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Adler alum dedicates career in public service, to help expand access to education

Stories | 01.28.25

For Troy Clarkson, Ph.D., (’24) public service and leadership are woven into his DNA.

He remembers being 10 years old, looking in the bathroom mirror with a toothbrush in hand.

Alum Journeys logo“I was saying out loud to whoever was listening, ‘Someday, I want to run the company that made this toothbrush.’ That obviously didn’t happen,” he said, laughing. “But looking back on it, to me, it demonstrated some sort of commitment to one day playing a role in making decisions that could impact others.”

In 1992 — just a few years after graduating from college — he ran for public office. Though he lost his first race, he won the following year and joined the Falmouth Select Board, which functions similarly to a city council and serves as the policymaking body for the Town of Falmouth in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He went on to serve for 12 years throughout his 20s and 30s.

He then took on a series of executive roles in local government, including as town manager of Bridgewater and Hanover and as town administrator for Plymouth County. And since 2019, he has been the chief financial officer for the City of Brockton.

“I’m proud to be able to make a positive impact in my community, not only in my profession but also in my volunteer work,” he said.

Dr. Clarkson is a board member of Carousel of Light, Inc., a Falmouth-based nonprofit that owns and operates an antique, hand-carved carousel to raise money for local organizations. He is also on the Falmouth Housing Trust and the Cook Family Charitable Fund boards.

In December 2024, he added another responsibility to his plate — a gubernatorial appointment to the Cape Cod Community College Board of Trustees, adding his voice in ensuring higher education is achievable in his community.

“Community colleges provide a pathway for people to gain skills and employment that help them build wealth and a career,” Dr. Clarkson said. “Community college is a cornerstone to developing and encouraging successful citizens. I’m excited to be part of that.”

“One of the reasons I pursued a Ph.D. at Adler was to gain a deeper understanding and to help shape policy that expands access to higher education,” added Dr. Clarkson, who earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership online. “It’s humbling to have the confidence of the governor to appoint me in this position.”

Defying conventional wisdom

Dr. Clarkson understands the importance of higher education. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Boston College and a master’s in public administration from Bridgewater State University.

When it came to pursuing his Ph.D., Dr. Clarkson said he was attracted to Adler University for a variety of reasons, including the organizational leadership program curriculum, the professors, the Adlerian values, and its availability online.

Juggling a full-time career and family, he began his journey as a part-time doctoral student at Adler in 2021. Then, in 2022, his wife also pursued public office, winning her race to become the first female sheriff of Barnstable County.

“It was a busy but exciting time,” Dr. Clarkson said. “I would work all day, campaign with my wife at night, and then lock myself in our upstairs office each weekend to focus on my studies.”

Among the highlights of Dr. Clarkson’s Adler journey was his dissertation, which focused on the impact of remittances — the value of earnings that migrant workers and immigrants send back to their home country, specifically on Cape Verde, a small nation of 10 islands off the west coast of Africa. Brockton, Massachusetts — where Dr. Clarkson works — has a significant Cape Verdean population.

“Not a lot of people talk about this topic, but last year worldwide, nearly three-quarters of a trillion dollars were changed hands through remittances,” he said. “In Cape Verde, 16% of its GDP came from remittances during the pandemic.”

In 2022 — just after he began working on his dissertation — Dr. Clarkson joined a delegation of Brockton officials and legislators to Cape Verde. During the visit, Dr. Clarkson had the opportunity to sit down with the country’s president and leader of parliament to discuss the impact of remittances.

“This project immediately became personal to me,” he said. “I’m proud of the work I put into my dissertation.”

“What I learned and hope others take away is that people migrate out of love and devotion for their families,” Dr. Clarkson said. “Conventional wisdom is that people migrate to the U.S. because of some lofty vision of the American dream. But for many, it’s quite simple. They come here for work and send money and goods home to support their families.”

Dr. Clarkson successfully defended his dissertation in December 2024.

Photo of Dr. Clarkson with Cape Verde delegation

From left, Dr. Clarkson, Brockton Chief of Staff Sydnè Marrow, Cape Verde First Lady Débora Katisa Carvalho, Cape Verde President José Maria Neves, and Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan at the Presidential Palace.

Citizen of the Year

Today, Dr. Clarkson said his time at Adler is now informing how he approaches his current role of CFO and volunteer work, including his appointment to the Cape Code Community College Board of Trustees.

“Adler’s focus on social justice and equity provides me with a deeper perspective from which to make decisions, recommendations, and suggestions,” he said. “My work at Adler provided a backdrop from which to consider the wider impact and shared history of our society and how we can exist in the same communities with very different lived experiences.”

“When we consider the lived experiences of others, it enhances our ability to make equitable decisions,” he added.

Along with his volunteer work and leadership roles, Dr. Clarkson is a writer who has published two books and continues to contribute a weekly newspaper column in the Falmouth Enterprise.

In 2024, his hometown’s Chamber of Commerce named him the Outstanding Citizen of the Year.

“I didn’t grow up in a family that was active in politics, but I did grow up in a family that gave back a lot, despite not being wealthy,” Dr. Clarkson said.

Looking back at his 10-year-old self, Dr. Clarkson credits his mother for teaching him the importance of volunteer work and making an impact.

“My family was rich in relationships, and I’ve carried that throughout my life,” he said. “I think I’m very lucky to have a career in public service.”

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