The late Dick Clark ’51 was well known for his successful ventures in the entertainment industry and an avid supporter of Syracuse University.
The late Dick Clark ’51 was a legend in the entertainment industry and a loyal supporter of Syracuse University—from his days hosting American Bandstand and ushering in the New Year on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve to building a mega-successful Los Angeles-based production company. Clark also remembered his student days on campus and generously supported the University, seeking to provide students with opportunities to achieve success in the entertainment business.
The Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program will expand opportunities for students who engage with alumni and industry professionals through career-focused internships and other activities.
The Kari and Dick Clark Foundation has further extended that generosity with an extraordinary gift to the Forever Orange Campaign that will create new, influential opportunities for students and significantly expand the University’s presence and impact in the entertainment world. The SULA Semester will be renamed the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program and feature new space for offices, classrooms, studios, additional academic programs and faculty where students have opportunities to engage with industry professionals and leaders through events, guest speakers, panelists, and one-on-one alumni mentoring. The career-oriented program also provides unique opportunities for internships, where students gain hands-on experience and learn directly from industry professionals. “LA remains the center of the broadcast industry, and Dick always wanted to support young people hoping for a career in entertainment,” says his wife, Kari.
The program’s expansion also supports the University’s commitment to ensuring study away and study abroad experiences are more accessible for all undergraduates.
Clark’s legacy at Syracuse University also includes the Dick Clark Studios at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Nearly four decades ago, Clark helped lay the groundwork for creating an Orange presence in the entertainment capital, welcoming a group of students to LA to meet him and visit his production studios. Since then, generations of students have benefited from Clark’s vision, and his family shared his legacy with the main campus as well, establishing the Dick Clark Studios at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2014 to provide top-notch facilities for training students in broadcast, television and film production.