Senior Admissions Officer Heads to Middlebury

After more than 20 years working in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid, Senior Admissions Officer and Associate Director of Financial Aid Robert S. Clagett will leave Harvard this summer to assume the post of Dean of Admissions at Middlebury College.

“[The decision] was a matter of wanting to be part of a smaller community where I can have an impact, and being ready for a change,” Clagett said.

Clagett accepted the position in early April after undergoing an intensive, two-month interview process.

Kathy Lindsey, Associate Director of Admissions at Middlebury and a member of the committee that selected Clagett, said that the decision was an easy one to make.

“Bob Clagett was the unanimous choice of admissions officers and the search committee,” she said. “We have been delighted in Bob’s response to Middlebury and his seeming understanding of what we value.”

While Clagett worked closely with both admissions and financial aid at Harvard, his position at Middlebury will be devoted solely to undergraduate admissions.

“I want to contribute towards building a process so what we can make the most thoughtful and well-informed decisions as we can,” he said. “The goal is to shape the class to make it, as always, the most interesting mix of students.”

Although Clagett says he is looking forward to the change, he adds that there are several aspects of working in Byerly Hall that he will miss.

“Being a force for access to what Harvard has to offer has been a great source of satisfaction,” he said. “This has been a great place to work, [and] I have had a fabulous and gifted set of colleagues to work with.”

Clagett highlighted the connection he established with undergraduates as part of his work with the Financial Aid Office.

“What I’ve always loved about Financial Aid is the ongoing contact that [it] has given me with Harvard students. I will miss [that],” he said.

Dean of Admissions William R. Fitzsimmons ’67 praised Clagett’s record at Harvard.

“Bob has been one of our mainstays for many, many years,” he said. “[He is] one of the best admissions and financial aid people in the business. It’s going to be a big loss for us.”

Clagett’s final day at Harvard will be July 1. He will assume responsibility as Dean of Admissions on July 15.

—May Habib contributed to the reporting of this story.