Harvard Admissions Office honors outstanding alumni volunteer interviewers

The College’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid honors eight outstanding alumni interviewers.

Top row from left: Marshall Allen, T. Carter Hagman, John Irving, and Margarita Montoto-Escalera. Bottom row from left: Elaine Hoffman Morris, Miguel M. Palos, Claudia Friederichs Palos, and Milton Yasunaga

Seven alumni are to receive the Hiram S. Hunn Memorial Schools and Scholarships Awards, presented by the Harvard College Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, at a ceremony in Cambridge on October 25. Hunn, a member of the class of 1921, recruited and interviewed prospective students for many decades; this year’s winners, collectively, have performed more than 200 years of service.

Marshall Allen, M.D. ’53, of Evans, Georgia, has been inspired by applicants for 48 years, sometimes even reading the books they recommend. Two of his candidates were accepted to the class of 2017.

T. Carter Hagaman ’60, of Maplewood, New Jersey, has served as chair of the Harvard Club of New Jersey’s schools and scholarships committee, which covers Greater Essex County (the northeastern part of the state), since 2000. In addition, he is a former club president and chair of its nominating committee.

John Irving ’83, M.B.A. ’89, of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, has interviewed students since 1983 and is a former chair of his local schools and scholarships committee. He is also involved in other activities at the College, Harvard Business School, and the Graduate School of Design.

Margarita Montoto-Escalera ’78, M.B.A. ’85, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, began interviewing candidates as soon as she moved to the capital city in 1991, and later served as president of the local Harvard Business School club.

Elaine Hoffman Morris ’58, of New York City, has interviewed students for nearly 50 years, through her tenure as president of the Radcliffe Club of New York and then as co-chairperson of the Harvard Club of New York City.

Miguel M. Palos ’76 and Claudia Friederichs Palos, of Bradbury, California, have done schools and scholarships work in the Los Angeles area for 25 years, first as interviewers, then as area leaders in the San Gabriel Valley. In 2006, they also received the Harvard Club of Southern California’s John Harvard Award.

Milton Yasunaga ’77, J.D. ’81, of Honolulu, has chaired his local club’s schools and scholarships committee since 2001, but has been interviewing students for more than three decades. He says he aims to make the process “enjoyable, encouraging, and helpful for all applicants.”

Related topics

You might also like

Novelist Lev Grossman on Why Fantasy Isn’t About Escapism

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

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

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

Can new approaches to education address a growing gender gap?

What Trump Means for John Roberts’s Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Why Taxi Drivers Don’t Die of Alzheimer’s

Explaining taxi and ambulance drivers’ protection against Alzheimer’s disease.

Explore More From Current Issue

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

Anne Neal Petri in a navy suit leans on a wooden chair against an exterior wall of Mount Vernon..

Mount Vernon, Historic Preservation, and American Politics

Anne Neal Petri promotes George Washington and historic literacy.

Four young people sitting around a table playing a card game, with a chalkboard in the background.

On Weekends, These Harvard Math Professors Teach the Smaller Set

At Cambridge Math Circle, faculty and alumni share puzzles, riddles, and joy.