May/June 2007

Welcome to the May–June 2007 issue of the Harvard Extension Alumni Association (HEAA) e-newsletter, the Extension Chord. In this issue, you will find information on upcoming events, links to useful Harvard University and Harvard Alumni Association websites, and news from the Extension School.

As always, we welcome your ideas and suggestions for the Chord and the HEAA. Questions and comments may be sent to Grace Scheibner, HEAA president, at grace_scheibner@harvard.edu.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Grace Scheibner,
HEAA President

Karen Droisen, Coordinator,
Assistant Director of Development and Campaign Planning
Harvard Extension School

In This Issue

• Profile: Janice Shields, ALM ’05
• Alumni News
• Recent HEAA Events
• Upcoming HEAA Events
• News from 51 Brattle Street and Beyond
• Other Harvard Alumni Events
• Travel with the Harvard Alumni Association

Profile: Janice Shields, ALM ’05

I met with Janice Shields, managing director and co-founder (with her husband) of the investment company Shields & Company, Inc. and Harvard Extension alumnae. This elegant, articulate woman recounted some of her business successes leading up to her current role at Shields & Company, Inc., and I was intrigued by her take on the Harvard Extension School experience. Janice also revealed some of her interests that are beyond the world of investment banking, namely the history of religion and her family.
— Grace Scheibner, HEAA president

Janice Shields

What is your current role at Shields & Company, Inc.?
We provide investment banking services to public and private companies, and assist middle-market clients in a broad range of industries. The company specializes in mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity capital raising, business valuations and fairness opinions, and financial advisory services. Currently, I share the managing director role with my husband, Tom, and also serve on the boards of directors for various private companies and trade associations.

Why did you choose to do your degree at Harvard Extension?
I received an AB in Mathematics and Economics at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Connecticut. Back then women did not go to business school. It took me nine years after earning my AB, but in 1978, I did go. I went to school part time while working full time, majored in finance, and in 1981 received my MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University. During that time I also raised two children, Matt and Elizabeth, both of whom went on to graduate from Harvard College, Matt in 2001 and Elizabeth in 2004. My husband also holds an AB and an MBA from the University and continues to be very active in the Harvard College Fund. From my own personal experience, Harvard has a great reputation. I had no problem at all deciding to go to Harvard Extension [for my master’s degree].

What was your area of concentration at Harvard Extension? What were your favorite courses? Who were your favorite professors and why?
My area of concentration was religion. Some of my favorite courses were Jesus of Nazareth and the Gospels, History of New Testament Times, and The Archaeology of the Holy Land. Professor Helmut Koester was my thesis advisor, and working with him was wonderful. My thesis topic was really leading edge: “How Christianity Was Able to Survive in First-Century Common Era Palestine.” It was a fascinating, complex topic to research because so much work is currently being done in that area. I met with Professor Koester every two weeks. This meant that I would do research, write, and send my draft to him by the end of the first week, so he could comment and give it back to me during our biweekly sessions. It was a very active year.

How has your Harvard Extension experience affected your personal and professional life?
My husband, Tom, suggested I go back to school, but I don’t think he realized how much I would love it. I received a lot of support at home and loved the experience. My children came to my graduation, and it was quite a weekend. I must say they were great students, but more importantly, they are great human beings.

My intellectual curiosity combined with Harvard Extension to provide me with direction and a desire to write about things I learned. We are an educated society, and much of the existing research on the history of Christianity has been done in the last 100 years. The common traditions within the books Mark, Matthew, and Luke, now known as the synoptic Gospels, have been studied in great detail, and we now understand their development better. I don’t purport to be an academic, but I would like to write some user-friendly articles to clear up some of the historic misunderstandings about the Gospels. It’s been said that I have one of the best history of Judaism/New Testament libraries in Boston at my home, and I continue to read on the topic.

I say, do the things that you love first. When I returned to school at Extension it was a very busy professional time for me at Shields & Company, Inc. I was working 50–60 hours a week at the office, and then going to school. In each of my classes I met a few people, but with such a busy professional life it was difficult to form any lasting relationships. I would arrive—I rarely missed a class—and when it was over I would go home.

What did you enjoy most about your experience at Harvard Extension?
When you’re younger, you go to school because you have to. When you’re older, you go because you want to. I studied something I really wanted to study, even though there was no direct benefit from doing it. And the subject matter has enriched my life. Today I engage in conversations with friends and share my observations on the history of religion. My studies have helped me get some of the answers to questions that I have had over the years about Christianity and Judaism.

