At the Forefront

Frances Pass Addelson and Philip KeenePhotograph by Jane ReedThe oldest graduates of Harvard and Radcliffe present on Commencement day, who led...

Frances Pass Addelson and Philip Keene
Photograph by Jane Reed

The oldest graduates of Harvard and Radcliffe present on Commencement day, who led the alumni parade into Tercentenary Theatre before the HAA's annual meeting, were 101-year-old Philip Keene '25, S.M. '40, of Middletown, Connecticut, who was making his third appearance at the head of the line, and 95-year-old Frances Pass Addelson '30, of Brookline, Massachusetts. According to University records, the oldest alumni, apart from Keene, include: James G. Jameson '22, 104, of Orlando, Florida; Charles H. Warner '21, 104, of Berkeley, California; Albert H. Gordon '23, M.B.A. '25, LL.D. '77, 102, of New York City; Marion Coppelman Epstein '24, 101, of Boston; M. Louise Macnair '25, 101, of Cambridge; Eliot K. Bartholomew '25, 101, of Monarch Beach, California; Halford J. Pope '25, 100, of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; A. Suzanne (Fawcett) Snow '25, 100, of Silvis, Illinois; and Hugh Langdon Elsbree '23, 100, of Saint Joseph, Missouri. Outstripping them all is Walter H. Seward, J.D. '24, of West Orange, New Jersey. Born on October 13, 1896, he is 107 years old.

     

Most popular

Ronny Chieng Tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as Graduates Cheer

The comedian and The Daily Show host gave the keynote address for Class Day 2026.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Graduates John Lithgow, Bill Rauch, and Bess Wohl took home prizes on Sunday night.

Explore More From Current Issue

Illustration of two students in Harvard hoodies, one speaking animatedly to a phone, the other reading, looking annoyed.

We’re All Harvard Influencers, Like It or Not

In the digital age, it’s hard to avoid playing into the mythology.

Katie Benzan stands on a basketball court holding a ball, with a hoop in the background.

How Women Are Changing the NBA

From coaching staffs to front offices, female leaders are bringing new strategies to men’s basketball.

Bronze statues of three historical figures under a stylized tree in a softly lit space.

The Costly Choice Native Americans Faced

How the Revolution reshaped indigenous New England