Dear Colleagues and Friends,
This morning, I made the first of many journeys to my new office in Mass Hall. The walk was really no different than any other I have taken from my home to the Yard, but it was absolutely different. Today, every fond memory I have of our University and of the incredible people I have met and admired here quickened my steps and propelled me forward.
I am excited to be leading Harvard, and I am honored to be undertaking that endeavor alongside all of you. Our mission has always inspired and sustained me, and I only grow in appreciation as I deepen my knowledge and understanding of the many aspects and aspirations that exist across our Schools. New ideas and new perspectives flourish here, infusing every part of our enterprise with a restless energy and boundless optimism. There is no place like Harvard.
Each of us has taken a different path to arrive here, yet here we are. We are in this together. What will we make of that opportunity in the years to come? For me, the best place to start, as always, is in conversation. Next Tuesday, July 11, I will be hosting afternoon ice cream socials in front of Countway Library, Massachusetts Hall, and Schwartz Pavilion, so we have an opportunity to gather, to connect, and to enjoy one another’s company. I hope you will join me for a scoop in celebration of our community and its infinite potential to shape the future.
Sincerely,
Claudine