Noah Clark, 19, will earn bachelor’s degrees in linguistics and in languages, cultures and international studies with a concentration in Spanish at SIU Carbondale commencement exercises on Dec. 14. (Photo by Russell Bailey)
December 09, 2024
19-year-old SIU Carbondale student with a passion for languages to graduate Dec. 14
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Focused and driven. Those characteristics have served Southern Illinois University Carbondale linguistics senior Noah Clark quite well during his time on campus.
After arriving at SIU Carbondale in fall 2022, Clark, who is 19, will be the youngest of nearly 1,600 graduates earning a degree during commencement exercises on Saturday, Dec. 14, at Banterra Center.
Clark’s mother, Angela, will watch her son receive a bachelor’s degree with a double major in linguistics and languages, cultures and international studies with a concentration in Spanish. A member of the University Honors Program, Clark is also set to graduate magna cum laude, signifying a cumulative GPA of 3.75 to 3.899.
Clark chose SIU to follow his passion in foreign languages and earn a double-major “within a good program.”
“Many colleges near my hometown either had a good linguistics program or a good Spanish program, but SIU has both,” he said.
Next month, just before Clark turns 20, he will begin working on a master’s degree in linguistics at SIU Carbondale, focusing on historical and documentational linguistics and related research. Then he plans to pursue a doctorate, possibly in SIU’s communication studies program, where he can delve into his sociolinguistic interest on how social factors impact language use.
After earning a doctorate, Clark said, he intends to continue field research or teach linguistics, with a primary focus on language acquisition as well as conservation and documentation of languages.
Focused on academics
Katherine Martin, an associate professor in linguistics, recalls when Clark and his family traveled from Shelbyville, Tennessee, to Carbondale for a visit while Clark was still in high school.
“Noah was already focused on looking for research opportunities because he knew that he wanted to get a graduate degree in linguistics,” Martin said. “That’s really rare — most people have never even heard of linguistics until they get to college because it’s not a subject taught in most high schools, and to have someone be so focused on a graduate degree with such certainty so early was really memorable.”
Early start to college
Clark, whose family now lives in Foley, Alabama, graduated from Shelbyville Central High School a year early in May 2022. He took a couple of college-credit courses while in high school before enrolling at SIU Carbondale.
“For most of my high school experience, I did not think about graduating quickly,” Clark said. “However, toward the end, I ended up graduating a year early and when I realized that might also be a possibility in college, I started looking into it.”
Jeffrey Punske, an associate professor in linguistics, said it can be a bit hard to believe Clark is 19 years old “because he is so intellectually and academically mature.”
“He has a virtually unmatched passion for language and linguistics and exhibits real leadership inside and outside of the classroom,” Punske said. “I’m very glad he is continuing his academic journey with us and can’t wait to see what he accomplishes next.”
Support from mentors
Clark credits his “many professors willing to discuss with me what I want to do and be mentors.”
Elizabeth Donoghue, University Honors Program assistant director, was one of Clark’s mentors. Clark “is a dedicated student with a wonderful, positive attitude” who took advantage of many opportunities on campus “to grow and expand both academically and personally,” she said.
Clark is proficient in several languages, and he created an independent study abroad opportunity in summer 2024 spending one month in Italy. He also regularly volunteers with the Center for English as a Second Language as a conversation partner, Donoghue said.
“Noah is a great example of a student finding something they are passionate about and running with it,” she said. “I’m really excited to see where his research and work take him in the future.”
Martin said that Clark is “easily one of the top three most talented undergraduates I have taught or worked with in my 10 years at SIU.”
She noted that Clark took heavy course loads, worked part-time while completing his undergraduate degree and pursued research opportunities. He worked with Martin for several semesters helping code data Martin had collected, including handwritten spelling tests from non-native English speakers, “and he really showed a great analytical mind with his work.”
“He was doing the quality of work that I would expect from an advanced master’s or early Ph.D. student, already as a junior undergraduate,” Martin said.
Clark has enjoyed the friends he’s made while at SIU and the knowledge he’s gained with the opportunities for research and work.
“I have learned a great deal about how I am as a person and what drives me, scholastically and in my relationships with people,” Clark said. “I found that respect and honesty are things I look for in many aspects — from how I talk to strangers, friends and family, to how we talk about other languages and cultures.”