Drew Engles AB ’87 cum laude

Hand and Microvascular Surgeon, Akron Children’s Hospital    Ohio

 

1.   For Harvard to remain a preeminent, internationally recognized university I believe it imperative that three core values reside at the heart of its mission.  These pillars include intellectual honesty, diversity and the free and open exchange of ideas.  I do not rank these because they are all of paramount importance and all are intrinsically linked to each other.

 

Intellectual honesty requires that students, faculty and administrators always strive to seek the truth irrespective of whether or not these facts align with their own personal beliefs or experience.  Diversity across all aspects of the University is what gives Harvard strength and enriches the experiences of all of our stakeholders.  It is, however, not the end all.  Programmatic diversity is only the invitation.  Inclusion is what transforms one from a bystander into an essential contributor to the rich tapestry of the Harvard experience.  Only with free and open speech can this diverse body learn, grow and prosper.  It is through the exchange of unique viewpoints and thoughtful debate that we advance as individuals and as a community.

 

Thus, as espoused in the overview above, one can see that I believe diversity is at the heart of both the school’s mission as well as the Harvard experience.  I believe that through the Office of BGLTQ Student Life, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, the Harvard College Women’s Center, and other resources, that the University endeavors to address the needs and concerns of multiple constituencies within the Harvard community.  One of the more tangible components of these various groups is the Diversity Educator program. These are undergraduate students who serve as facilitators in promoting diversity and inclusivity on campus.

As an alumni interviewer with more twenty years of experience, I have come to realize my own limitations as an advocate of the Harvard experience.  While I can discuss what it is like to come from a New York City public high school that was in some ways more diverse than my class at Harvard, I am now a middle-aged, bowtie wearing, white male more than 30 years removed from my matriculation to Harvard College.  I wonder then if an ambassador program, with current undergraduates, might not provide a more contemporary and enticing representation of Harvard and all that it offers today.  I think that the development of such a program would enable students seeking admission to have a more realistic and, I believe, a more accurate representation of the undergraduate experience.

I realize that this just addresses one aspect of the Harvard admission process, albeit the one I have the greatest personal knowledge of and connection with.  To address all facets of diversity and inclusion it will require continuous dialogue with both current students and our alumni, the two constituencies that I would serve as an elected director of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA).

 

2.  The Harvard Alumni Association, through its 53 clubs and shared interest groups, seeks to unite alumni who share commonality in a variety of areas other than just geographic proximity.  There are eleven groups that focus on culture or ethnicity and five that are dedicated to gender and sexuality.

While I served as the president of the Harvard Club of Northeast Ohio I sought to cross pollenate with other Harvard groups.  In one instance, I did this by working with the Harvard Business School of Northeast Ohio.  In an attempt to better market each other’s programs, I collaborated with their club administrator to encourage attendance by members of each club to the other’s events.  I think that similar efforts at synergism between local clubs and shared interest groups would provide for an opportunity for learning and personal growth.  It is this type of openness to collaboration that I would hope to champion as an elected director of the HAA.

Part of cultivating engagement in alumni activities after college is through the provision of rewarding and fulfilling experiences for students once they get to college.  This can go a long way in fostering participation by younger alumni. If they build bridges before they leave Cambridge, I believe these connections are more likely to last over a lifetime.  One novel concept would be to have young alums serve as mentors to entering students.  This would allow for engagement of the recently graduated without any financial burden and at the same time make the newest members of the Harvard community feel more than just “welcomed on paper”.  Maintaining touch points for the youngest graduates, I believe, is quintessential to a robust HAA.   

 

3.  Complying with federal mandates for affirmative action and equal opportunity programs is not enough.  This is why I am a wholehearted supporter of the holistic approach utilized in the admissions process at Harvard.  Since the issuance of President John F. Kennedy’s Executive Order 10925 in 1961, the United States Government has taken action to ensure that any employee working for a government contractor is treated “without regard to race, creed, color or national origin.”  This was further amended by Lyndon B. Johnson to include gender as well.  Collectively these address both affirmative action and equal opportunity. It is my understanding that applicants for both admission to and employment by Harvard are treated in a manner that complies with these long-standing federal regulatory statutes.  Perhaps what is more telling though is the actual process by which the admissions committee selects each incoming class.  That is to approach each applicant in a holistic fashion taking into account race, ethnicity and gender as facets of an application just as they would standardized testing scores, teacher recommendations, athletic prowess, economic disenfranchisement and geographic distribution.  This ensures that each applicant is treated as an individual rather than a statistic utilized to meet a specific quota.  I am an ardent proponent of this system.  In fact, my belief in this very process has enabled me to approach each interview season with enthusiasm even though I know the vast majority of students I encounter will ultimately not be offered a spot in Cambridge.  I find solace in knowing how much time and effort is expended by the admissions committee in their deliberations for each applicant.

