Prep Journeys: Joe Clark ’25

Joe Clark ’25 can remember the exact moment that his life journey changed course. It was a day off from Resurrection Catholic School in Cherry Hill, N.J., and he was riding home from lunch with his parents when they mentioned to him they thought he should consider St. Joseph’s Prep for high school.

“It had never occurred to me and felt like an idea that was a little out there,” says Clark. Though he knew that one or two students from his school had gone there, going into Philadelphia for school each day seemed unnecessary as he assumed he would be going to Paul VI, a Catholic diocesan high school near him. “But the more I thought about it, the more intrigued I became.”

That conversation led to visits to the campus which soon had Joe hooked, and his Prep journey was underway.

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It was clear to Lee Anne and John Clark that their son Joe was a good student. With their daughter Sarah already considering the University of Scranton, Jesuit education was on their minds, so the idea of sending Joe to the Jesuit High School of Philadelphia was definitely of interest. However, 13-year-old Joe was skeptical.

“My parents told me that they had seen what I was capable of academically and thought that the Prep could be a good fit,” Clark says. “I was set on going to Paul VI with my classmates and friends but they pushed the Prep. I’m glad that they did.”

Once he warmed to the idea, Joe was all in. He loved the campus from the beginning and the idea of going to school in Philadelphia at a place that valued education was both intriguing and exciting.

“It was a leap of faith but I really liked it,” Clark said. “It felt right.”

From the moment that he arrived at 17th & Girard, Clark wanted to make the most of it. “There were so many things that were new to me so I wanted to try things that I might not otherwise have done,” he said. He joined the Robotics and Rugby teams as a freshman, wrote articles for the Hawkeye Student Newspaper, and tried out for the basketball team (“Got cut!”) before finding a home on the Volleyball Team. He also auditioned for the Cape and Sword Drama Society’s Night of Scenes and delivered memorable performances each year.

“I wanted to find myself but, just as importantly, I wanted to find my people,” he says. 

Joe also wanted to challenge himself academically. “Coming here was such a step up for me,” he states. “I pushed myself academically because that’s the standard here. The school has such a reputation and I wanted to earn my place as a Prep alumnus.” As someone who loves to write, Joe immediately loved Honors English I with Mr. Joe Coyle and has pursued it in other courses and activities. 

Recently, Clark expanded his horizons even further as he joined the Prep’s East Asia Cultural Immersion Trip this past summer that toured Singapore, Taiwan, and Malaysia. “I was nervous because this felt like a big step,” Clark recollects, “but as soon as we landed in the Singapore Airport I knew it was the right decision.”

Clark remembers one moment in particular that sticks with him. “We were in Bali in Taiwan and had some free time,” he says. “It was a perfect weather day so a few of us rented bikes. At one point, I was just floored by the beauty so I stopped and took a photo. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and a moment I will never forget”

Joe’s journey at 17th & Girard is nearly coming to an end and he is preparing for the next step. He hopes to stay with Jesuit education as Loyola Maryland, Fairfield, and St. Joe’s are his top three colleges. In the meantime, Joe hopes to finish strong academically while also being a part of a championship for the volleyball team.

Clark has advice for prospective students looking to make their own journey to the Prep: “If you put all of yourself into it, the result is so rewarding. So take the leap of faith, do the work, and be prepared!”