|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||
NUTS AND BOLTS By Barbara Lukaszewicz MPA ’78 Top 10 Club Program Ideas The 180 Harvard Clubs around the world have developed innovative events and programs that engage their community, attract alumni, and provide opportunities for undergraduates. To give you and your club some new ideas, 10 events or programs are outlined here, compliments of club leaders who are members of the HAA Board of Directors’ Clubs Committee.
SPOTLIGHT ON .... WESTERN FLORIDA By Elinor R. Wharton AM ’55 As someone accustomed to the snows of winter and the changing seasons
of the Northeast, I had expectations for Florida that were for a
somewhat monotonous and uninteresting climate. And having come from
the intellectual stimulation of Boston and New York, I was pessimistic
about the kinds of activities I would enjoy after moving here. I
hardly expected the drama and excitement of hurricanes and the pleasant
spring-like weather of three of the four seasons (yes, I admit the
summer is hot!). And I was delighted to find the active cultural
life available here. It didn’t take long to appreciate the
variety and vibrancy of life in this region, and the large numbers
of Harvard alumni are a testimonial to As Regional Director for Western Florida, I am responsible for Harvard Clubs in Sarasota, the Tampa-St. Petersburg area (“West Coast of Florida” club), Naples, Lee County, Peace River, and—perhaps because of a geography “malfunction”—Tallahassee. While blessed with lovely weather, beautiful waterways, and scenic locations, each of these clubs has a different character. To the extent possible, the clubs communicate with one another about upcoming events, although the distances between them are fairly great. First, I must confess that there is no true Harvard Club of Tallahassee, a fact that may seem surprising to those who would expect movers and shakers in any state government to be Harvard-affiliated. According to Louise Reid Ritchie, our club contact there, most of the Harvard alumni work in the city and return to their homes elsewhere as soon as possible—although about 12 alumni manage to get together to celebrate events of national significance like the Harvard-Yale game. Because the University of Florida has a campus in the city, lectures and academic programs are readily available. The Harvard Club of Peace River, which is north of Ft. Myers, tends to have a low-key agenda. With a small group of members, 20 or so gather for lunch and an occasional social event such as a boat trip. The area was devastated by this year’s Hurricane Charlie, and Club President Larry Stewart ONS ’91 reports that get-togethers now consist largely of conversations about contractors and builders. The Harvard Club of Lee County, in the area around Ft. Myers, has an enthusiastic membership under the leadership of President Robert A. Hicks AB ’71. As a small club (approximately 40 active members), they manage to participate in activities such as concerts, an annual cocktail reception with the Yale and Princeton alumni clubs in Ft. Myers, an open house for club members and friends, an annual Scholars’ Dinner with a luminary from Harvard, outings such as a tour of Sanibel Island’s Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, and a spring baseball game with pre-game tailgating. In service to Harvard, club members also contribute to a scholarship fund, present Harvard Book Prize awards, and interview local applicants. The Harvard Club of the West Coast of Florida, which includes the Tampa and St. Petersburg vicinity, encompasses both younger working alumni under the age of 35 and older retirees— with, according to Club President Ben Allen AB ’95, few in between. There are 30 to 40 active members out of 140 “on the books,” and they meet an average of six times a year. This club has an especially good record for its Schools and Scholarships work; 35 interviewers conducted 145 interviews this year and 7 students were accepted early to Harvard. Ben attributes this success to a holiday party sponsored by the Schools Committee, at which students, alumni, and prospective students mingle and inspire one another. Other club events include an annual softball game against the Yale Club, viewing The Game together with the Yalies, and “A Day at the Races” at the Tampa racetrack, at which their attendance is acknowledged over the loudspeaker. An annual speaker from Harvard draws their biggest event attendance. If you think of southwestern Florida as golf, boating, and tennis country, you may know of Naples as a growing resort and retirement city. It is that and much more—with a fine arts museum, performing arts center, symphony, and active cultural life. Located in Collier County, about two hours south of Sarasota, the Harvard Club of Naples has been in existence for about 20 years and now has about 300 members under the leadership of President Don Shapiro AB ’57, MBA ’61. This is the only Harvard Club in the region to have a paid administrator who, in addition to preparing professional-looking minutes of board meetings, keeps members informed of the many and varied club activities. These include a Welcome Back reception, financial seminar, Harvard-Yale game reception, Mayor’s luncheon, wine tasting, museum trip out of town, theater performance, tour of the Naples Art Museum, and concert of the