About 35 years ago, Jimmy Clarke drove from the beaches of southern California to the swamps of south Louisiana to begin graduate school. From that humble start, he rose through the ranks at UL, created a public opinion research service, served with the Board of Regents, became Chief of Staff under Governor Kathleen Blanco after the horrors of Katrina and Rita, and is now the Executive Director of the ACT Center for College & Career Success. He spoke with ultoday.com.