"Why did you drop out?"

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

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. 

 

Related topics

You might also like

Mount Vernon, Historic Preservation, and American Politics

Anne Neal Petri promotes George Washington and historic literacy.

Introductions: Dan Cnossen

A conversation with the former Navy SEAL and gold-medal-winning Paralympic skier

Yesterday’s News

A co-ed experiment that changed dorm life forever

Most popular

FAS Announces New Endowment for Ph.D. Candidates

A $50 million gift from alumni donors aims to protect research opportunities amid political uncertainty

Harvard Students, Alumna Named Rhodes and Marshall Scholars

Nine Rhodes and five Marshall scholars will study in the U.K. in 2026.

Martin Nowak Sanctioned for Jeffrey Epstein Involvement

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences announces disciplinary actions.

Explore More From Current Issue

Evolutionary progression from primates to humans in a colorful illustration.

Why Humans Walk on Two Legs

Research highlights our evolutionary ancestors’ unique pelvis.

Man in a suit holding a pen, smiling, seated at a desk with a soft background.

A Congenial Voice in Japanese-American Relations

Takashi Komatsu spent his life building bridges. 

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.