Elizabeth Cernota Clark ’73

Elizabeth Cernota Clark ’73 earned the Knox 50-Year Club Scroll of Honor Award at the 2026 Homecoming Convocation. Over a distinguished career spanning more than four decades, Elizabeth has made lasting contributions as a journalist, editor, educator, author, and researcher. Her dedication to storytelling, teaching, and historical scholarship has inspired generations of students and enriched public understanding.

“I graduated from Knox 53 years ago. I was armed with a collection of words with which to pursue my passion for journalism; that collection included words of encouragement from my professors and words of joy and hope from family and friends,” Cernota Clark said. “Working at The Knox Student newspaper, it didn’t take me long to notice that the most important word I would take from Knox was veritas. It’s the Latin word on our academic seal since 1887, and it’s on our diploma. As both a word and a concept, veritas was and still is an ever-present guiding light for me and that no-nonsense command for all journalists.”

After graduating from Knox, she launched her journalism career at the Chicago Daily News and Southtown Chicago Economist newspapers. She later contributed as a reporter and editor in Texas for Dallas area newspapers and was an editor of garden magazines in Texas and North Carolina. After earning a master’s degree in journalism, she began teaching and advising students at Winston-Salem State University and Texas Women’s University. She also taught at Texas Lutheran before joining the Texas State University journalism faculty where she taught until her retirement in 2020.

When was the last time you were on campus?

I was back for my 50th Reunion in 2023. Before then, I came back occasionally, but since we live in Texas, it’s a little harder to get out here. But I have some great friends, so we get together now and then. My roommate lives in Aurora, so once you get here, it's pretty easy to find your friends again.

Does it ever change here? Or does it feel and look the same?

You know, when we get together, we pick up from 1973. It doesn’t change that much; the feeling is wonderful. It’s wonderful to be back here; I love the whole place. It’s also wonderful to see the changes. The townspeople, the campus folks, the workers are still just as friendly as I remember, even though downtown has changed somewhat. The feeling of home is still there.

What memories of Knox stand out, or what did you not know about Knox until you got here that made it so special?

I think it relates to the people. I’m a people person, and that’s why I enjoyed my journalism career so much; I got to tell stories about people I didn’t know and the curiosity that came with it. Here, you can talk to pretty much anybody without being shy, and I think that taught all of us a good lesson in communication: start a conversation. I still see that happen when I see alums; be brave and break the ice.

Were there courses that were not related to your major that had a big impact on you?

One of my favorites was a basic geology class. Everyone called it the rocks class. We went on a field trip I’m not sure you could do today. We went to the Mississippi River and learned about shale, and we went to Wisconsin into the glacier territory, and it was fascinating. I’ve always been interested in archeology, anthropology, and that was a good fit for journalism because you do investigate, you look at stuff, you examine. I have a treasured memory from my art class: my professor told me I have a good eye, and that’s something you remember. Dr. Wilson, in the English department, was one of my favorites and was also encouraging. 

What advice would you give current students?

In the words of our capital campaign: Be bold. You have to take those steps and move forward. Learn all you can, all about the occupation or what you’re interested in. 

What was your introduction to Knox? 

There’s the Woody Agar Press Box at the football field. My dad mentored Woody Agar long ago, before Woody became a student here. My dad worked for his dad’s trucking company, so that was my introduction: my dad mentoring Woody Agar into coming here.