When Everett Beals ’24 visited Clark as a prospective student, he sensed something special. “People really liked their community and were proud of what they did here,” he says, “and they wanted me to be a part of it.”

He also got the impression that people were genuinely interested in learning more about him. From the moment he stepped on campus as a student, he returned the favor as a contributing writer and eventual editor-in-chief of The Scarlet, where it was his job to ask questions and learn more about his fellow Clarkies.

He’s particularly proud of working to ensure that the student newspaper published more news about the Clark campus instead of national events. “Serving our readers as news editor, and this year as editor-in-chief, was the great privilege of my Clark career,” Beals wrote in an editorial for his final issue as editor. “I believe in the promise of student journalism, and I’m proud of what our team has accomplished this year.”

Beals, who will graduate with a degree in environmental science on May 20, has learned through his classes that his greatest interests lie in urban and sustainability planning. “Clark has been a good place for me to grow, learn as a person, and try new things,” he says. “Having my assumptions challenged and my worldview turned upside down — every single class has made a big difference.”

A creative writing minor, Beals also worked closely with advisor Michael Carolan on a project about an environmental catastrophe that took place in Missouri in the 1980s. Carolan’s estranged uncle played a big part in the disaster.

Carolan helped Beals become a more confident writer. “I’ve learned to be a less defensive writer, someone who knows how to take critique, how to use it, and how to be a good listener — which is, from my point of view, half of what journalism is.”

Beals says starting college during the pandemic was difficult, but “I thanked my lucky stars that I had chosen Clark, because classes were hybrid. People here were extremely serious about taking care of each other and being safe, and I think it worked.”

This fall, Beals will return to Clark to pursue a master’s in environmental science and policy through the Department of Sustainability and Social Justice. He’s looking forward to the graduate student experience, particularly an internship related to his field, and getting closer to his ultimate goal of a career in planning.

“And I always have journalism in my back pocket,” he adds.