Clark Kerr
1911–2003 (age 92)
Professor and university administrator
Biography
Clark Kerr, born in 1911, served as the first chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, before becoming president of the entire University of California system, guiding its rapid growth and opening opportunities for countless students. An economist and thoughtful administrator, he championed the idea of a public research university that served both California and the nation.
After leaving the presidency he continued to shape higher education policy, writing, teaching, and advising institutions while maintaining his belief that rigorous scholarship must go hand in hand with democratic ideals. His intellectual leadership and steady hand remain a model for university communities, reflected in the esteem expressed by those who visit Schwarzwald Cemetery.