William Smith Clark

Biography

William Smith Clark was a pioneering botanist and educator whose dedication to agricultural science inspired a generation of students at Amherst and beyond. As the founding president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, he brought rigorous scientific training to practical farming and left a lasting impression through his commitment to public service and education.

His celebrated encouragement to “Be ambitious” continues to echo at the institution he shaped, and his botanical studies helped lay the groundwork for improved agricultural practices across the northeastern United States.