark University will not be the same without you.
Congratulations, and be well!
Questions? Send an email to seniorweek@clarku.edu.
Congratulations, Award Winners!
Allie Shilling, director of campus life for student leadership and programming, introduces the 2020 Senior Awards. Presented by a variety of members of the Clark community, the awards recognize outstanding members of the Class of 2020.
Schedule of Events
Zoom into Caricature
When: Monday, May 18; 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Fun and imagination coming to a screen near you. Join two Massachusetts-based artists on a Zoom call to have your caricatures drawn. The artists will digitally render a drawing of you or of you and a friend (maximum two participants per photo) right in front of your eyes. Get creative and funky as you decide what you would like your background to be; perhaps they’ll draw you in your graduation gown or in front of Jonas Clark. Limited spots are available for a live drawing.
If you try to register and there aren’t any spots left, do not fear — check out the opportunities offered throughout the week. There is an option to upload a photo and have a caricature sent directly to you.
Yoga for Transitions
When: Monday, May 18; 4–4:30 p.m.
Join Erica Beachy, director of Wellness Education, as she leads the senior class through a gentle yoga practice. The transition of leaving college can be filled with many mixed emotions and thoughts. This yoga flow will focus on transitions, as we build upon each posture toward a peak pose, and on how previous experiences help prepare us for future challenges — and how to stay centered through change. Variations will be offered and all bodies and levels are welcome!
Last Chance for B-I-N-G-O!
When: Monday, May 18; 7–8:15 p.m.
Are you feeling lucky? You’ve likely participated in many bingo events while at Clark. We can assure you that this game has one distinct difference: seniors will be playing for a cash prize! You will have an opportunity to interact with the host and each other while you play virtual playlist bingo. Every genre of music is included: pop, hip hop, rock, modern, classics, slow jams, boy bands, divas … There is something for everybody in Playlist Bingo!
Escape Reality to Solve a Tiger Mystery
When: Tuesday, May 19; 5–7 p.m.
Grab a team of up to 10 seniors to try and solve a fun and wild mystery. The staff at Bobby Majestic’s Amazing Tigerland need your help. Money is missing, and everyone knows something about who took it. Can you find the culprit among this group of outcasts? Documentary filmmaker Steve Brinkman has video that shows who is the thief — but he’s encrypted all the clips. Players work together to unlock all the encrypted video to discover the offender.
Players connect virtually via the chat function. No video capabilities or experience necessary to play!
Teams can have up to 10 seniors. Sign up as a team, or individually to be placed with a group of students. Depending on interest, we may place small teams together.
In this Time of Pandemic: An Evening of Council
When: Tuesday, May 19; 7–8:30 p.m.
Please join members of the Clark community for this first virtual Evening of Council, in which we meet together to share our experience of the pandemic while we reflect on broader social, ecological, and climate challenges. We hope this space will offer needed connection and comfort during this difficult time. The Council is hosted by A new Earth conversation (NEC) and the Council on the Uncertain Human Future (CUHF).
The Joy of Reading
When: Wednesday, May 20; 11–11:45 a.m.
Start your day off with a good book and meet Laura Robinson, Clark’s new university librarian. Laura will share details about her new role, why she loves reading, and recommendations for spring and summer books.
This event is part of A Week of Community & Caring: A Special Part of #ClarkTogether
Virtual Meditation Session with Carolyn Ericson ’69
When: Wednesday, May 20; 3–3:45 p.m.
This event is part of A Week of Community & Caring: A Special Part of #ClarkTogether
Looking to relax and rid yourself of some of the stress of these unprecedented times? Join Carolyn Ericson ’69 for this afternoon session. Carolyn is a registered yoga instructor and has additional training in loving-kindness meditation. This class is appropriate for anyone who wishes to experience the many benefits of meditation, including beginners. Wear comfortable clothing and have a cushion, small blanket, or towel to sit on.
A Close-up Magic Show
When: Wednesday, May 20; 7 p.m.
With most magic shows, you’re stuck far back in a theater while the performer is up on stage. This performance will bring you into the front row from wherever you are in the world. Boston-based magician Evan Northrup has created a new show combining sleight of hand and mind reading that will show you a different side of magic.
A message from Evan:
Whether you want to sit back, relax, and watch the show, or participate in some of the magic yourself, there will be something for everyone! If you want to try your hand at magic that happens through the screen, you’ll need to gather a few simple things ahead of time:
- Seven playing cards: Don’t worry about having a full deck on hand, but if you can find any seven cards (as long as they’re all different), you’ll be fine! Have some old cards lying around in a drawer? It’s their time to shine. Don’t have any playing cards on hand? No worries — just grab seven rectangles of paper or index cards and draw on whatever cards you want.
- A sheet of paper: This is as simple as it sounds — one sheet of plain printer paper is ideal, but if you have something as small as an index card or larger than a normal sheet of paper, that works.
- A pair of scissors
- Your writing utensil of choice! Pencil? Pen? Sharpie? Old timey quill and ink? Go wild!
