Alumni
Patty Nolan ’80 Charts the Middle Course in Run for Third Term on Cambridge Council
In her campaign for a third term on the Cambridge City Council, Patricia M. “Patty” Nolan ’80 is framing herself as a pragmatist who is unafraid to disagree on controversial policy problems.
Israeli Harvard Alumni Slam University Over Response to Hamas Attack
Members of the Harvard Club of Israel wrote in an Oct. 11 letter that the University had “utterly failed” in its response to Islamist militant group Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel.
Harvard Asian American Alums Talk Affirmative Action, AAPI Leadership at Summit
Hundreds of alumni returned to campus to join students and faculty in discussing issues facing Asian Americans during the fourth Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance Global Summit.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy '98 Discusses Impact of Social Media on Teen Mental Health at HGSE Talk
United States Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy ’98 discussed the need for stricter social media regulations to improve adolescent mental health at a Harvard Graduate School of Education event on Friday.
One Small Quantum Dot, One Giant Leap for Nanoscience: Moungi Bawendi ’82 Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Moungi G. Bawendi ’82 was among three scientists awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry “for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots,” the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced in a press release Wednesday morning.
Harvard College Suspends ‘Senior Gift’ Campaign Amid Falling Buy-in from Students
Beginning this year, graduating seniors will not be asked to contribute to the Senior Gift fund, marking the end of a decades-long philanthropic campus tradition amid low student participation.
Attorney Who Filed Complaint Against Harvard’s Legacy Admissions Practices Speaks on Higher Ed Panel
Michael A. Kippins, a litigation fellow for Lawyers for Civil Rights who filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education over Harvard’s legacy preferences, argued for ending legacy admissions at a Wednesday panel.
Could Losing Legacy Admissions Sustain Racial Diversity?
With the fall of affirmative action, some have suggested that elite universities like Harvard could maintain racial diversity by eliminating legacy admissions preferences. But questions linger over whether dismantling the practice would lead to a meaningful expansion in diversity — and whether alumni donation dollars would wither.
In Photos: The 51st Annual An Evening with Champions
An Evening with Champions brings together Harvard alumni and skaters from around the world to raise money for The Jimmy Fund, which supports cancer research and treatment.
Recent Harvard Graduate Ayah Al-Zubi ’23 Declares City Council Candidacy
Less than two months after graduating from Harvard, Ayah Al-Zubi ’23 launched her campaign for Cambridge City Council. The 21-year-old is the youngest of 24 candidates who have thrown their hats into the ring for one of the Council’s nine at-large seats up for election in November.
The Making of a Prime Minister: Benazir ‘Pinkie’ Bhutto ’73 Remembered as ‘Great Messenger’ for Pakistan
Before Benazir Bhutto ’73 broke the “glass ceiling” as the first democratically elected woman of a Muslim nation, she was a shy girl from Eliot House known to all as “Pinkie.”
Robert W. Decherd ’73, Titan in Texas Journalism, Reflects on Changing Media Landscape
Fifty years ago, as Robert W. Decherd ’73 stood with his fellow editors at The Crimson’s centennial celebration, he said that the event “has meant more in an institutional way than any Harvard Reunion or office party ever could.” Now, as Decherd returns to Harvard for his 50th reunion, he remains convinced.
A Legacy of Leadership in Dallas: Eric L. Johnson ’98
If Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson ’98 hadn’t met Robert Bridgeman — then the director of programs at the Phillips Brooks House Association — while walking across Harvard Yard in his freshman fall, his life of public service might not have been the same.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy ’98 Guided by ‘Inspiration in the Moment’
Vivek H. Murthy ’98 has more than enough on his plate. His resume features numerous board positions, nonprofit and business ventures, and a bestselling book. He now serves as U.S. surgeon general — the youngest person ever to be confirmed to the position and the first of Indian descent.
Seth Waxman ’73 Reflects on Path from Quincy House to the Supreme Court
In October 2022, nearly 50 years after his graduation from Harvard, Seth P. Waxman ’73 defended his alma mater before the Supreme Court.
‘First Draft of History’: Kristen Welker ’98 Charts Path from Crimson Reporting to White House
Leading the crowd of reporters in the White House briefing room, Kristen Welker ’98 sat in the front row, poised to ask about the ongoing fight over the debt limit and budget deal.
A Crimson Commonwealth: The Harvard Alumni Who Run Massachusetts
As Harvard affiliates continue to interact with and fill the Massachusetts government, it often falls to the University’s own to create policy and settle disagreements that directly affect Harvard. How does their time at the University influence the way they approach these disputes, and what is the effect of Harvard’s impact on Massachusetts leaders?
Harvard College Alum Ryosuke Takashima ’19-’22 Becomes Youngest Mayor in History of Japan
Following a decisive win in a unified local election on April 23, Harvard College alum Ryosuke Takashima ’19-’22 became the youngest mayor in Japanese history.
Harvard Alumni Association Will Retain Email Forwarding and Offer Service to Graduates, Following Outcry
The Harvard Alumni Association announced Monday that it will continue to offer email forwarding services for alumni in partnership with an external company, reversing course following alumni outcry.
Meredith Hodges ’03 Elected President of Harvard Board of Overseers
Meredith L. “Max” Hodges ’03, the executive director of Boston Ballet, was elected as president of Harvard’s Board of Overseers for the 2023-24 academic year, the University announced on Thursday.
Four Earn 2023 Harvard Medals for Distinguished Service to the University
Four Harvard affiliates will receive the 2023 Harvard Medal for “extraordinary service” to the University, the Harvard Alumni Association announced last Thursday.
How the ‘Harvard Plan’ Shaped College Admissions and Campus Diversity
The “Harvard Plan” represented the University’s largest formal push to increase campus diversity, though students and activists had advocated for change for years prior. With affirmative action and the Harvard Plan in jeopardy, alumni, legal scholars, and administrators reflected on the push for campus diversity and how it changed the College’s student body.
Hedge Fund CEO Ken Griffin ’89 Makes $300M Donation to FAS, Harvard to Rename GSAS in His Honor
Billionaire hedge fund CEO and Republican megadonor Kenneth C. Griffin ’89 donated $300 million to Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the University announced Tuesday morning. Harvard will rename the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences after Griffin, who has now given more than half a billion dollars to the University.
Journalist Mary Louise Kelly ’93 to Speak at Harvard Alumni Day
Mary Louise Kelly ’93, the co-host of NPR’s flagship news program All Things Considered, will speak at the second annual Harvard Alumni Day event in June, the University announced Monday afternoon.
Fiona Hill Wants to Tackle Legacy Admissions on Harvard Board of Overseers
Fiona Hill is not a fan of legacy admissions. A first-generation college student who described her scholarship to attend graduate school at Harvard as “transformational,” Hill is making legacy admissions a cornerstone issue of her campaign for the Board of Overseers.