Joseph Lemak, PhD

Joe Lemak became Director of CMTS in January 2016. He has served Elmira College in various roles for over two decades, most recently as Director of the Academic Writing Program and the Writing Center. Joe holds a Ph.D. in Classics (with an emphasis in Roman History) from University at Buffalo and teaches a wide range of classes, including European History. Born and raised in Elmira, Joe is intimately familiar with the local legacy of Twain and his extended family. He has already succeeded in deepening ties between the Center, the College, and other historic institutions like the Park Church and the Chemung Valley Museum, where Joe previously served as editor of the Chemung Historical Journal. Dr. Lemak organizes the Trouble Begins lecture series, the Twain Symposia, the Quadrennial Conference, the Summer Teachers Institute, and the Quarry Farm Fellowships. He oversees the Centers financial and budget matters, including all grant writing and fundraising efforts. He is responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the Mark Twain Exhibit and the Mark Twain Study on the Elmira College campus, and the entire Quarry Farm property. Without sacrificing the services CMTS has provided for generations of academics, journalists, and historians, Joe also sees the Centers mission as in keeping with an expansive and inclusive definition of Twain scholarship. He seeks to develop additional programs that serve secondary school teachers, students, and the regional community.