Alumni News

Rory Cowan, ABE ’79, founder and current chairman, president, and CEO of Lionbridge Technologies, Inc., has developed a free, web-based translation management platform called Freeway, which earned a top score in the comprehensive ranking of translation management systems by independent research firm Common Sense Advisory.

John Elms, ALB ’95, is currently the president and CEO of SpectraLink, which was recently acquired by Polycom, Inc., the world’s leading provider of unified collaborative communications solutions.

Hugh Geoghegan, ALB ’78, will be joining the United States Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, as the public affairs officer (PAO). He previously served in Morocco, Tunis, Washington, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Iraq. In June 2006, Hugh received a master’s degree in strategic and security studies (MSS) from the Marine Corps War College in Quantico, Virginia. He received an MALD from Tufts’ Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1981.

Martha Alessa Greenway, who will receive her ALM in Museum Studies in June, has just been appointed assistant curator at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Lois Kelly, CSS ’85, has published her book, Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing, with AMACOM Press. Lois is co-founder of Foghound, a strategic communications consulting firm serving corporations such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Sun Microsystems, and SAP. She was previously head of Thunder House, a digital marketing agency and senior vice president of the Weber Group, a high-tech public relations firm.

Robert A. Maginn, ALM ’81, and chairman and CEO of Jenzabar, Inc., announced in March 2007 that the company’s 2006 revenues were the highest in company history. The company also reported a record number of new systems sales. Thirty-three institutions selected a Jenzabar solution for their new administrative system in 2006, including Michigan State University, Columbia College (SC), Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, North Carolina Wesleyan, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, and Charter Oak State College.

Recent HEAA Events

HEAA Hat Trick

HEAA hockey fans react to a Crimson goal in the third period vs. Colgate

What better way to spend a frigid winter evening than by attending a great hockey game? That’s exactly what 65 HEAA alumni, family, and friends did on Friday, February 23, when the Harvard Crimson men’s squad took on ECAC rival Colgate at the sold out Bright Hockey Center. These “Crimson Crazies” helped root Harvard on to a 4–1 victory over the visiting Raiders, guaranteeing Harvard home ice advantage in the ensuing first round of the ECAC Hockey League Playoffs.

The game was exciting from start to finish. Colgate scored first, jumping out to a quick 1-0 lead early in the first period. Harvard, however, took the lead in the second period with two goals, and capped off the night with two more in the third. A stingy Crimson defense sealed the deal by denying Colgate from scoring beyond their first period goal.

Another highlight of the evening was the distribution of special edition HEAA/Harvard Hockey hats. Each HEAA alum and guest in attendance received one, making our group a conspicuous presence in the arena.

The HEAA “boosters” must bring good luck. This wildly successful hockey outing followed our attendance at the Crimson football team’s 24-7 victory over Columbia last November 4 at historic Harvard Stadium. With results like these, the athletic department just might insist we send a contingent to all Harvard sporting events!
— Steve Gallagan, CSS ’00, and HEAA Recording Secretary

First Friday Social: Meet the Alumni

Amit Chatterjee, Patrick Rivera, Grace Scheibner, Jill Abruzese

On April 6, 2007, the Harvard Extension Student Association (HESA) and the Harvard Extension Business Society (HEBS) jointly hosted an event promoting to current students the HEAA and the many benefits they will enjoy as Extension alumni. The event was part of a series of First Friday social events (held on the first Friday of the month), which bring Extension School students together to meet, mingle, and discuss common interests.

Grace Scheibner described the opportunities and membership benefits of the HESA. She also touched on the history of the organization. Patrick Rivera, ALB ’02, CM ’05, and assistant director of online services and analytics for the Harvard Alumni Association, detailed the online resources at Post.Harvard. Amit Chatterjee, ALB ’02, and first president of HESA, recounted his efforts to establish the organization that provides current students with events, educational seminars, and partnerships with many other organizations at Harvard. Jill Abruzese, ALB ’06, and co-founder of HEBS, discussed HEBS’s efforts to bridge the relationship between current students and alumni, and asked current students to stay involved through the HEAA after they graduate.

The HEAA would like to thank Christian Hassold, the current chair for Harvard Extension Business Society, for moderating the discussion, as well as the members of the speaker panel, HEBS, and HESA for a wonderful community event.
— Jill Abruzese, ALB ’06

Upcoming HEAA Events

Spectacle Island Cruise and Picnic

Spectacle Island

Sunday, May 20, 2007
10 am–3 pm

Join us for a day of sightseeing and fun at the newest destination at the Boston Harbor Islands state park, Spectacle Island. As the highest island in the harbor, Spectacle offers dazzling views of the city and other islands, as well as miles of hiking trails and sunny beaches. Friends and family are welcome to attend. Learn more at the HEAA Events page.

