|
|
May–June 2008Welcome to the May–June 2008 issue of the Harvard Extension Alumni Association (HEAA) e-newsletter, the Extension Chord. In this issue, you will find information on the new Notable Alumni webpage, news from the Extension School, details on upcoming events, and links to useful Harvard University and Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) websites. 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, ALB ’90 Karen Droisen, In This Issue
Notable Alumni — New!Our Extension School graduates go on to do amazing things. They start companies, write novels, teach, earn doctoral degrees, and positively influence their communities in countless ways. Visit the Notable Alumni page on the HEAA website to peruse a sampling of our many successful graduates and see what they’re doing today with their Extension School degrees. “Invite a Student to Dinner” ProgramWe are thrilled by the response from Harvard Extension School alumni to our “Invite a Student to Dinner” program. We have had over 35 alumni volunteer their time, and we are excited by their warm enthusiasm, spirit, and interest.
Thanks to Ruth Gove, ABE ’67, we also have our first success story. In early April, Ruth invited Jacqueline Mordi of the class of 2008 to dinner at the Hawthorne Hotel Tavern in Salem. Afterwards, they visited Salem’s Peabody-Essex Museum. “Meeting Jacqueline Mordi was a delightful experience,” said Ruth. “Jacqueline is enthusiastic about her Extension School experience. In spite of our different fields, she expressed gratitude for information about her next steps. The questions that she asked at the Peabody Essex Museum demonstrated her curiosity and quick mind. We learned from each other.” Ruth and her fellow alumni dinner hosts will be acknowledged in the Alumni Bulletin, Extension Chord, and on the HEAA website. Dinner photos are welcome and may be used (with your permission) in our online and print publications. The cost of the dinner—whether it is pizza, filet mignon, or something in between—is considered a gift-in-kind to Harvard Extension School and is completely tax deductible. As alumni of the Harvard Extension School, you are an invaluable asset for our students. If you would like to participate in the “Invite a Student to Dinner” program, or if you have any questions regarding the program, please contact Alumni Relations Chair Michele Blanc, CM ’07, at michele_blanc@harvard.edu. While we expect the dinners to be primarily social events, our students will be eager to hear your professional insights and accomplishments. We will make every effort to match you with a student (or students) whose interests align with yours. Alumni NewsWe would love to hear from you, so please sign up and share your news with the Extension School community. It’s a great way to connect with classmates and network! To add your own class note, register and log in at Post.Harvard. Once you have logged in, select “Alumni Notes” in the upper left column, then “Add a Note” at the top of the page. Santo “Joe” Aurelio, ALB ’83 and ALM ’84, is a regular guest on the Jordan Rich Radio Show on WBZ News Radio 1030, Sunday nights at 10 pm. Joe responds to grammar questions called in by listeners. Marcia Deihl, CPC ’00, will present a concert and lecture titled “Still Ain't Satisfied! Songs and Stories of Boston’s Golden Age of Lesbian and Feminist Music” at 7:30 pm on April 30 at Stonewall Communities Lifelong Learning Institute at Wheelock College, 43 Hawes Street in Brookline. This event is free and open to the public. Michael Frederick, ALM ’98, is executive director of the Thoreau Society in Concord, Massachusetts, and from July 10–13, the Thoreau Society will hold its Annual Gathering in Concord. This year’s theme is “The Individual and the State: The Politics of Thoreau in Our Time.” Lawrence Buell, Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature at Harvard University, will give the keynote address, “Thoreau as a Model of Disobedience.” Throeau fans may register now for this event on the Thoreau Society website. Daniel Higginbotham, ALB ’94, recently accepted a position at State Street Corporation in Boston as a staffing relationship manager. In his new position, Daniel will focus on senior-level recruitment activities for the global markets and securities finance areas. Tom Hillery, ALM ’97, has relocated to the Las Vegas area to pursue his interests in screenplay writing. In partnership with fellow Boston-area writer Jeff Bone, Tom recently completed the development phase of a screenplay titled Project Solitude, and they are now in discussions with potential investors for their film. Sal Perisano, ALM ’87, is director and CEO of iParty Corporation, the New England region’s largest party retailer with over 50 stores in New England and Florida. iParty was recently named “Party Store Retailer of the Year 2008” at the National Party Retailing Awards in Las Vegas. Congratulations, Sal! Mark Plotkin, ALB ’79, and his nonprofit group, Amazon Conservation Team (ACT), were recently honored with a Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship at the Skoll World Forum in Oxford, England. Leaders of the Skoll Foundation and special guest former President Jimmy Carter presented Plotkin and ACT co-founder Liliana Madrigal with the award in recognition of their partnership with indigenous peoples across Amazonia to conserve the biodiversity, culture, and health of the region. Congratulations, Mark! Adam Rozan, ALM ’07, was interviewed for a recent New York Times article, “Killer Statue — Psyched about the Site!” The article focuses on museums that use social networking sites like Facebook to promote their exhibitions. Adam wrote his museum studies master’s thesis on social networking. Richard M. Thomas, AA ’75, ABE ’78, and