Build-A-Bear Workshop® Founder Maxine Clark Visits McKendree University, Imparts Wisdom to Students

(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 29, 2025) – Maxine Clark, the entrepreneurial force behind Build-A-Bear Workshop® and a lifelong advocate for education and inclusion, visited McKendree University on Thursday, Sept. 25, engaging students in thoughtful classroom discussions and delivering a keynote address in the university’s annual Wayne E. Lanter Lecture Series at the Hett.

During her visit, Clark reflected on and shared stories about her unconventional path: starting as a journalism major at the University of Georgia, working her way to become a top retail executive, and ultimately becoming the founder of a billion-dollar brand. At 48, she opened the first Build-A-Bear Workshop® storefront in St. Louis’s Galleria Mall, a business idea that was hatched from a spontaneous moment in which children in her neighborhood were searching for Beanie Babies to no avail.

“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood – or a happy adult childhood, for that matter,” Clark told students in the classroom, encouraging them to embrace life’s unexpected turns. “Things can’t be perfect, and you won’t have everything planned out. Just remember that it’s all part of the process.”

During her classroom visits with students, Clark emphasized the importance of curiosity, community, and resilience. She also stressed how important it was for students to be unafraid in asking questions.

“Know what you don’t know, and don’t be afraid to ask others,” she said. “I didn’t know anything at first; I had to ask a lot of questions, and people answered them. That’s how I grew.”

During the Lanter Lecture that afternoon, Clark shared stories about innovation, social responsibility, and civic pride. She spoke about her early experiences in Washington D.C., her move to St. Louis as her career took off, and her commitment to supporting those who are differently-abled, an influence rooted in her mother’s work with Eleanor Roosevelt.

“It takes a village to raise a bear – or a student, or a university,” Clark told the audience. “What part of the village do you want to be in, and what role do you want to play in it? Your village needs you.”

Students posed questions about philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and the future of St. Louis. When asked what advice she’d give young professionals, Clark didn’t hesitate to say, “Get real-world experience. Show them what you can do.”

The event closed with a reminder of her company’s founding values: kindness, optimism, and saying “yes” to opportunities, even the unexpected ones.

The Wayne E. Lanter Lecture Series invites influential business leaders and entrepreneurs to share their insights and strategies for success with the McKendree University campus community and the community at large. For more information, please visit www.mckendree.edu.

 

-McK-