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

Front page of The Harvard Bulletin from November 7, 1898, featuring the headline “Harvard Wins” about a football victory over Pennsylvania and articles on Harvard graduates’ service in the Spanish-American War

A History of Harvard Magazine

Harvard’s independent alumni magazine—at 127 years old

Students in purple jackets seated on chairs, facing away in a grassy area.

A New Prescription for Youth Mental Health

Kenyan entrepreneur Tom Osborn ’20 reimagines care for a global crisis.

Collage of six headshots of diverse individuals against a blurred outdoor background.

Meet the 2025 Harvard Alumni Association Honorands

Celebrating alumni volunteers

Most popular

A smiling woman in a black dress stands in front of a stone building on a grassy pathway.

Harvard Divinity School Sets New Priorities

After two years of turmoil, Dean Marla Frederick describes a more pluralistic future for the institution’s culture and curriculum.

An illustrative portrait of Justice Roberts in a black robe, resting his chin on his hand.

What Trump Means for John Roberts’s Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Official portrait of Lawrence H. Summers

Portraying Larry Summers

Celebrating the twenty-seventh president—and assessing his legacy

Explore More From Current Issue

Six women interact in a theatrical setting, one seated and being comforted by others.

Performing Arts

A (Truly) Naked Take on Second-Wave Feminism

Playwright Bess Wohl’s Liberation opens on Broadway.

People gather near the John Harvard Statue in front of University Hall surrounded by autumn trees.

University News

A Changed Harvard Faces the Future

After a tense summer—and with no Trump settlement in sight—the University continues to adapt.

A vibrant bar scene with tropical decor, featuring patrons sitting on high stools.

Best Bars for Seasonal Drinks and Snacks in Greater Boston

Gathering spots that warm and delight us