From Provost Cyril Clarke: Thank You!

As I reflect on my eight years as provost and the moments that have defined my service to our faculty, staff, students, and this extraordinary institution, I find myself filled with sincere gratitude and appreciation for your partnership and for the opportunity you have given me to work alongside you, to learn from you, and to witness the unwavering commitment you bring to Virginia Tech’s mission and priorities. I have seen firsthand how you have challenged and inspired our students and created for them an educational experience that is both practical and profound, grounded in knowledge yet elevated by purpose. 

In my frequent meetings and conversations with students, families, alumni, and community partners, one truth emerges consistently and unmistakably: faculty and your individual and collective dedication to service, mentorship, and student success are at the heart of the Virginia Tech experience. You are the reason students arrive filled with curiosity and uncertainty and graduate confident and well-prepared to pursue productive careers. You are the reason they leave Virginia Tech and step into the world not only with technical competence, but with the durable skills, moral grounding, and spirit of service that define a Hokie. The successes we have achieved and the accomplishments we have celebrated over the past several years are as much yours as they are mine or Virginia Tech’s. For this, I am deeply grateful.

During my tenure as provost, I have had the privilege of observing up close the exceptional breadth and depth of your scholarship, and its impact on students and graduates. Through your efforts, you have positioned Virginia Tech as a leader across disciplines, advancing research and knowledge at the intersection of diverse and emerging fields. You integrate your own experiences and expertise, creative expression, and disciplinary passion into an academic journey for students that is rigorous, expansive, and transformational in ways that ignite curiosity and cultivate lifelong learners. And as they complete this journey, they do so with the support and confidence of the faculty mentors and advocates who not only taught them, but also encouraged and believed in them. 

I have also seen you and your colleagues embody and exemplify the very spirit of servant leadership in how you approach your work with humility, empathy, and a genuine desire to enrich others. In doing so, you teach students that service is not an obligation, but a way of being – one grounded in listening, in meeting others’ needs, and in using one’s gifts to support the greater good. This, more than anything, reflects the heart of Ut Prosim and the heartbeat of this institution. 

Serving as your provost and leading Virginia Tech’s academic enterprise has been a profound honor and pleasure because it allowed me to partner with you in advancing the land grant mission that defines our university. I have the utmost trust and confidence in Julie Ross’ leadership and vision as your next provost, and know that she will continue to serve this institution with the strength, knowledge, passion, and conviction needed to position us for further growth and success for years to come. 

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your journey and this amazing campus community where learning flourishes and where students become not only professionals, but servant leaders prepared to build a better world. It has been an honor to serve alongside you and on your behalf. 

Cyril