Jack L. Stark ’57 GP’11
Jack Lee Stark was born in 1934 in Wabash, Indiana and grew up in the nearby small farming community of Urbana. In 1948, the Stark family joined the westward exodus and migrated to National City, California. Familiar with the Claremont Colleges after debating there in high school, Stark interviewed at Claremont Men’s College and was accepted, entering as a freshman in September 1953. As a student, Stark was active and engaged, serving as the president of his sophomore class, vice president of the student body during his junior year, and as a member of the Student Court. He also was a resident assistant, and a member of the Forensic Society, Stags service organization, and College Church, and played on the frosh basketball team. While attending Claremont Men’s College, Stark met his future wife, Jil Harris, then a student at Scripps College. Jack Stark graduated from Claremont Men’s College in 1957, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in literature and philosophy. Following his graduation, Stark initially considered continuing his education in theology after winning a Rockefeller Brothers fellowship for a trial year in a theological seminary. He decided to turn down the fellowship, however, instead opting to take a second lieutenant’s commission in the Marine Corps. Jack and Jil Stark were married in 1958, just after her graduation from Scripps College and the couple would live at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, until his discharge from active duty in December 1960.
Planning to pursue an MBA following his discharge, Stark returned to Claremont to arrange for his transcripts to be sent. There he ran into Stanton “Pete” Welsh ’50 P’81, then assistant to President George Benson, who suggested he look into an opening in the alumni office at CMC where he could also pursue an MBA part-time at the Claremont Graduate School. Meeting with President Benson that day, Stark was offered the position and he accepted. Beginning his employment at CMC on January 1, 1961, Stark hit the ground running at the College and would steadily take on increasing responsibility, including involvement in long-range planning, budget work, and eventually the overseeing of dining halls, buildings and grounds, and new construction projects. During this period, CMC was experiencing terrific growth–new dorms were going up at the rate of about one per year and enrollment rose from 400 to 600 in the early 1960s to 800 by 1968. With the College’s expansive and sustained growth, Stark became CMC’s financial officer and President Benson’s chief assistant, becoming involved in nearly every aspect of the College’s operations and helping to formulate the plans for nascent Pitzer College.
Stark served as CMC's chief executive during some of the College’s most challenging periods in its history. Under his leadership, CMC's endowment grew from $10 million to more than $380 million, and he led the College to exceptional growth in reputation, academic quality, and student selectivity. CMC continued its growth as a premier liberal arts college emphasizing education in economics and government and expanded its influence in public affairs through the creation of nine public policy research institutes. President Stark also guided the College through fundamental institutional changes–becoming coeducational in 1976 and changing its name to Claremont McKenna College in 1981, honoring founding trustee Donald C. McKenna. CMC’s Athenaeum program was founded in 1970 under President Stark’s leadership. Originally operating out of the former President’s House, construction on a new Athenaeum building commenced in 1982 with gifts from Donald McKenna and trustee Marian Miner Cook and was officially dedicated in 1983. Today, the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum continues to be a signature program of the College bringing scholars, public figures, thought leaders, artists, and innovators to engage with the CMC and Claremont College community. Throughout his career, Stark was a leading advocate for higher education in California and across the nation. He was a member of the board of trustees and chairman of many organizations, including Independent Colleges of Southern California, Western Colleges Association, and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities. He also was a member of the US Army National Advisory panel on the ROTC and the Presidents’ Commission of the NCAA.
CMC 50: The Campaign for Claremont McKenna College
Stark is also dedicated to serving the local community. He served on the board of trustees and is past chairman of Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, Mt. Baldy United Way, Foothill Country Day School in Claremont, and Thacher School in Ojai, California. In 1997, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation honored Stark with its prestigious Presidential Leadership Award. He has been presented with honorary degrees by Claremont McKenna College, the University of Redlands, Pepperdine University, and Soka University of America. In 1997, the CMC Board of Trustees named the College's newly planned dormitory Stark Hall in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Stark on the 25th anniversary of his presidency. President Stark received the CMC Alumni Association’s George C. S. Benson Distinguished Achievement Award and the Eugene L. Wolver, Jr. '51 Lifetime Service Award; the Association’s Jack L. Stark '57 GP'11 Distinguished Service Award is named in his honor. After 29 years as CMC President, Jack Stark retired on June 30, 1999 and the Board of Trustees honored him with the title of President Emeritus of Claremont McKenna College and was named a Life Member of the Board.
Jack and Jil Stark have four children, and eight grandchildren (one of whom, Allison Stark, graduated from CMC in 2011). They live in nearby Pomona, California.
