Starling Lawrence
Clemente Founding Board Member, Publishing Leader & Acclaimed Author
It is with deep sadness that we let the Clemente community know that chairman emeritus of The Clemente Course, Starling Lawrence, has passed away.
Star was part of Clemente from the beginning and was someone without whom our experiment of bringing the humanities to the underserved would not have happened. Aside from being our founder Earl Shorris’ closest friend, trusted confidant, and book editor, he supported the launch of Clemente by, among other things, arranging for W.W. Norton to provide the texts to the first classes of Clemente students. He went on to champion Clemente in innumerable ways, shaping us into the organization we are today.
As the obituary for Star in
The New York Times
makes clear, Star was a man of innumerable accomplishments. He was a giant in the publishing world, having edited books from some of the most critically and commercially successful authors in America. He truly shaped the field of American letters, discovering and nurturing best-selling authors including Michael Lewis. Star was also an accomplished author himself, whose celebrated novels included
The Lightning Keeper
and
Montenegro.
We will be forever grateful for Star and all he has done for Clemente and his memory will be a blessing for his family and for all of us in the Clemente community. We look forward to sharing more about Star and how we will honor his enduring legacy shortly.
Writer Phil Klay To Be Awarded the Inaugural Clemente Course in the Humanities Public Humanities Prize
The Clemente Course in the Humanities is proud to announce writer and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Phil Klay as the first recipient of the Public Humanities Prize, made possible through the generous support of the Mellon Foundation.
The award honors a changemaker whose work reflects Clemente’s belief in the transformative power of the humanities in public life.
About Clemente
Many of our students experience financial hardship. In addition to economic distress, our students commonly report other major barriers to higher education, including housing insecurity, incarceration, trauma, health-related challenges, and other issues.
Clemente offers an open door. We require only that students are at least 17 years old, able to read a newspaper, and plan to complete a year-long course. As college tuition soars, Clemente Courses remain free. Our courses also provide crucial wrap-around support by covering the costs of childcare, transportation, and books while students attend class.
Everyone who completes a Clemente course receives a certificate of achievement. Students who demonstrate college-level work may earn credit from Bard College or another academic partner.
Since 1996, more than 13,000 students have participated in a Clemente Course.
The Power of the Humanities
The Clemente Course in the Humanities provides a transformative educational experience for adults facing economic hardship and adverse circumstances. Our free college humanities courses empower students to further their education and careers, become effective advocates for themselves and their families, and engage actively in the cultural and civic lives of their communities.
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