 

4.  If you enter Harvard Yard via Dexter Gate the inscription above the transom reads “Enter to grow in wisdom” and upon exiting, the reverse facade states “Depart to serve better thy country and thy kind”.  I can think of no better marching orders for those have been afforded the incredible opportunity to attend Harvard.  I am proud to be a member of the Board of Trustees for the Harvard Club of Northeast Ohio because I believe my colleagues have taken this dictum to heart.  Just this past Monday, we sat around a table and read essays that were written by high school seniors from the Cleveland Municipal School District.  These were students who had won the Harvard Book Award the previous year. This qualified them to submit an essay, on the topic of their choice, which we then read, debated on and ultimately awarded $500 scholarships to the winners.  The money can be used at any college of their choosing.  When faced with a tie the choice was simple, award a scholarship to both students.  The money utilized to finance these scholarships comes from both donations made by club members as well as money raised from social events throughout the year.  In addition to our book awards and our scholarships, we also have a program entitled Cleveland Goes to College.  This is an early college awareness program where our members go into middle schools, meet with at-risk students and discuss the requisite classes and performance necessary to attend college.  They are encouraged to set going to college as an achievable personal goal.  We also volunteer at college and career fairs throughout the academic year.  With a membership of only one hundred, I believe that we are making a difference in our community.  Harvard Clubs and SIG’s around the world all have the opportunity to make a difference in their own communities, industries and countries.  The HAA can be the resource that enables these groups to initiate such endeavors.

 

5.  As a pediatric hand and microvascular surgeon I have the great luxury of a working at an institution that has been guided by three very simple principles for over one hundred and twenty seven years.  Those three promises that were first made in 1890 are:  First, to treat others as you would like to be treated.  Second, to care for every child as we would our own. And lastly, to turn no child away for any reason.  When embraced and actualized, these principles leave no room for racism, sexism, or intolerance.  Any such behavior is antithetical to our mission. As a surgeon that treats patients on a daily basis with congenital deformities, profound mental and physical disabilities or who have suffered life altering traumatic events, I am constantly reminded of these core values by the empathy, compassion and skill that I see my colleagues demonstrate.  I walked away from private practice in order practice full time in such an environment.  While one constantly strives for greater knowledge and scientific advancement medicine and in the provision of healthcare, these tenets are enduring and require neither change nor modification.  We simply need to be steadfast in our attempt live up to such standards.

Paola A. Peacock Friedrich SM ’06, EdLD ’14

Human Capital Management Consultant, AchieveMission    Massachusetts

 

1. How important should diversity be at Harvard? What strategies should the University pursue regarding this? (Please discuss specific programs and policies if you can.)

 

Addressing diversity, equity and inclusion as a matter of strategy and longevity should be a core priority at the highest levels of leadership at Harvard. Harvard holds a legacy of leading research, leadership, education and policy innovation globally. In order to maintain this level of quality and innovation, Harvard must continue to value, include, and support the full talent potential that exists.

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The following specific initiatives would ensure that Harvard holds issues of diversity, equity and inclusion as central to strategy and mission both internally within the broader Harvard community and externally.

• Adopting a justice-mindset – Leading the way in policy and practice on issues of diversity as a matter of social justice versus a matter of reparations or charity is paramount. 


• Partnership Philosophy – Articulating a clear approach to partnerships that values the mutual contribution of stakeholders and expresses Harvard’s value of local leadership. 


• Community Engagement Strategy – Following and a policy and practice of community engagement that acknowledges and upholds local strategies and indigenous leaders sets Harvard as a mutual contributor and mitigates imposing or dictating a strategy in a particular community or geography. 


• Leadership Competencies – Clearly articulated competencies for leadership in the form of observable behaviors that are valued and upheld regardless of demographic factors. Remaining consistent and broadening the spectrum of what skills and capabilities are valued in leadership will offer a diverse and inclusive approach to leadership development. 
2. How can Harvard encourage more diversity among its alumni leaders and activities? (If not discussed above.) 
In addition to the initiatives mentioned above, it is important for Harvard to balance key leadership and decision-making roles among people of color and those from underrepresented groups. This clear distinction of responsibility will engage alumni of color and of underrepresented groups and will ensure that their engagement is far from token. 
3. Please state your views on affirmative action and race-conscious admissions. 
Affirmative action and race-conscious admissions are a component of, what I believe to be a fundamental and universal right to quality education. When crafted and implemented well, these policies offer a way to evaluate the strengths and capabilities of first generation college goers and families of racial minorities – both of whom are highly correlated with low socio-economic status – alongside their counterparts from affluent or legacy backgrounds. If affirmative action is practiced as one part of a justice-minded approach to diversity, equity and inclusion, then it can have a holistic benefit. Alone, there is no single policy that will create an equitable school or society. 


 

4. What do you think Harvard's role should be in creating a more equitable, inclusive and just society?

 


Harvard has the utmost responsibility to practice a justice-minded approach in order to contribute to crating more equitable, inclusive and just society. Each of us as individuals have this same responsibility, and together as alumni and a Harvard community we have even more influence. Harvard is an influential leader in thought and practice. This has brought such prosperity and innovation to our society over time already. Our moral responsibility as a Harvard community is to put that excellence and potential to good use, toward creating a just society.

