Alumni | June 21, 2010

"Why did you drop out?"

Hear three Sixties types explain why they dropped out of Harvard.

From The July-August 2010 Issue

Harvard Magazine recently caught up with three members of the class of 1969 who never graduated. Joanne Ricca, Bernard Levine, and Jennifer Boyden are featured in the accompanying article, "Dropouts," by Craig Lambert. In this audio extra, we present the subjects in their own words.

Joanne Ricca

Joanne Ricca in the 1960s

Joanne Ricca, shown in her hippie days at left, is now a nurse practitioner living in rural Maine.

Bernard Levine

Bernard Levine in the 1960s

Bernard Levine (a few years after dropping out of Harvard, at left) lives in Oregon and has written several definitive guides to collectible knives.

Jennifer Boyden

Jennifer Boyden (left, during her Radcliffe years) is now a retired schoolteacher and a grandmother living in New Hampshire and Alabama.

Published in the July-August 2010 print issue under the headline “Dropping Out: In Their Own Words,” in the section.

Related topics

You might also like

A bald man in a black shirt with two book covers beside him, one titled "The Magicians" and the other "The Bright Sword."

Novelist Lev Grossman on Why Fantasy Isn’t About Escapism

The Magicians author discusses his influences, from Harvard to King Arthur to Tolkien.

A busy hallway with diverse people carrying items, engaging in conversation and activities.

Yesterday’s News

A co-ed experiment that changed dorm life forever

A stylized illustration of red coral branching from a gray base, resembling a fantastical entity.

This TikTok Artist Combines Monsters and Mental Heath

Ava Jinying Salzman’s artwork helps people process difficult feelings.

Most popular

Students writing at desks on wheels, racing ahead of a stationary student at a fixed desk

Why Men Are Falling Behind in Education, Employment, and Health

Can new approaches to education address a growing gender gap?

Four men in a small boat struggle with rough water, one lying down and others watching.

The 1884 Cannibalism-at-Sea Case That Still Has Harvard Talking

The Queen v. Dudley and Stephens changed the course of legal history. Here’s why it’s been fodder for countless classroom debates.

Modern building exterior with reflective surfaces against a blue sky.

Harvard’s Endowment, Donations Rise—but the University Runs a Deficit

The annual financial report signals severe challenges to come.

Explore More From Current Issue

Four men in a small boat struggle with rough water, one lying down and others watching.

Politics and Law

The 1884 Cannibalism-at-Sea Case That Still Has Harvard Talking

The Queen v. Dudley and Stephens changed the course of legal history. Here’s why it’s been fodder for countless classroom debates.

Two bare-knuckle boxers fight in a ring, surrounded by onlookers in 19th-century attire.

England’s First Sports Megastar

A collection of illustrations capture a boxer’s triumphant moment.

Lawrence H. Summers, looking serious while speaking at a podium with a microphone.

University News

Harvard in the News

Grade inflation, Epstein files fallout, University database breach