Naples Philharmonic. Attendance at these events is variable, and—like all clubs—the Naples club is trying to find events that will appeal to the largest number of members. This year, the club awarded Harvard Book Prizes to students at eight schools, and provided $2,000 each to five of the seven students who matriculated at Harvard this year. As recent Past President and a longtime board member, I am particularly enthusiastic about the Harvard Club of Sarasota, which is the largest in the south (about 400 members) and probably the most active. The club, which is currently led by President Jeremy Whatmough AB ’56, AMP ’86, has a large Schools and Scholarships Committee, does extensive interviewing, awards Harvard Book Prizes to a range of schools, and has a substantial Scholarship Award program. Like Naples, we have many members who are “snowbirds”—residents who go north for the summer. However, as the city grows, increasing numbers of younger alums with families are drawn to the area. Currently, one of our members is working with the Yale and Princeton clubs to organize several activities for the younger population. Because Sarasota is such a desirable retirement location, the club is made up of graduates from all the Harvard Faculties, many of whom have been successful in a wide variety of fields—and many of whom are willing to appear as featured speakers. We can boast, for example, of Nobel Prize–winning economist Paul Samuelson, former President Derek Bok, and professor and author Sissela Bok, who have homes here and have recently made presentations to the Sarasota club. In addition, we have at least one (usually two and sometimes three) speaker from Cambridge as well as local (or friends of local) speakers of interest and importance in various fields. We often host 200 attendees at our monthly luncheons. One reason for the large, regular attendance is that we reserve a regular day (second Friday of each month) at a centrally located restaurant. Our members are accustomed to setting aside the time each month, and our newsletter informs them in advance about the speaker. We are also able to provide events that appeal to a particular interest, such as a performance of the ballet or a spring training baseball game. By way of public service outreach, one of our members is currently working on a plan to provide training in professional development for a cadre of principals, administrators, and teachers to attend a summer Graduate School of Education program. If successful, the goal will be to develop a prototype that can be used throughout the country to benefit both local school systems and the GSE. The Harvard Club of Sarasota also honors a Teacher of the Year at the annual meeting and provides a stipend in thanks for their leadership and inspiration. As the saying goes, “Come on down, the water’s fine!”
And so is the climate of welcome here in the Harvard Clubs of Western
Florida. HAA NEWS Candidates for the Harvard Board of Overseers and HAA Elected Directors Listed below are the Harvard Alumni Association’s candidates for the 2005 election to the Harvard Board of Overseers and the HAA Elected Directors. The election will determine the five new Overseers and six new HAA Elected Directors to be announced at Commencement on June 9. The HAA’s nominating committee has proposed the following candidates in 2005: OVERSEERS ELECTED DIRECTORS Thank You, 2004 Delegates! The Harvard Alumni Association would like to thank the alumni who
attended Spring 2004 Fall 2004 Clubs Committee Award Citations The HAA Clubs Committee recognizes publicly those individuals who provide exemplary service to a Harvard Club and those clubs that have made exceptional efforts in various areas of club programming. The 2004–2005 Outstanding Club Contribution Award and Club Recognition Award recipients were announced by Brooks Newmark AB ’80, MBA ’84 and Maria Skirnick JD ’69, Clubs Committee Co-Chairs, at the Alumni Leadership Conference held on February 3–4, 2005. Outstanding Club Contribution Award Recipients: Luise Druke MPA ’87, IAF ’88 of Sofia, Bulgaria
Alexander B. Weissent AB ’73 of Chicago, Illinois Club Recognition Award Recipients: Harvard Club of Berlin Harvard Club of Washington, D.C. Special Mention: Harriet C. Barry AB ’54 HAA EVENTS Harvard Comes To Mexico By all accounts, the Harvard Comes To Mexico convocation in Mexico City on March 1–2 was a great success. Of the approximately 430 University-wide alumni and guests in attendance, 238 were from Mexico, with 138 from Mexico City. Other countries in the region were also well represented. Historic Chapultepec Castle provided a dramatic backdrop for the evening welcoming reception. The next morning, President Vicente Fox opened the conference, lauding President Summers and Harvard University for helping to create new opportunities for Mexican students at Harvard. For the day of panel discussions, 11 Harvard faculty members joined 14 local leaders, reflecting the depth of Harvard’s collaboration with scholars throughout the region. Topics discussed included the U.S.