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5. What steps have you taken to bring diversity and inclusion to your workplace or to an organization that you have been involved with?


 

From my earliest memories of school and work, I have always brought a justice approach to diversity and inclusion in my pursuits and collaborations. I am the daughter of two Mexican immigrant parents. Within that identity, I am an anomaly. My father and mother came to the united states in 1974 when my father was accepted into a PhD program in Physics at the University of California at Riverside. Already a minority in the science community, my sister and I attended Dartmouth College, both pursuing pre-Medicine in our undergraduate studies.

At the T. Chan School at Harvard, I was surrounded by students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We were unified by our commitment to high quality and equitable health for communities and while I co-led the Latin American and Caribbean Student Group, I consciously partnered with the African Health Student group and others who were aligned with our core purpose.

As an alumna of the Doctor in Education Leadership, I felt compelled to lead the alumni network dedicated to continuing to transform US education. I was selected to co-design and lead the second annual Ed.L.D. Alumni Network Convening in 2015. As co-chairperson, I worked to curate and design a program that covered issues of educational excellence, policy and equity.

At AchieveMission, I am the leader of our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. I designed and facilitated a webinar in 2017 entitled, Local Leaders Out Front: Responding to Community-led Strategies and Investing in Local. A recording of this webinar is available at achievemission.org. In all of my talent and leadership consulting work, I help nonprofit CEOs and leadership teams to work through challenging conversations regarding race and equity internal to their organization and external in the communities they serve.

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Leslie Miller Saiontz AB ’81

Founder and President, Achieve Miami

 

1. How important should diversity be at Harvard? What strategies should the University pursue regarding this? (Please discuss specific programs and policies if you can.)

 

The world is diverse. If Harvard’s mission is to prepare leaders to thrive when they graduate, then the University must prepare students for engaging thoughtfully with people across lines of difference, and grappling with diverse ideas, opinions, and perspectives. The ability to thrive in a global society is neither a conservative nor a liberal value. It is a foundation for a modern university.

 

2. How can Harvard encourage more diversity among its alumni leaders and activities? (If not discussed above.)

 

I’d encourage Harvard to consider not just diversity, but inclusion. Just because a population is diverse doesn’t mean all people feel welcome at the table. .

 

As diversity increases we must not pretend that we have a more inclusive environment. Diversity does not guarantee inclusiveness. We need to consider ways to fight against hidden biases, disadvantages, and potential subtle cues that make certain subgroups feel more welcome and able to thrive. It’s not just about having diverse bodies in the room. We need to actively create a diverse environment.

 

I’d recommend ensuring that there are diverse leaders involved in decision making… not just in background but in career and outreach engagement as well.  Determining the scope and sequence of events, considering policies, and serving to ensure that Harvard doesn’t just talk the talk.

 

3. Please state your views on affirmative action and race-conscious admissions.

 

In my work as board chair at Teach For America we have thought long and hard about how to diversify our corps. We have exceptionally high criteria for admission, and we do not lower the bar for anyone based on race – we do several things instead. (1) We work hard to unearth potential racial biases in the application and interview process, and factors that might disadvantage certain subgroups. (2) We actively recruit diverse applicants with the expectation that if outstanding diverse candidates get into the pool of applicants, the corps will naturally become more diverse. (3) We’ve worked to create a more inclusive environment so that diverse corps members are more likely to succeed, and encourage their friends to apply. In Miami, we have seen our corps go from being only 20% minority to over 50% minority in just a few years. And it wasn’t because we lowered the bar for anyone. It was because we became highly race-conscious in our recruitment, training, and support, and ended up building a far more inclusive experience for our members. I in no way consider myself an expert on this topic, and am glad that this is a focus area for this group. I look forward to learning alongside you, and finding more strategies that work.

 

4. What do you think Harvard's role should be in creating a more equitable, inclusive and just society?

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Harvard is in the business of leadership and ideas. If we want to build a more equitable, inclusive and just society, we need to build leaders who value those things, and champion ideas that promote equity and inclusivity. When I see that someone has a Harvard degree, I assume that they are not only smart but motivated. I hope that through their Harvard experience that they leave with a strong moral compass and a sense of responsibility to do good in the world. We want to build leaders who think more broadly about the impact their businesses;  Who consider the true cost of their practices, including the impact on human life, on their own staff, and on the world at large. We don’t just want to teach our students what is happening on the ground – we want to teach them to shape the trends of the future. As I said above – these aren’t liberal or conservative values – there are many ways to lead toward equity…we just need to commit to prioritizing it and searching for solutions.

 

5. What steps have you taken to bring diversity and inclusion to your workplace or to an organization that you have been involved with?

My energies and resources have been devoted to improving equity and access to education in my community (Miami.) We develop programs which support teachers, schools, and educational activities for underserved students. I am particularly proud of innovative programs which disseminate their lessons to other school districts, and plan on expanding this outreach not just programmatically but in energy and passion. But this discussion is for another day.

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