The honors, awarded at the Harvard Alumni Association’s winter meeting in February, celebrate both alumni and shared interest groups (SIGs) that have organized exceptional programs.
Established in 2015 to “create a strong, connected, collaborative community of Harvard University alumni who are practitioners, researchers, and leaders in the field of Education,” Harvard Alumni for Education (HAEd) has grown to include 1,200 members in chapters representing Boston, Washington, D.C., New York, and San Francisco, as well as Greater China, India, and Sub-Saharan Africa. HAEd has drawn on partnerships across the University and within the broader field of education to engage alumni across the globe and drive communications and programming, from a blog, quarterly newsletter, and a new podcast on startups to virtual events, happy hours, and networking gatherings.
Volunteers have successfully revitalized and expanded membership in the Harvard Club of India through initiatives that include revising club bylaws, upgrading technological communications, and enhancing programming. Events have ranged from Global Networking Night to gatherings with distinguished alumni. The club has also built trust and fostered engagement by making its election process more transparent. Moreover, to ensure University-wide outreach, the club’s executive committee has appointed liaisons to represent 10 schools at Harvard and eight cities throughout India.
A driving force behind the reinvigoration of the Harvard Club of Washington, D.C., club president T.K. Yang ’98, of Herndon, Virginia, has nurtured a collaborative and engaged board of directors, and recruited new board members. He has provided guidance regarding IT, policy, and operating procedures, spearheaded a members’ survey, and assisted with enrollment and troubleshooting—all of which has yielded a significant rise in club membership and in revenue. Club events include dinners, a public-service-award luncheon, events focused on community service and recent graduates, and behind-the-scenes tours featuring renowned speakers and foreign dignitaries.
Rebecca Dubowy Posten ’95, of Dallas, is a longtime leader of the Harvard Club of Dallas. A past president and treasurer, she now chairs the club’s board of directors and is in her second term as co-vice president of the programs committee. Posten and co-vice president Marlene Ingraham, A.L.B. ’90, have led activities for more than 550 members, including monthly luncheons with speakers, and programs for the Dallas “all-Ivy” community, such as an evening with Harvard professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic religion and cultures Ali Asani. As HAA director for Clubs and SIGs in Texas, she has also helped strengthen the volunteer community and advised alumni on issues ranging from nonprofit filings to club launches.
