[4] In 1881, St. Mary's moved to its present location atop Dubuque's Seminary Hill (Clarke Drive) and was renamed Mount St. Joseph Academy and College.

"[4] On May 17, 1984, the school experienced a disastrous fire that destroyed four of its main buildings, including the Sacred Heart Chapel.

By 1986, a new library, music performance hall, chapel, bookstore, administrative offices, and central atrium were dedicated.

[4] Joanne Burrows, (SC) began her term as president on July 1, 2006, replacing the long-serving Catherine Dunn.

The college consists of 16 buildings, an athletic field, and features large, grassy knolls along the south and east sides of campus for areas of study and recreation.

Clarke was also a member of the defunct Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference (NIIC) of the NCAA Division III ranks from 1996–97 to 2005–06.

The Orange Route stops on Clarke Drive and Locust Street connecting the university to downtown Dubuque.