April 25, 2011

Class Day speaker Joshua Preven '91 tells how God created Harvard

From a cappella music to tenure, the real story as told by Joshua Preven ’91

Before he earned a master of philosophy degree from Cambridge University on a Fulbright scholarship, before he sampled an acting career with roles on Judging Amy, Six Feet Under, and other television shows, Joshua Preven ’91 delivered the Harvard Oration during the Class Day exercises for his fellow seniors. His revelations brought down the house.

Read the full text of his speech in this PDF from the July-August 1991 issue.

Most popular

A woman with long hair stands confidently with crossed arms next to a pickup truck.

All That’s Unseen charts the Harvard graduate’s uneasy journey from Appalachia to Cambridge and back.

Red brick building with large windows and greenery, set against a bright blue sky.

After a final round of layoffs, University leaders say 165 staff jobs were eliminated across the division.

A blue refrigerator covered with animal pictures, notes, and drawings, surrounded by greenery.

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.

Explore More From Current Issue

Colorful word cloud with various emotions and ideas related to learning and reflection.

Research

But it can’t replace human connection.

Modern building with large glass windows, surrounded by greenery and pedestrians.

University News

A roundup of University news from the summer of 2026

A smiling elderly man in glasses sits comfortably in a striped armchair.

Harvard Administration

In June, the Harvard community lost two titans who helped bring the University into the modern era.