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Learning Never Ends

Reflections on the Harvard Extension School

Dean Michael Shinagel

Once again, in my dual capacity as Master of Quincy House and Dean of the Harvard Extension School, I had the pleasure of all those in attendance for our annual Harvard Extension Alumni Association (HEAA) Banquet. As I completed my 11th year as Master of Quincy House, I was gratified to serve as host for the HEAA Banquet in the largest of the Harvard undergraduate residential "colleges" and, as I completed my 21st year as Dean of the Harvard Extension School, I was delighted to see so many alumni and alumnae in attendance that evening.

Dean Michael Shinagel

The official scorekeeper for the HEAA, Dean John Adams reported that the turnout that evening constituted the largest attendance of alumni and alumnae since the gala banquet commemorating the 350th anniversary of Harvard held at the Charles Hotel 11 years ago. The attendance at the banquet also constituted the largest representation of current Extension graduates, both degree and graduate certificate recipients. I expressed my hope that they will continue to be active members of the HEAA and participate in its many activities. Finally, I singled out for special recognition four Extension graduates who have attended nearly every HEAA Banquet since the inception of the organization 30 years ago: the founder of the HEAA and its first president, Edgar Grossman; another HEAA past-president, Ella Smith; the dean of Afro-American artists in the Greater Boston area, Allan R. Crite; and the ever-reliable Ruth Gove. Their loyalty and dedication to the HEAA have been exemplary.

This year we celebrated the 87th anniversary of the Harvard Extension School, and this year's Class of '97 added a record number of members to the HEAA: 117 undergraduate degree recipients, 89 master's recipients, and 223 graduate certificate recipients, for a total of 429. Alumni will be pleased to know that the HEAA continues to be the fastest growing alumni association within Harvard University, for with this year's bumper crop of graduates we added nearly 10 percent to the HEAA as our membership now exceeds 5,000. Academically, the Class of '97 was distinguished, with nearly 70 percent of the ALB recipients graduating with honors. Chronologically, the age range went from 22 to 89 years--a span of nearly three score and ten! The media attention lavished on Mary Fasano, our 89-year-old graduate in the Bachelor of Liberal Arts (ALB) Program, gave a human face to the expression "learning never ends."

Most of the ALB graduates of the Class of '97 (90 percent) transferred from other colleges. They came from such local colleges as MIT, Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis, Northeastern, and Tufts. They came from such Ivy League and national colleges as Columbia, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, and Fordham. And they came from overseas institutions in Argentina, Switzerland, Australia, Guatemala, and Germany.

The Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) Program, inaugurated in 1980, had 89 graduates this year--a record. They came from many states as well as from Bermuda, Germany, Mexico, Spain, Japan, Singapore, and Venezuela. Some were planning to continue their studies in medical schools, business schools, graduate schools of arts and sciences, and library science schools. Others were continuing with their jobs and careers.

For most of its history, the Harvard Extension School was a local institution, serving adult women and men from the Boston area. Today, with our graduate certificate and master's programs, we increasingly are becoming a regional, national, and international institution. For example, more than half of the 180 members of the Certificate of Special Studies in Administration and Management (CSS) Class of '97 came from 29 foreign countries. Today the Harvard Extension School has become truly "internationalized," drawing adult learners from many areas of this country and abroad who study together at Harvard in the evenings.

But as we serve more students from overseas, it is important to note that we continue to serve our co-workers at Harvard through our evening degree and certificate programs. This year I am happy to report that 10 of the undergraduate degrees were conferred on Harvard staff representing the Harvard Business School, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Countway Library, Harvard Printing and Publication Services, Harvard College Observatory, and the Student Loan Office. Ten members of the ALM class also were Harvard employees holding administrative and staff positions throughout the University: in Widener Library, Instructional Media Services, Graduate School of Education, School of Public Health, Department of Economics, Department of Linguistics, Medical School, and our own Division of Continuing Education. And the graduate Certificates for Special Studies in Administration and Management, Public Health, and Museum Studies were awarded to 10 Harvard staff representing the Divinity School, Real Estate, Business School, Kennedy School, School of Public Health, Health Sciences, Faculty Club, Slavic Department, Earth and Planetary Sciences, and Harvard Management.

I should like to express my personal thanks and those of my associates to the officers of the HEAA: Kelley Landolphi, ALM '93, President; Theresa DiLando, CSS '83, Vice President; Edward Lynch, ABE '72, Treasurer; Barbara SanClemente, CSS '89, Corresponding Secretary; and Peter Newman, CSS '94, Recording Secretary. During an active year, there were four well-attended meetings for members as well as vigorous fund drives in the fall and spring semesters to add endowment for our scholarship funds. Larry Sheehan, ALM '94, was appointed as the HEAA representative to the Harvard Alumni Association and will serve for two years.

For the past 30 years no member of the HEAA has worked more unstintingly on behalf of the Harvard Extension School than Edgar Grossman. He has been an inspiring leader, a wise counselor, an effective statesman, and a generous benefactor. Although modesty prevents him and his wife, Shirley, from seeking the recognition, I would like everyone to know that they have capped their many contributions over the years with a final benefaction to the Grossman Library and the Grossman Common Room in the amount of $250,000. On behalf of all of us--staff, faculty, students, and alumni--I salute the Grossmans for their support and vision of what the Extension School represents at this great University.

This year marks another first because at the HEAA Banquet we honored two teachers who have taught for 25 years in the Harvard Extension School: Nicolae Iliescu (Romance Languages) and Erich Goldhagen (Government). In past years we have had only one honorand, and some years none. But as the academic program has grown these past 20 years, we find more faculty will be reaching the 25-year goal line in the future, so we can expect to recognize two or even three honorands in each of the next few years.

In closing, let me again express my personal thanks and appreciation to all my staff colleagues in the Harvard Extension School. They set a high standard of excellence and service because they value the opportunity to work with such outstanding people who learn and teach in the evening at Harvard. It is indeed an honor to be associated with them and with the Harvard Extension School, which is our common bond at the HEAA Banquet and throughout the year. On behalf of the faculty and staff, I extend to all HEAA members our best wishes for continued success and happiness. Remember: Learning never ends.

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