- B.S. & M.A. – University of Connecticut
- Ph.D. – Clemson University
- University Department Event Management
- Location Plato Wilson 314
- Phone Number (336) 841-9837
- Email [email protected]
Dr. Brianna Clark joined High Point University in 2018 as an Assistant Professor of Event Management and was named Chair of the Event and Hospitality Management Department in 2024. She teaches cornerstone courses in the program—including event planning and evaluation, event operations, event administration, and senior seminar—and is dedicated to creating classrooms that are both rigorous and inspiring. By connecting students with university and community partners, she ensures that her courses go beyond theory to provide real-world experiences that prepare graduates to excel in the fast-paced, ever-evolving events industry.
Her passion for student engagement extends outside the classroom as well. Dr. Clark serves as faculty advisor to Planning on Point, the department’s student organization, leading students to industry conferences and competitions across the country. In 2025, she traveled with students to the International Festival and Events Association Convention in Palm Springs, where they networked with some of the world’s leading festival organizers. She also brings global learning to her teaching, leading a Maymester course, Fairs and Festivals, in which students explored event practices across London, Brussels, and Amsterdam. Her goal is to make every academic and industry experience within the Event Management Program meaningful, memorable, and transformative for her students.
Dr. Clark’s research focuses on advancing inclusive understandings of event and leisure experiences, as well as pedagogical innovation in event management education. She has published in leading journals such as the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Event Management, and Leisure Studies. In recognition of her expertise, Dr. Clark serves on the Editorial Board of Event Management and as an Associate Editor for SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education.
Prior to joining HPU, Dr. Clark was an Assistant Professor of Sport and Recreation Management at Temple University (2011–2015), where she taught one of the institution’s first event management courses. She earned her Ph.D. in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from Clemson University, with a specialization in community recreation, and holds both her M.A. and B.S. degrees in Sport Management from the University of Connecticut. Professionally, she has worked as a recreation and sport programmer and as an event planner for nonprofit organizations.
When she’s not in the classroom or working with students, Dr. Clark enjoys spending time with her husband and their three daughters. She loves traveling, spending summer afternoons at the neighborhood pool, playing golf, gardening, and occasionally binge-watching a great TV series. She believes leisure should be experienced, not just studied.