Constance Clery ’53, who turned an unthinkable family loss into lifelong advocacy and whose tenacity became the framework for a nationwide campus safety law, passed away on June 23, 2026. She was 95 years old.
“Constance Clery exemplified what it means to be a Barnard woman by creating change that will continue to serve people for generations to come,” Vice President for Advancement, Hillary Strong said. “She dedicated her life to making campuses safer for all. We will forever remember her impact not just here at Barnard but throughout the nation.”
In 1986 Clery’s only daughter, Jeanne, was raped and murdered at Lehigh University by a fellow student she didn’t know.
“We live every minute with the horror of what Jeanne suffered,” Clery told the Los Angeles Times at the time.
Jeanne’s killer was able to gain entry to a residence hall – first through propped open exterior doors and then through the door to Jeanne’s room.
In the aftermath of the crime, Constance and her husband Howard Clery Jr. realized that failure to report campus crimes could have contributed to the death of their daughter as much as, if not more than, the normalization of door propping on campus. They worked together for more than 50 years to increase campus safety awareness at the local, state and federal levels.
In 1987, the Clerys co-founded the nonprofit organization Security On Campus, Inc., now known as the Clery Center, an organization dedicated to establishing standards for campus crime reporting.
A year later, the couple had success in their home state of Pennsylvania with the passing of the College and University Security Information Act, which requires colleges to provide campus crime statistics and safety information to students and employees. The Clerys then turned their attention to passing federal legislation.
Through their tireless efforts, the federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, more commonly known as the Clery Act, was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. The law requires colleges and universities nationwide to record and disclose campus crime and safety statistics. It also requires colleges and universities to utilize two alerting systems, often referred to as Clery alerts, to disseminate information about crime on campus.
Always focusing on the greatest impact she could have on others, Clery also brought increased focus on sexual and relationship-based violence to her alma mater. She worked with Barnard to spearhead an internship and lecture series, in her daughter’s honor.
The Clery internship is housed under Being Barnard, a program within the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being – the College’s three pronged approach to supporting physical, mental, and financial well-being. The internship is designed to support students who aspire to participate in meaningful work experiences related to the prevention of sexual and relationship-based violence.
This year also marked Barnard’s 20th Annual Clery Lecture, designed to increase awareness of various ways to prevent sexual and relationship-based violence. This year’s lecture focused on digital safety, with an emphasis on how to navigate social media platforms and online dating spaces as boundaries separating connection, privacy, and manipulation become more complex.
In 2008, the Alumnae Association of Barnard College (AABC) awarded Clery the Barnard Bold Award, AABC’s highest honor reserved for alumnae whose excellence and achievement in their careers have contributed to the improvement of society.
"Connie often spoke with great affection about her years at Barnard,” Bob Alig, Executive Director of Clery Center, said. “She believed deeply in Barnard's mission of empowering women to lead, and the Jeanne Clery Internship she and Howard established there exemplified her commitment to creating safer campus communities. Our hearts are with Connie's family, her fellow Barnard alumnae, and everyone whose lives were touched by her remarkable example.”
Clery ran the Clery center until 2003 and remained active with the organization, serving on its board as Chairwoman Emerita until her passing. Howard was a trailblazer in his own right; as CEO of Rapidforms, he grew the company from 25 employees to 280 and from $2 million in sales in 1971 to $40 million in sales in 1987. He passed away in 2008 at the age of 77.
They are survived by two sons – Howard K. Clery III and Benjamin F. Clery.