-Mexican partnership, global health, venture capital, social enterprise, education and democracy, economic history, and Mesoamerican civilizations. Several members of the Harvard Club of Mexico served as alumni liaisons advising faculty moderators on panel topics, and helping to recruit and prepare local participants. Their involvement, coupled with the dynamic leadership of Antonio Madero MBA ’61 and Armando Santacruz MBA ’87, President of the Harvard Club of Mexico, fueled the lively local energy that was such a prominent feature of the gathering. The day ended with a luncheon keynote address by President Summers that stressed the crucial role that Harvard University needs to play in training future leaders to bring a new understanding to countries around the world. Using Harvard’s exceptional convening power to encourage collaboration among scholars at Harvard and abroad, as well as to create opportunities for meaningful international undergraduate study, will be critical to ensuring that Harvard students are well prepared for leadership in an increasingly complex society. The gathering of alumni in Mexico City underscored the University’s commitment to a worldwide network of students and scholars and provided the opportunity to reconnect, network, and enjoy the generosity of the Mexican alumni. The HAA is grateful for the hard work and leadership of Antonio Madero and Armando Santacruz, and the Harvard Club of Mexico. Neuroscience Videoconference Harvard’s size and broad excellence uniquely position the University to bring groups of neuroscientists together with one another and with other biological, biomedical, physical, and social scientists to tackle some of the most mysterious questions that humans face: who we are and why we act as we do. On December 1, the HAA presented “Building Connections: Exploring the Mind and Brain,” an interactive videoconference to discuss the subject. After welcoming remarks by President Summers, Provost Hyman moderated a panel discussion with Harvard scientists Steven Pinker, Joshua R. Sanes, and Carla J. Shatz. The event, which was held at the Harvard Club of New York City, was broadcast live to alumni audiences in Cambridge and Chicago. Harvard in Hollywood On Saturday, March 12, the Harvard Alumni Association, the Harvard-Radcliffe Club of Southern California, the Harvard Business School Association of Southern California, and Harvardwood hosted “Harvard in Hollywood,” a daylong Alumni College program that attracted 500 alumni and guests. Alumni Colleges are extensive interactive forums focused on a specific subject. “Harvard in Hollywood” was the first of its kind to showcase alumni—rather than Harvard faculty. Alumni panelists from across the University—actors, writers, producers, directors, and other business and creative talent—discussed the industry, as well as how their Harvard experience played a role in their careers. The panel discussions ranged from “The Entrepreneur in Hollywood: Can the Small Fish Succeed in a Sea of Sharks?” to “Big Media: Balancing Responsibility to Shareholders, Society, and Personal Goals” to “Serving Multiple Masters While Remaining True to Yourself.” President Summers’s Spring Tour This spring, President Summers visited with alumni at various locations across the country. He spoke at a reception at the Harvard Club of New York City on March 31. On April 15, he addressed alumni at a dinner in Washington, D.C., and, on April 20, he attended a luncheon in Los Angeles. The Harvard Clubs in each of these locations were instrumental in cohosting the events with the HAA. President Summers Visits the Harvard Club of Israel On December 19, 2004, President Summers addressed alumni in Israel
at a NEWS FROM AROUND THE GOLBE Harvard Clubs of Europe Meet in Rome Celebrating a decade of meetings in Europe’s capital cities, 26 European Harvard Club leaders from 19 countries gathered in Rome on September 17–19, 2004, along with HAA and University representatives, to share best practices and to further their cooperative efforts regionally. The gathering was hosted by the Harvard Club of Italy and its President, Marco Elser AB ’81, and was organized and led by Sally Williams-Allen MAT ’65, HAA Regional Director for Europe. Harvard Clubs in Europe, representing 16,000 alumni, have witnessed vibrant activity and explosive growth with seven new clubs in Eastern Europe since 2003. What distinguishes clubs in Europe, and most international clubs in general, is their strong membership rates (39 percent on average), predominant graduate school affiliation, the influence of national language and culture, their focus on high-level speaker events, and their ability to maintain ties with Harvard in unique and various ways. The two half-days of meetings featured the theme of “Leadership and Outreach.” Twelve experienced club leaders served as panelists, and five club experts became Roman emperors for a day, demonstrating models of leadership success in their management of membership campaigns, major event organization, charismatic committee-building, succession policy, and transformational style of leadership. When in Rome... Participants came away with fresh ideas, inspiration, and a renewed sense of what Harvard means in other parts of Europe. Additionally, two initiatives were launched: a Harvard Clubs of Europe Directory in print and online, and a calendar of European club events posted on the website of the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies. Social highlights from the gathering included a fabulous luncheon at Marco Elser’s (AB ’81) country home, a private visit to the Vatican, and a dinner at the Circolo della Caccia at the