ALM ’84, had his new book, Love & Limits In and Out of Child Care: What Your Child Care Provider and Your Pediatrician Want You to Know, published by Johns Hopkins University Press in April. Thomas co-authored the book with his wife, Margaret Thomas, and Lisa Doberteen, MD. Ellie (Elda) Franky Vogel, CSS ’94, relocated to the Phoenix area this spring. In 2005, she founded Franchise Finder LLC, with her husband Tom, a free consulting service to individuals interested in franchise opportunities and opening their own businesses. Frederica Williams, CSS ’91, was awarded the 2008 University of Massachusetts Boston Robert H. Quinn Award for Community Leadership in recognition of her long-running commitment to reversing racial disparities in health care and advocating for community health in urban and multicultural communities. Frederica is president and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center and has more than 20 years of experience in health care administration, finance and operations management, community-based health care, and international public health. Congratulations, Frederica! News from 51 Brattle StreetRegistration open for Harvard Summer SchoolTake a class at Harvard this summer. Registration for Harvard Summer School courses runs through June 1. With two 4-week sessions and one 8-week session, the Summer School offers nearly 300 courses spanning the liberal arts spectrum. Extension School 2008–09Plans for the 2008–09 academic year are under way, and the new course listings and updated information about programs, registration, and policies will be posted to the Extension School website in June. See the preliminary dates. Music professor receives national teaching award
For his contributions as an educator and artistic leader, Harvard Extension School faculty member Thomas G. Everett has been named the recipient of the 2008 Luise Vosgerchian Teaching Award. Everett is the director of bands at Harvard University, as well as the director of the Harvard Summer Pops Band. During the fall term, he teaches MUSI E-54/W Introduction to Jazz, 1900–1945. Read more about Everett’s honor in the Harvard University Gazette article. Professor debates “A New Arms Race in Space?” on NPROn March 20, Harvard Extension School faculty member Joan Johnson-Freese was among several experts discussing the current state of the military’s extension of power into space on the NPR morning news program On Point with guest host Jane Clayson. Read more about the discussion and listen to the NPR On Point program “A New Arms Race in Space?” “Happiness course” enrollment sets recordTal Ben-Shahar’s course PSYC E-1504 Positive Psychology, Harvard College’s most popular course in 2006 with 800 undergraduates, has now become Harvard Extension School’s most popular distance education course to date, enrolling 350 students from around the world. Students hail from 37 states and 17 countries, including Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Turkey, Switzerland, and Brazil. Ben-Shahar, the author of the book Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment, was interviewed by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show in August 2007. Visit The Daily Show website to watch Ben-Shahar’s interview. Task force appointed to survey Harvard’s greenhouse gas emissionsJohn Spengler, the Akira Yamaguchi Professor of Environmental Health and Human Habitation, and an Extension School instructor, has been named by Harvard President Drew Faust to the University Task Force on Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The task force will examine Harvard’s environmental impact and propose recommendations and a timeline to achieve sustainable reductions. Read more about the University task force in the Harvard University Gazette article. HAA NewsFormer Dean of FAS loses battle with cancer
Jeremy R. Knowles, a renowned chemist and longtime leader of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, died April 3, 2008 at his home in Cambridge, after a struggle with cancer. Known for his formidable intellect, his encompassing interests, and his urbane wit, Knowles was a member of the Harvard faculty since 1974 and served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) from 1991 to 2002. From July 2006 through the spring of 2007, he returned to serve as Interim Dean and oversaw major reforms of the general education curriculum in Harvard College. Said President Drew Faust, “Jeremy gave this university his complete devotion. The whole Harvard family joins in mourning the loss of a singular, irreplaceable spirit, someone who left a huge imprint on the university he loved and on countless people who will always remember his warmth, his incisive intelligence, and his passion for education.” A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 30, at 11 am in Memorial Church. Alumni Speakers SeriesThe Alumni Speakers Series continues to attract terrific turnouts for its events. On February 28, Steven Grossman and Benjamin Grossman of Grossman Marketing Group—and son and grandson, respectively, of Edgar Grossman, ABE ’67—gave a presentation co-sponsored by the Environmental Club on Grossman Marketing’s green marketing initiatives. Titled A Case Study in Going Green: Environmentally-sound Marketing Solutions, the presentation sparked a spirited discussion in the standing-room-only audience. A week later on March 7, the HEAA and the Harvard Extension Student Association (HESA) welcomed Todd Rideman, AAE ’99 and ALB ’02, to a capacity gathering of students and alumni in the Grossman Common Room. Todd spoke to the group about his career as an entrepreneur with private and public companies. A lively question-and-answer session followed. On March 28, Bruce Forman, MD ’83 and CAS ’91, gave a presentation