‘Be the superhero you wish to become’ — Harvard Gazette

Under clear skies and a scorching solar, hundreds of alumni and associates from all over the world converged on campus on June 5 for the fifth annual Harvard Alumni Day.

The celebration honored graduates from each School and sophistication yr. Held in tandem with the Harvard and Radcliffe College reunions and a variety of different alumni occasions, the day drew greater than 9,000 contributors, with a foremost program that featured musical performances, the conferral of Harvard Medals, remarks from President Alan Garber ’77, Ph.D. ’82, and a keynote tackle from Jonny Kim, M.D. ’16, a adorned Navy SEAL, doctor, and former NASA astronaut.

The foremost program opened with the standard alumni parade from the Old Yard to Tercentenary Theatre, led by the chief marshal of alumni, Alejandra Casillas ’01, M.D. ’05, and the 2 oldest alumni in attendance, Linda Cabot Black, Radcliffe ’51, and William “Bill” Dubey ’46.

After Sheriff of Middlesex County Peter J. Koutoujian, M.P.A. ’03, referred to as this system to order, outgoing Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) president Will Makris, Ed.M. ’00, mirrored on the assist he acquired from college, his husband, and associates throughout his time at Harvard.

“I did not get here alone,” he mentioned, including that the alumni connections he’s made through the years have additional enhanced his life. “We are members of a global community. We are intellectually curious. We believe in the promise of higher education. And we support Harvard and the defense of Veritas,” he mentioned.

Makris additionally launched incoming HAA president David Battat ’91, noting he “embodies what it means to be an ambassador and a true Harvard citizen” and can serve the alumni group effectively.

Sarah Karmon, HAA govt director and affiliate vp of alumni affairs and improvement, spoke subsequent, applauding alumni volunteers, class officers, and reunion committees for his or her work in shaping this yr’s celebrations.

“When I look out at this gathering, what I see is connection, resilience, and a remarkable willingness to show up for each other,” she mentioned.  

Alumni members of the Harvard Din & Tonics, Harvard Glee Club, Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, Harvard University Choir, Kuumba Singers of Harvard College, Radcliffe Choral Society, and Radcliffe Pitches then sang “Radcliffe, Now We Rise to Greet Thee.”

In his tackle, Garber underscored the array of accomplishments achieved by college, college students, and alumni within the final yr alone.

“The excellence that exists among us — the good that it does in the world — makes me optimistic about the future, even when so many beliefs we had about the future have been shaken,” he mentioned.

Recent efforts to nurture open inquiry and constructive dialogue throughout campus have bolstered this excellence, Garber famous.

“Community drives our mission,” Garber added, “and makes it possible for each of us to do more good in the world than we could ever hope to do alone.”

After a efficiency of “What a Wonderful World” on piano by Max Jepsen ’26, Garber awarded Harvard Medals to Thomas A. Dingman ’67, Ed.M. ’73, Deborah Kaufman Goldfine ’85, and Walter H. Morris Jr. ’73, M.B.A. ’75, for his or her extraordinary service to the University.

Dressed in his blue NASA flight go well with, Kim took to the rostrum, thanking his fellow alumni and giving a fast shoutout to Navy veteran Dubey — “from one sailor to another” — to congratulate him on his a hundred and first birthday.

Reflecting on a profession that has taken him from emergency rooms to greater than 100 fight missions and the International Space Station, Kim, the son of Korean immigrants, mentioned that as a baby it was his love of comedian e book superheroes that sparked his curiosity in a lifetime of public service.

But he quickly discovered the hazard of the “solo hero myth.” Facing troublesome, typically life-and-death issues, “true strength is found in recognizing you cannot do this alone,” Kim mentioned. And with that realization comes classes on connection.

“True superpowers don’t require us to put armor on; they require us to take our armor off,” he mentioned. “Extending grace and understanding to others is how we acknowledge our shared emotional existence and start to construct human connection.

“Be the superhero you wish to become,” Kim advised his fellow alumni, urging them to guide with their hearts and embrace empathy.

To cap this system, the alumni singers returned to the stage for a efficiency of “Fair Harvard.”

The crowd then headed to a celebration in Harvard Yard to have fun with video games, picture alternatives, and meals and beverage vans.

The afternoon additionally featured quite a lot of symposia, together with alumni-led classes on storytelling, public service, and the American Revolution, in addition to classes hosted by the Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence, the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability, and the American Repertory Theater.

Alumni additionally loved Shared Interest Group meetups and open homes on the Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University Archives, and Harvard Art Museums.

Next yr’s Harvard Alumni Day will probably be held on Friday, June 4, 2027.