President's Annual Report 2024 - 6

Stevens
Stories:
NOAH EASTERLY, '21
"
My favorite thing about
Thaddeus Stevens College was
the massive opportunities it
provides students with after the
learning is over. I was ready for
the expectations of the workforce
thanks to the dedicated instructors
and educators.
Jared Yoder,
Recruitment Specialist,
Clark Associates
Grit, Go-Getters
/// HOW CLARK ASSOCIATES SUPPORTS STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
Clark Associates was founded on grit. What began in
1971 as an electrical contracting business specializing
in kitchens has expanded into multiple companies
with more than 7,500 employees nationwide.
Perhaps best known for its brick-and-mortar
restaurant supply stores and its e-commerce arm,
The Webstaurant Store, Clark still considers grit one
of its 12 leadership principles.
" We're passionate about finding the right people, "
explains Jared Yoder, a recruitment specialist at
Clark. " Our companies are looking for very specific
characteristics. "
And it's clear Thaddeus Stevens College of
Technology alumni fit the bill: As of August 2024,
Clark employs 61 graduates. More than 40 work
in technology-related roles, with the next largest
contingent in design positions.
" One of the highs of the job is seeing people you've
recruited, who share the vision of Clark, come in,
succeed, and advance, " he says. The College's alumni
are among those who have advanced in roles such
as senior designer, construction services manager,
and project director.
6 : President's Annual Report
Clark's impact on the College is also seen through
corporate giving, industry advising, and real-world
learning. In 2023, Clark Associates matched all employee
donations made to the College during the large ExtraGive
fundraiser. Josh Killian, director of design at Clark
Food Service Equipment, served on the Architectural
Technology Occupational Advisory Committee. When he
learned the program wanted to build a commercial-grade
kitchen in the student commons area, he reached out to
Michael Thornton, Clark's director of charitable giving. In
the summer of 2023, Clark collaborated with instructor
Tedd R. Williams to assess the needs, and that fall, the
Clark Foundation provided a $16,600 grant for the project.
" A kitchenette would provide a space for students to
prepare meals during long hours in labs, " Thornton
explained. " It would also create a social space for
students to interact and make connections on campus. "
The connection to Clark continues off-campus. While
Yoder doesn't get to know every employee personally, he
says the Thaddeus Stevens College alumni he does know
are extremely sharp, extremely intelligent: " They're toptier
employees. They're go-getters. They have shown
that grit. "
"
President's Annual Report 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of President's Annual Report 2024