to students and alumni on his career in bioinformatics, the science of managing medical information in order to optimize patient care. The inaugural event in the Studies in Management Visiting Speakers Program was a huge success. A standing-room-only crowd of more than 100 students in the Extension School’s management program filled the library of the Harvard Faculty Club for a panel discussion titled, Financing the Entrepreneurial Venture: A Conversation, with Mark Canha, CSS ’98, John Jewett, CSS ’01, and Dr. Michael Gordon, founder and CEO of the Center for Competitive Success. Panelists discussed their experiences in the world of venture capital and emerging technologies and fielded questions from the audience. This program, which was made possible through a generous gift by an anonymous donor in 2006, will offer one or two visiting speaker events each year. Recent HEAA EventsExtension Uncorked: Wine Tasting at Loeb House
More than 75 HEAA alumni and friends filled the grand ballroom at Loeb House on March 14 for a wine tasting hosted by Dean Michael Shinagel. Sommelier Roger Orman of Brookline Liquor Mart offered guidance and commentary throughout the evening. Susan Sessler, ALB ’01, won a drawing at the end of the evening and took home her bottle of choice. An Evening with the StarsIn his presentation on April 11, Sam Palmer, astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and longtime Harvard Extension School instructor, took a retrospective look at the Harvard College Observatory’s remarkable 170-year history of astronomical discovery. The capacity audience of 75 alumni and friends enjoyed a lively question-and-answer session, as well as a look at the Great Refractor Telescope installed in 1847, which, for several decades, was among the most powerful telescopes in the world. Upcoming HEAA EventsFor more information on upcoming events and how to purchase tickets, please visit the HEAA Events page, where you can also view slideshows of past alumni events. To browse other Harvard alumni events, please visit Post.Harvard’s master alumni event calendar. Sunset Dinner CruiseSaturday, May 10 Join your fellow alumni for a private dinner cruise down the Charles River, past some of the most famous sights of Boston and Cambridge—Beacon Hill, Esplanade Park, the Back Bay, Boston University, MIT, and Harvard—to the Charles River Basin and out into Boston Harbor to watch the flag lowered over the USS Constitution at sunset. The evening will include musical entertainment, an elegant buffet dinner, an open beer and wine bar, coffee, and dessert. Ample public parking is available at the Cambridgeside Galleria for a nominal fee. Friends and family of Extension alumni are welcome to attend. Tickets for alumni and friends are $50 each. Alumni from the classes of 2006, 2007, and 2008 may purchase tickets for $40 each. Boston Harbor Island Cruise and PicnicSunday, May 18
Join us for a day trip to Georges Island, located just seven miles from downtown Boston in the center of the harbor. Georges Island offers excellent views of the surrounding islands, Boston Light, downtown Boston, and Hull. Home to Civil War-era Fort Warren, a National Historic Landmark, this 39-acre island also features picnic grounds, open fields, walking paths, a gravel beach, and secluded spots for bird watching. Guided tours of Fort Warren will be available, during which you can learn about the military history of the fort and hear ghost stories and other exciting tales of Georges Island folklore. Park rangers will also be on hand to lead bird watching tours and general tours of the island. Friends and family of Extension alumni are welcome to attend. Tickets for alumni and friends are $30 each. Alumni from the classes of 2006, 2007, and 2008 may purchase tickets for $20 each. Tickets for children three to 12 years old are $15 each. Children three and younger are free. The ticket price includes the round-trip ferry from Boston’s Long Wharf and a picnic lunch on the island with your fellow alumni. Annual Alumni BanquetTuesday, June 3 Our annual Alumni Banquet at Quincy House is a wonderful chance to socialize, welcome new alumni, and honor our distinguished faculty. Tickets for alumni and friends are $50 each. Graduates from the class of 2008 may purchase tickets for $40 each. HAA TravelsTake advantage of the numerous Harvard Alumni Association Travels programs and embark on enlightening and captivating journeys to faraway lands. Each year, the HAA sponsors over 75 trips to destinations both near and far. Below is a selection of upcoming programs led by Harvard faculty. Read more about these and other programs at the HAA Travels website.
Marvel at the stunning beauty of the Scottish seacoast and hillsides as you travel in luxury aboard the Royal Scotsman train, stopping along the way to explore ancient castles or tee off on a Highland golf course.
Take a resplendent trip back through history to explore the intertwinings of French and American culture. Visit the seventh century Benedictine abbey where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake, tour medieval cathedrals and palaces, and walk the battlefields of Normandy and World War II, where the Allies fought to liberate France.
It’s a feast for admirers of European art and architecture as you embark on a leisurely cruise down the Rhine. Explore medieval fortresses, baroque palaces, and museums and cathedrals graced by the works of some of the finest European artists. Return to HEAA Publications or HEAA Home. | |||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
51 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-3722 USA Phone: (617) 495-3482
Copyright © 2008–09 The President and Fellows of Harvard College.
Webmaster. Last modified Monday, June 8, 2009 12:09 PM.
|
|||||||
