Life Lessons with Doctor Clyde
Aggies don’t play pretend with Stephen Clyde, a professor who combines classroom teaching with life in the real world.
Clyde is a computer software engineer who teaches his students what it takes to make it in the industry. Clyde has been teaching at USU since receiving his doctorate degree in 1993. Professor Clyde started graduate school at BYU in 1988 to teach what he loved.
“I decided to teach because after owning and operating many business, I wanted a new adventure,” he said.
Inside the classroom, he says he maintains a professional, yet relaxed atmosphere.
“I hope my students remember me as the professor that wanted them to succeed,” Clyde said.
He emphasizes in his classes that the world of computers is always changing, so to stay on top, students need to develop a habit to learn how to learn.
“The things they learn here can become outdated in the next few years,” he said. “Students need to learn how to learn to stay up with the innovations of the future.”
As part of his classes, he also teaches students the importance of good communication skills. “Software programming is much more than just sitting at a computer all day writing a program,” Clyde said. “It’s interacting with people to help them use a computer to make what they are doing better.”
He said he is able to share practical industry knowledge with his students because of his long-time experience in computers that started at the age of 13. Growing up in Bedford, Mass., he learned to work with computers through his father’s business, where he and his older brother worked together to program the computers his father sold. The Clyde boys would often accompany their father on business trips, but at the early age of 16, Clyde went on his first solo business trip, which he said was a great learning experience.
Over the years, he has started five computer software companies, which he said have given him very valuable experience that he wants his students to have before they leave the university. “I try to keep a finger in the industry to keep up with what’s going on so I know what to teach my students,” Clyde said. He currently operates a software business out of Logan.
Off campus, Clyde is the father of seven children with his wife, Emily, whom he met at BYU during his undergraduate education. With many things occupying his time, like preparing lessons for class, grading homework, running a business on the side and responsibilities at home, Clyde says he is very grateful for the support his wife gives him.
He says he especially enjoys spending time with his family, with one favorite pastime being traveling in their RV and riding bikes, which he has done every day for the past few years. Clyde even competed in a 200-mile bike race from Logan to Jackson Hole, Wyo., where he came in fourth in his division.
“My goal when starting that race was just to finish,” he said. He and his family enjoy riding around Bear Lake together, but other than the recreational aspect, Clyde says biking has completely changed his lifestyle since he has lost more than 100 pounds since starting to ride.