Palazzo Borghese. The next meeting of the Harvard Clubs of Europe will be hosted by the Harvard Club of Turkey and its President Cuneyt Yuksel LLM ’94, Law ’95, GSAS ’97, and will take place September 9–11, 2005 in Istanbul. AHUACA Conference in Manila, Philippines This past November 19–21, Manila played host to the third AHUACA Conference (Association of Harvard University Alumni Clubs of Asia), enthusiastically led by Estelito P. Mendoza LLM ’54, President of AHUACA and President of the Harvard Law School Association of the Philippines. The conference, titled “Discovering Asia: Politics, Business, Culture, Legal Systems, and the Role of Asia in the Emerging Global Economy,” was a resounding success with approximately 250 alumni and friends in attendance from more than a dozen countries. During the two-day event, speakers from India, Australia, China, the Philippines, Japan, and the United States participated in plenary and breakout sessions, each led by a local moderator. After the Mayor of Makati City opened the conference, declaring it “Harvard Week” in Makati, President Lawrence H. Summers delivered the keynote address and answered questions via videoconference. Other highlights of the program included a talk by Washington Z. SyCip, founder of SGV group, who spoke on “An Asian Perspective”; Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II AB ’81, MBA ’87, Chairman and CEO of the Ayala Corporation, who spoke on “Service to the World: Filipinos in the Global Service Economy”; Jose Isidro N. Camacho MBA ’79, Former Finance Secretary, who spoke on “China: A Cause for Hope or Despair for the Rest of Asia”; and luncheon speaker Francis J. Ricciardone, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines and Palau, who spoke on “The U.S.-Philippines Relationship.” The breakout session topics ranged from medicine in China to transchromosome technology in Japan to “remote viewing”—projecting one’s consciousness to a specific time and place never before visited—to the concept of time and space in Asian art. One session offered insight into admissions procedures today at Harvard, and Jim Ullyot AB ’62, MBA ’66, President of the HAA, spoke about the opportunities and benefits of being connected to the HAA. Rounding out the experience, the social events were exquisite, beginning with a cocktail party featuring several members of the philharmonic orchestra and closing with a gala dinner and fashion show, highlighting the work of designer Pitoy Moreno, one of Manila’s most famous designers, whose presentation offered a breathtaking retrospective of Filipino fashion. Additionally, the fifth meeting of the AHUACA Board of Governors
convened with approximately 25 representatives from all of the Harvard
Clubs of Asia attending. NEWS FROM THE FRONT The 2005 ALC “Engaged” Alumni
Leaders The HAA’s annual Alumni Leadership Conference (ALC) in Cambridge is at the top of the list of Harvard’s alumni gatherings. This year’s February 3–4 conference, titled “Engaging the Disengaged,” upheld the tradition. As always, the ALC was open to all Harvard alumni, from every School, across all years, and from all states and countries. The ALC was open to those who have been involved in Harvard’s alumni activities for only a short while as well as those whose participation spans decades. Its diversity and egalitarianism, characteristic of past ALCs, were integral to its success. What distinguished this year’s conference from years past was the focus/urgency of its theme and its goal to draw in new faces who had not previously returned to Harvard. “Engaging the Disengaged” reflected the HAA’s own theme for the year, “Participate in Harvard’s Future.” Attendees heard from a panel of alumni about why they had strayed from or become disconnected from Harvard. This conversation set the tone for the traditional “workshop” piece of the ALC, which included eight separate panels—designed for large clubs and small clubs—addressing ways to “engage the disengaged.” Speakers represented the HAA staff and members of Harvard Clubs, large and small, U.S. and international. The viewpoints and solutions came from Alaska to Istanbul, St. Louis to Singapore, and clubs in between. The full schedule was highlighted by several speakers at the highest level of Harvard’s faculty and administration. Theda Skocpol, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology, led off with her examination of the changing role of the individual in American civic and political groups. In the middle, we heard from Douglas Melton, Cabot Professor of the Natural Sciences and Co-Director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), who discussed the collision of science and politics and Harvard’s critical leadership role in this vital area. Tom Reardon, Senior Adviser for University Development, closed with matters of special consequence to Harvard’s future. As always, there was ample time in the weekend to enjoy the arts and athletics. The Boston Symphony’s season was in full swing, and Harvard delivered wins over Dartmouth in hockey and Princeton in basketball. Next year’s Alumni Leadership Conference, which will be held
February 2–3, 2006, will provide another enjoyable opportunity
to exchange ideas and expand friendships. Plan to attend. And plan
on bringing someone with you to enjoy Harvard and Cambridge in the
snow.
|
|||||||||||||||||
