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Campus Closed Friday, Classes Switch to Virtual 1/23

Out of an abundance of caution due to the forecasted weather, the Clarke University campus will be closed on Friday, January 23, 2026. Classes will switch to a virtual format. Students, please check your email and the platform utilized in each course for more information from your professors.   

Staff are excused from work, however, essential employees should report to campus unless otherwise advised by their supervisor.    

Hours of Operation   

The Dining Hall will be open for Lunch from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Café 1843 will operate the convenience store from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., with hot food items available from 7-10 a.m., 11 a.m.-2 p.m., and 5-8 p.m.
The library will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  
The Kehl Center will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Practices are canceled except for teams with competition the next day.   

Winter Safety Information 

With wind chills reaching as low as -40, frostbite can occur within 10 minutes. During the winter weather advisory, stay indoors whenever possible. Be sure to keep your cellphone charged and have access to blankets, water, and other necessities.  

If you must go out, dress in layers: wear fabrics that retain heat, use insulation layers to trap air, and choose outer layers that are wind and water-resistant. Stay dry and avoid excessive sweating to maintain body heat. 

Stay indoors, stay warm, and stay safe, Clarkies! 

Clarke University 

Clarke University Logo
Portrait of Melissa DeMotta

Melissa DeMotta, Ph.D.

Professor of Biology,
Coordinator of Transitions

Educational Background

PhD, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL  2002

BS, Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA 1994

Download CV

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching and learning are not two separate activities but one activity that is shared between the professor and the student.  If the professor is teaching and the students are not learning, then the activity was not successful.  It is only when both teaching and learning have both occurred that the activity is successful.  Because of this both the professor and the student must challenge themselves and be active participants.  If only one entity is participating the activity will not succeed.

Clarke is truly a wonderful institution where everyone does care about each other. I think this has made me want to be my best — as a professor and as a person. I hope that students learn to appreciate the world around them and the wonder of their own bodies so that they realize science is not scary, but fantastic and wonderful.

Melissa DeMotta

Profile

Research Interests

  • Physiology pedagogy
  • Central regulation of cardiovascular function
  • Regulation of brain function and the role of blood brain barrier

Courses Taught

  • Human Physiology
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Biology of the Human Body
  • Introduction to Life Sciences
  • Introduction to Cell Biology and Genetics Laboratory

Certifications and Memberships

  • American Physiological Society – Member
  • Society for Neuroscience – Member
  • Iowa Physiological Society Member
  • Clarke University Institutional Review Board – Member

Additional Information

  • Biology Club Faculty Advisor
  • Clarke University STEM Day – Presenter
  • Clarke University Human Body Bee – Presenter