This is sure to be a good time of magical fun and games! See you there!
Senior Award Video
When: Thursday, May 21
Staff and faculty have submitted nominations — and award recipients have been chosen! Watch the Senior Award Video above to pay tribute to these outstanding members of the senior class. Students nominated for an award were notified by Monday, May 18; however, recipients of each award were announced in the video.
Class of 2020 and GOLD Council Virtual Meetup
When: Thursday, May 21; 4–5:15 p.m.
This event is part of A Week of Community & Caring: A Special Part of #ClarkTogether
Join members of our GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Council for a virtual welcome to the alumni community and chat about how to navigate life after Clark. Bring your questions, because the Council will answer them! Whether you’re thinking about moving across the country or the world, applying to grad school, or getting started in your career, GOLD Council members will be on deck to share their experiences and help with your future plans.
Virtual Murder Mystery Happy Hour
When: When: Thursday, May 21; 6 p.m.
Put your degrees to the test and connect in some virtual fun — happy hour and mystery-solving! Select a group of 4–16 friends and choose a murder mystery theme to solve. When you register for this event, you will select a theme and number of participants; the materials will be emailed directly to the student who registered. We have carved out this time for your murder mystery happy hour; however, since the game in on your own, this virtual opportunity is available all week.
Yoga to Unleash your Inner Power
When: Friday, May 22; 10–10:30 p.m.
Join Erica Beachy, Director of Wellness Education, as she leads the senior class through a morning yoga practice. As you head out into the world for the next phase in your life, knowing your own worth and personal power is vital! Join this yoga flow focused on building and tapping into your inner strength. Variations will be offered and all bodies and levels are welcome.
Zoom into Caricature
When: Friday, May 22; 1–3 p.m.
Fun and imagination coming to a screen near you: Join two Massachusetts-based artists on a Zoom call to have your caricatures drawn. The artists will digitally render a drawing of you or of you and a friend (maximum two participants per photo) right in front of your eyes! Get creative and funky as you decide what you would like your background to be; perhaps they’ll draw you in your graduation gown or in front of Jonas Clark. Limited spots are available for a live drawing.
If you try to register and there aren’t any spots left, do not fear — check out the opportunities offered throughout the week. There is an option to upload a photo and have a caricature sent directly to you.
Olivia Frances ’19 Livestream Concert
When: Friday, May 22; 8 p.m.
This event is part of A Week of Community & Caring: A Special Part of #ClarkTogether
Join Clark alumna and pop/folk artist Olivia Frances ’19 as she closes out the week with a special livestream concert dedicated to the Clark community. Olivia graduated summa cum laude and majored in global environmental studies with a minor in music. Her “Orchid Summer Tour” ended in Nashville, which she now calls home.
As an independent artist, Olivia has organized several tours throughout the Midwest, the South, and the East Coast, impressing audiences from Nashville to Boston. Frances was nominated in the 2020 Independent Music Awards (IMA) Story Song Category alongside Lucinda Williams, Jonathan Brooke, and Ellis Paul, and in 2018, she won the IMA VOX Pop Love Song Category. Her fans, affectionately referred to as “Frances Friends,” and new listeners can keep up with Olivia’s upcoming shows and news at oliviafrancesmusic.com.
We will post the livestream link on Monday, May 18. Stay tuned!
Senior Clarkie Trivia Night
When: Saturday, May 22; 6:30–8 p.m.
Zoom into a full pub trivia experience — delivered to you virtually. Use your knowledge from the last couple of years at Clark and put those long hours in the AC to the test. TriviaHub Live will host a trivia night with specific categories geared to the Clark University Class of 2020. Register individually and indicate if you’d like to participate as a team (maximum of five people) or take on the questions solo. Responses during registration will guide whether we play individually or as teams. If you would like to participate as a team, talk with your friends first — you all will need to register separately and type in the same team name. Winning participants will win an Amazon gift card!
Ongoing Senior Week Opportunities
When: Submission due Wednesday, May 20 at 11:59 a.m.
As an alternative to the live caricature drawing events on Monday and Friday, we have hired a local artist to complete caricatures from photo submissions. Submit your photo(s) using the link below and receive your digital drawing via email within a couple of days.
The artist can draw up to three people from either the same photo or three different photos. Be creative in what you ask to be drawn — do you want to be pictured in graduation caps? Do you play a sport and want to be featured on a field? The opportunities are endless! If you’re not sure, the artist can always just caricaturize the photo submitted.
When: Submission due Monday, May 18 by 6 p.m.
Does your pet have what it takes to be crowned “2020 Senior Class Cutest Pet”? Voting will take place via Instagram throughout the week. The first round will include posting the submitted photos to our page. The pets with the greatest number of likes will continue through the next rounds (also via our Instagram story) until there is a winner crowned. Follow @clark2020seniorweek on Instagram to vote.
The 2020 Senior Class Cutest Pet will win a surprise gift!
When: Submissions due May 31
The Clark University Yearbook staff is hard at work creating a book of memories. They are currently collecting candid photos to include in 2019–2020 yearbook.