SPARCS Welcomes New Director of Sponsored Programs Marissa Clarkson

Marissa Clarkson has joined the Office of Sponsored Programs and Regulatory Compliance (SPARCS) as the new director of sponsored programs, effective July 11, filling the vacancy created by Sherrie Settle’s promotion to associate vice chancellor of sponsored programs and regulatory compliance.

Clarkson brings over a decade of experience in the field of contracts and grants management, including more than three years of experience in a leadership role. 

“We’re delighted to welcome Marissa to our team in SPARCS and can’t wait to see how her enthusiasm and experience pay dividends in her new role here,” Settle says.

Before joining NC State, Clarkson most recently worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as a senior grant/contract administrator and team manager — a role she worked her way up to after first serving as a grant/contract administrator, from 2015 to 2018.

In Clarkson’s role as a senior grant/contract administrator, she worked independently on a variety of complex contracts and grants worth a collective total of roughly $500 million. MIT reported nearly $740 million in research expenditures in fiscal year 2021.

Prior to working for MIT, Clarkson served as proposal/contract coordinator for the University of Central Florida, from 2009 to 2015. Clarkson also graduated from UCF, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in business.