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Fisk University basketball player Clark takes advantage of rare opportunities in 2020

Fisk University basketball player Clark takes advantage of rare opportunities in 2020

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BVM) — The year 2020 has been full of excitement and adventure for Fisk University senior Ti’Ara Clark. Clark has been seeking unique opportunities during the fall specifically as she’s skydiving and cliff jumping on her YouTube channel fittingly named “Ti’Ara’s Adventures.” 

“Skydiving was definitely an out of body experience,” Clark said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing.”

While the exhilaration of jumping out of a plane may be her most exciting moment of the year, there is a close second.

That spot belongs to the moment when Clark learned that she obtained an internship she had strived for. In August, Clark was among 12 finalists chosen for an internship with Tennessee’s Fifth District U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper. Majoring in both sociology and political science at Fisk, the opportunity would be one that would greatly enhance Clark’s opportunities to find employment following her graduation next spring.

“I have had a bit of experience in the sociology side with an internship and a fellowship, but I felt I didn’t have enough experience in politics whether it was on the local level or the national level,” Clark said. “I thought this would be a great opportunity if I got a bit more into politics especially on a congressional level. It was pretty big so I thought I could learn so much from it.”

When all 12 finalists were told via a Zoom meeting that they each would participate in the internship, Clark was ecstatic.

“When I got the news, I told my family and I just felt like it wasn’t just an accomplishment for myself, but for my family as a whole,” Clark said. “I don’t really know many people especially in my family or even my friends who’ve had an internship like this, who are able to speak to a congressman on a personal level in a sense. It’s a great experience honestly.”

For Clark, receiving the internship also solidified belief in herself that she was not only on the right path for her career, but doing so in a way that others would take notice.

“It was a rewarding feeling I got when I got selected,” Clark said. “It feels different when you know you did your best. I know I’ve been working so hard in school, been trying to get the best grades, been trying to apply for things in the summer and throughout the school year to try to be my best self to learn as much as I can. It just seemed like all that work paid off. It was just a great feeling and it felt perfect too.”

This is not the first time Clark’s work in the classroom has helped her earn unique opportunities. As a sophomore at Fisk, Clark studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. During her time in the foreign country, she grew her understanding of international affairs and foreign policy, something she has immense interest in.

“Studying abroad ignited my interest into global affairs and becoming more of a global citizen,” Clark said. “That study abroad experience was amazing. I just loved the fact I learned so much outside of the classroom. I think I learn the best outside of the classroom.”

In addition to her travels, Clark is also a member of the Fisk University Office of Global Initiatives to further her understanding of international policy and relations.

A sociology and political science major, Clark was able to secure an internship with Congressman Jim Cooper, further solidifying her future aspirations in politics. (Courtesy: Ti’Ara Clark)

While she may have a future in government, Clark also had a major focus on playing basketball for the Fisk Bulldogs. Her journey to the Fisk basketball team was not a traditional one, however.

A small forward from Dallas, Clark was not highly recruited out of high school. Due to an injury her junior year, Clark was discouraged about her opportunities to play basketball collegiately.

“[Basketball] became a part of my identity,” Clark said. “I tore my ACL my junior year and it really broke my heart because I really thought basketball was going to be my only way out. I really wasn’t as confident in my intellect as I feel like I should have been. When I found out I didn’t get any offers, it really tore me apart.”

Instead, Clark ended up at Fisk just to pursue her education. However, when the team held tryouts around the time she arrived on campus, Clark gave basketball another try. When she found out she made the team, Clark knew it was all meant to be.

“I just decided to try out with my roommate Lyric,” Clark said. “We both tried out and we were the only two to make the team who tried out. It was amazing. I was content with the fact that I didn’t get any offers. I felt I was at the right place at the right time.”

https://twitter.com/TiAraClark4/status/1180299950573395968

Last season, Clark only started one game for the Bulldogs, but played in 25 of the team’s games as she recovered from another torn ACL she suffered her sophomore year. For the season, Clark averaged 1.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. 

Although she won’t play a full four years with the Bulldogs, Clark was still able to contribute to the team in a number of ways and will do so in an assistant coach or manager role once the team returns to the court. (Courtesy: @TiAraClark4/Twitter)

While still very much in love with basketball, Clark decided this offseason she would leave the team prior to her senior year instead focusing on her academics and future.

“Playing basketball was amazing and I loved it and it was all definitely worth it,” Clark said. “I felt like I needed to take more time to focus on my life after Fisk. I feel like I have given basketball so much and maybe neglected some other passions of mine.”

The Bulldogs season was canceled due to the ongoing pandemic with no sign of when the team would return to play. However, when the Bulldogs do return to the court, Clark will be there in a different role.

“[My coach] actually assigned me as a student assistant coach or manager,” Clark said. “I actually kind of like that I’m able to see basketball from a different lens, not necessarily from a player’s perspective, but a manager’s perspective or an assistant coach perspective. … But I was excited.”

For now, Clark will continue advancing her career prospects through her internship. The group has had many unique experiences including working with a non-partisan organization called “Vote Early TN” which encouraged local citizens to vote. Clark was tasked with reaching out and recruiting participants in the Nashville area to help the organization encourage people from certain backgrounds to go out and vote. Additionally, Clark learned the governmental ropes through Congressman Cooper during an individual intern session with the government official. From her experience in the internship, Clark has also been encouraged to apply to law school, though she has not made a final decision on that yet.

“Congressman Cooper is extremely intelligent and he will nitpick at your arguments and make it your best work and your best presentation,” Clark said. “I definitely learned a lot from this internship. … Politics is a passion of mine. I know I should be somewhere in a political realm. It may be one of my callings.”

While 2020 has already been an eventful year for the senior, with plenty of adventures in between, Clark can continue to build on it with success in the Tennessee government. Moving into the future, Clark will look to make her jump from college to professional life whether that is law school or another outlet for her passions.