NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The interim president of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts self-deprecatingly says he doesn't know a lot about how to run a college.

 

But James Clemmer does know how to sell the idea of a liberal arts education.

 

"Looking back, I didn't even realize the opportunity I was given, which was to get a business degree but also learn in a really great liberal arts environment," said Clemmer, a 1986 graduate of the then North Adams State College. "That allowed me to learn not just business, not just how to read a [profit and loss statement] or a balance sheet but really how to learn to interact with others.

 

"The beauty of a liberal arts education is that we're going to teach you a little bit of everything: hard sciences ... soft sciences, things that are really important with the culture, fine and performing arts, other things we do with language that make you more valuable, better well rounded in the world."

 

Clemmer went on to a successful career in business but never lost touch with his alma mater, joining its board of trustees in 2007 and assuming his current role earlier this year.

 

On Tuesday evening, he addressed a group of high school seniors and their families as MCLA honored Berkshire County's recipients of the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship.

 

It was a night for celebrating the students' accomplishments and for the college to remind them why they might want to make the same choice Clemmer did 33 years ago.

 

After all, that is the point of the scholarships, which offer a tuition waiver for up to eight semesters at a Massachusetts state college or university. The merit-based scholarship is based on student scores on the 10th-grade Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam.

 

Clemmer, MCLA admissions officer Joshua Mendel and Adams Scholarship recipient Lauren Mangiardi encouraged the students to think about taking advantage of the financial boost available through the scholarship — and more specifically to look at MCLA.

 

"Folks who are able to collaborate with others, folks who can influence outcomes when you don't have control and folks who will listen and respect people's differences, understand the different cultural makeup of all of us — I found are people who succeed a little bit more," Clemmer said. "I really got that here, and I think all public liberal arts schools teach you about that."

 

Mangiardi, a 2015 graduate of Taconic High School majoring in English/communication and education at MCLA, noted that the college application process can be stressful but reminded the high school seniors in attendance to "set goals, pick a role model, have fun and enjoy your senior year."

 

State Rep. Gailanne Cariddi told the students that while she is not an MCLA alumna, three dozen of her family members have attended the school.

 

"I just hope that you are considering MCLA," Cariddi said. "It's a wonderful, wonderful school."

 

And it is a school where the high-achieving students at last night's reception will continue to be pushed.

 

"Our job is to challenge you and push you, which we'll do," Clemmer said. "But what I think that does is enable you to find where you can go creatively and academically and find the ways you'll be able to follow the dreams you have.

 

"MCLA is a special place. .... Whatever path you choose, hopefully you'll use the Adams Scholarship as that booster to find whatever place is right for you."