New Alumni Board member hopes to boost synergy with athletics, students and GCSU

A aron Clark '08 was an unmistakable presence on the campus of Georgia College & State University.

A member of the Bobcat Basketball Team with a spirit nearly as large as his 6-foot-9-inch frame, Clark loved his time at Georgia College and has always remained close to the university. This year, he has joined the Alumni Board with the hope of making even more of an impact.

After playing professional basketball in Turkey and Switzerland, he began a career in sales and has spent the last 14 years in the payroll/human resources software industry.

He is the Vice President of Sales at Thread HCM in Alpharetta and married to Amanda (Hannay) Clark '08. They met at Georgia College and have been married for 15 years. They have two daughters, Logan (5) and Harper (3), and live in Roswell, Georgia.

Q: Which professor made the biggest impact on your life at GCSU and how?

Aaron Clark: I can't narrow it to one. There are three who made distinctly different, yet large impacts on my life at Georgia College. Dr. Chuck Ryan was the first professor to challenge me and dare me to be better than I thought I could be. He didn't let me rest with the status quo and forced me to raise my level. That's a lesson I have tried to continue living throughout my career. Dr. Sally Humphries was a great professor and friend during my time at Georgia College. She has a way of taking business concepts and giving us real life applications. I still use things she taught me in how I communicate with others both personally and professionally. Lastly, Dr. Joanna Schwartz taught me how to make life fun. She brought a zest and energy to her class. It taught me that life doesn't need to be taken too seriously. At a time in my life when I felt the weight of school and basketball pressures, she taught me how to enjoy the moments. I will always be thankful to her for that. <_o3a_p>

Q: Why did you join the Alumni Board and what do you hope to accomplish in the
role?<_o3a_p>

AC: I joined the Alumni Board because I hope to be able to give back to a university that gave so much to me and my family. Georgia College was the school I never knew I needed, which helped mold me into the man I am today. I would also love to help incorporate even more synergy between the athletics program and the university at large. Athletics can be such a unifying force for both the athletes and the students who support them. More energy toward that will help create a better college experience for all Georgia College students.

Clark was a standout for GCSU Men's Basketball

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus?<_o3a_p>

AC: There are so many spots that come to mind. From Adams Hall where I met my suitemate/lifelong friend Joe Bence, to the Brick where my childhood friend Alex Jones and I would meet every Tuesday for wing nights no matter how busy we were. My favorite spot has to be the Centennial Center. That building molded me in so many ways. From the early morning workouts, to hearing Coach Terry Sellers' whistle, to the amazing Bobcat crowds on gamedays. Even with all of that, the reason that makes it my favorite spot is it is the first place I ever saw my future wife, Amanda.

Q: What advice would you give to the 2024 Georgia College First-Year class?<_o3a_p>

AC: Enjoy! Enjoy everything GCSU has to offer. (Former Athletic Director and GCSU Hall of Famer) Dr. Stan Aldridge once told me that college isn't solely about school, and in my case it shouldn't be all about athletics, either. You grow and mature as a person in college, and so much of that occurs outside of the classroom. Make friends, make mistakes and learn from them, and most importantly make memories. As Andy Bernard says in The Office, "I wish there was a way to know you're in the good ole days before you've actually left them." Your time at GCSU will be the good ole days before you know it, so treasure the time you have while you're there!<_o3a_p>

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