WKU News

Bowling Green, KY (August 8, 2025) – Dr. Tyler Clark, Assistant Director of Operations at The Center for Gifted Studies, recently received two prestigious leadership awards. The World Council for Gifted and Talented Children (WCGTC) honored Clark with the Emerging Leader in Gifted Education Award, and the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) awarded him the Early Leader Award.

According to the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children’s website, the recipient of the Emerging Leader in Gifted Education award must be in the first 10 years of their career in gifted education; show evidence of advanced studies in gifted education, talent development, or creativity (e.g., certification, graduate degree); impact of teaching, research, and/or advocacy on gifted education in their country or region; evidence of outstanding promise for leadership; and service to gifted education.

“Receiving this award means so much to me,” said Clark. “I have enjoyed my service and leadership in gifted education and talent development organizations during my career. My work with the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children has expanded my understanding of serving gifted students in a variety of contexts while taking culture into consideration.”

Clark was nominated for the National Association for Gifted Children’s Early Leader award to recognize his outstanding contributions and dedication to the field of gifted education. Clark will be honored for this award during the National Association for Gifted Children’s Annual Conference in November. According to the news page on NAGC’s website, “This event celebrates those whose work elevates the mission of supporting the needs of gifted and talented children across the country.”

Executive Director of The Center for Gifted Studies, Dr. Julia Link Roberts, said, “Tyler Clark is actively involved with research, service, and teaching. Congratulations, Dr. Clark, on this outstanding recognition by two leading organizations in gifted education.”

About Tyler Clark
Tyler Clark, Ed.D., is the Assistant Director of Operations at The Center for Gifted Studies and the Executive Administrator at the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children. He also teaches graduate courses in gifted education and mentors graduate students on their research. Dr. Clark currently serves on the Leadership Development Committee for the National Association for Gifted Children and will assume the role of Chair of the Annual Fund Committee in the fall. Dr. Clark is also active in the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education, providing volunteer support at the headquarters and during conferences and workshops. His research interests include topics in higher education, specifically related to honors education and leadership; in gifted education and talent development, including artificial intelligence, policy, creativity, social-emotional aspects, and issues of underrepresentation; and mathematics education. He presents at the state, national, and international levels. With Julia Link Roberts, he is the co-editor of International Perspectives on Acceleration in Gifted Education, the first in a new series.

About The Center for Gifted Studies
Located on the Western Kentucky University campus in Bowling Green, Kentucky, The Center for Gifted Studies has been serving children who are gifted and talented, their educators, and their parents for more than 40 years. The Center provides exciting educational opportunities for gifted young people, rigorous professional development for teachers and support for parents of gifted young people. Under the direction of Dr. Julia Roberts, The Center has become one of the preeminent advocates for gifted education in the United States.