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Alumni Spotlight: Tim Clark '94

Ashlie Ford

The Office of Development and Alumni Relations recently spoke with Tim Clark ’94, former Director of Sports Information and Sports Marketing, about his time at Texas Lutheran University. Clark recently left after 23 years of service to focus full-time on completing his master’s degree in Data Analytics at TLU. Here, he shares more about his time and experiences both as a student and staff member.

What was campus like when you were here as a student at Texas Lutheran University and how has it changed?

The campus was a lively place, particularly on the weekends. There were parties (and pre-parties and post-parties) and formals organized by different organizations nearly every weekend. My hometown was about 40 minutes away from campus, but I rarely ever went back. It was an absolute blast to be on campus and be with friends. I firmly believe that those social gatherings were the foundations that made us a tight-knit group of lifelong friends. I hope today’s students at TLU have a way to get that same community feeling, even if it is not the same “social scene” we experienced and thrived in.

Tim Clark Front Row with Charles Barkley
L:R- Rebecca Clark '95, Charles Barkley, Verne Lundquist '62, and Tim Clark '94 at TLU's Front Row.

What was your major and what extracurriculars were you a part of?

I was a double major in English and Communications. Dr. Louis Bittrich became my advisor, and I was lucky enough to go to London with him twice after I graduated; we crammed as much theatre into seven days as we possibly could! I was the sports editor of the Lone Star Lutheran for two years and was heavily involved in student government. I began SGA as a senator, and then worked my way up to Vice President, and then finally SGA President my senior year.

I also loved participating in sports. My freshman and sophomore year I played Tennis, but I unfortunately contracted an eye problem that caused me to go blind for a short period of time. As most tennis players, and everyone else knows, it is not good to be blind while playing tennis! It took me a full year for my eyesight to return to normal and I stopped playing my sophomore year. It was this end to my sporting career that allowed me to focus on my sports editor and SGA involvement.

You worked at TLU for 23 years in the Sports Information and Sports Marketing department. Can you describe the growth that the department experienced under your tenure and how it transformed into what it is today?

When I started in June of 1998, the social media revolution was still years away. The fax machine was our tool for getting stories to the media. I would literally wait by the fax machine on game nights; the box score from a road game would come in, and then I would write a story and send it and the box score to the media via a programmed group fax. Over the years, the Office of Sports Information and Sports Marketing has evolved into the creator, producer, and distributor of all TLU sports-related media for our fans. Our fans trust us to be the best source of information and content on the TLU Bulldogs. We broadcast our games on the internet. We write the stories. We do the interviews. We take the pictures and construct the social media graphics. We direct and produce the website and social media channels. I am proud that our efforts have ranked TLU in the top 10 of all 441 NCAA DIII schools for social media engagement. I also am proud that during this crazy COVID year, we managed 91 home games and events over a 106-day period, produced 525 social media graphics, made a combined 1,575 social media posts while also writing 342 stories about TLU teams and student-athletes.

I think our biggest accomplishment has been working with our student-athletes and shepherding their Academic All-America nominations over the years. The 48 Academic All-Americans® produced by TLU is the most by any Division III university in Texas since 2000, and TLU ranks 30th nationally out of 441 NCAA Division III colleges and universities for Academic All-America® awards since 2000.

Why is supporting TLU important to you?

Supporting TLU is important to me and my wife Rebecca ’95 because we are alumni and have each been employees here for many years. We know firsthand the value of a Texas Lutheran education. The care, attention, and instruction that Texas Lutheran students receive are first-rate. We both enjoyed our time at Texas Lutheran so much, and we want the university to continue its legacy of preparing students for success in all aspects of their lives.

Texas Lutheran continues to be a truly special place for young women and men in pursuit of their college educations. I look forward to seeing the university grow and change for the better in the years to come.