Secretary of Education Arne Duncan ’86

President-elect Obama has selected Chicago school superintendent Arne Duncan '86 to serve as Secretary of Education.

President-elect Barack Obama has selected Arne Duncan '86 as his Secretary of Education, the New York Times reported. Duncan became superintendent of Chicago's schools in 2001, and has been credited with improving performance in the nation's third-largest district. Read Harvard Magazine's profile here. The Times reports that Duncan, who helped draft Obama's education platform, has been particularly interested in expanding early-childhood education.

For Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan's warm reflections on Duncan's undergraduate basketball and academic career, and his work since, see here.

 

 

Related topics

You might also like

Harvard Alumni Win Two 2026 Nobel Prizes

Karl Deisseroth revolutionized neuroscience. Navanethem “Navi” Pillay has adjudicated cases in international courts concerning genocide.

How J. Max Bond Jr. Honored Black History Through Architecture

A new book explores the Harvard-trained architect’s vision and impact, from Ground Zero to the Smithsonian.

Two Scientists Bring the Laboratory to the Stage

The play Spare Parts is a contemporary fable about the quest to live forever.

Most popular

“AI Anxiety”

The Undergraduate on the uneasy collision of technology and writing

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

The federal government has launched unprecedented actions against the University. Here’s a guide.

Trump Administration Will Investigate Alleged Visa Fraud at Harvard

The announcement comes two days after a federal appeals court heard arguments about an international students ban.

Explore More From Current Issue

A smiling William C. Kirby in a suit with glasses stands outdoors, surrounded by greenery.

The president of Harvard Magazine’s Board of Directors will step down in September.

Portrait of a man in a denim shirt beside a blue book cover for "Gretal and the Great War" featuring an illustration of a leg holding an army helmet..

The Gretel and the Great War author on how the Lampoon derailed his science career—and set him on a literary path.

Runners compete on a track, with a Harvard athlete in the foreground and others behind.

After a historic 2025-26 season, athletes eye NCAA championships.