Annual Alumni Banquet

2006 Alumni Banquet

Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Quincy House
Cocktail Reception: Courtyard, 6 pm
Dinner and Program: Dining Hall, 7 pm

Socialize with your fellow alumni and welcome new graduates into the fold as we honor distinguished faculty members marking 25 years of teaching at the Extension School. Professor Nagy will give the annual address on behalf of the honorees. Get a taste of the 2006 banquet in a video of a speech by Henry Leitner, dean for information technology and a 25-year honorand.

2007 25-year honorands

• Paul D. Hanson, PhD, Florence Corliss Lamont Professor of Divinity, Harvard University
• J.E. Hollingworth, MA, Associate Professor of Organizational and Political Communication, Emerson College
• Thomas M. Kiefer, PhD
• Douglas Morgenstern, MA, Senior Lecturer in Spanish, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Gregory Nagy, PhD, Francis Jones Professor of Classical Greek Literature and Professor of Comparative Literature and Director of the Center for Hellenic Studies, Harvard University
• Louise Popkin, PhD
• Jeffrey Prottas, PhD, Professor, Heller School for Public Policy and Management, Brandeis University
• Sue Weaver Schopf, PhD, Assistant Dean of University Extension and Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University
• Richard F. Thomas, PhD, Professor of Greek and Latin, Harvard University
• Harold G. Washburn, MBA, Chairman, Wallace & Washburn, Inc.

News from 51 Brattle Street

Sol Gittleman

Tufts’ Sol Gittleman delivers Lowell Lecture May 8

2007 Lowell Lecture
Sol Gittleman, Gantcher University Professor at Tufts University
Sever Hall 113
Harvard Yard, Cambridge
8 pm

This spring’s Lowell Lecture, titled “Has Liberal Education a Future in the Twenty-first Century?” was presented by Dr. Sol Gittleman, one of three Alice and Nathan Gantcher University Professors at Tufts. Says Gittleman, “Here in the United States we have come to understand that the four years of college ends with an event called ‘Commencement’: the beginning. Liberal education in the twenty-first century will increasingly mean lifelong learning, in order to understand the complexities of the world we live in.”

Dr. Gittleman has been professor of German at Tufts since 1971. For 21 years he served as provost and academic vice president under three University presidents. During this time he won two Fulbrights, earned the Danforth Foundation’s Harbison Prize for outstanding teaching, and received two honorary doctorate degrees. He is also a well-regarded baseball historian and aficionado. Sponsored jointly by the Harvard Extension School and the Lowell Institute of Boston, this event is free and open to the public.

Astronomy instructor’s book wins Kistler Award

Eric J. Chaisson, PhD, instructor of ASTR E-8 Cosmic Evolution: The Origins of Matter and Life and associate at the Harvard College Observatory, recently received the Walter P. Kistler Book Award for 2007. Established in 2003, this award recognizes authors who have written science-based books that “significantly increase public knowledge and understanding of subjects that will shape the future of our species.” Chaisson’s book, Epic of Evolution: Seven Ages of the Cosmos, goes through all known forms of evolution and explains how time can be separated into seven epochs: particle, galactic, stellar, planetary, chemical, biological, and cultural. Learn more about Eric Chaisson and his books at his website.

Other Harvard Alumni Events

Harvard@Home

Harvard@Home offers unique distance learning opportunities for Harvard alumni. Current offerings include:

Human Systems Explorer
Professor Michael Parker and other Harvard Medical School professors explain how they designed the Human Systems Explorer, a groundbreaking, interactive teaching tool for pathophysiology, and how it is used in clinical situations, medical classrooms, and beyond. The second part of the program features demonstrations of the Explorer, and interactive teaching modules viewers can use at home.

Travel with the Harvard Alumni Association

Danube River Journey on River Cloud with University Professor Sidney Verba, AB ’53
September 17–October 1, 2007

Four days in Prague and three in Budapest bookend a week-long, scenic cruise to five nations, and an exploration of the architecture, art, and music of Central Europe. Enjoy an Art Nouveau-focused walk through Prague and a private visit to the Estates Theater and tour Hradcany Castle’s frescoed Strahov Monastery library and grand Vladislav Hall. The next day, join William Lobkowicz, AB ’84, at Nelahozeves Castle to delight in his family’s world-class art collection. Czech Jewish history unfolds in the Jewish Quarter, site of Europe’s oldest synagogue.

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