Harvard Medalists

The Harvard Alumni Association surprised President Lawrence H. Summers during its annual meeting on June 8 by awarding him a Harvard Medal for...

The Harvard Alumni Association surprised President Lawrence H. Summers during its annual meeting on June 8 by awarding him a Harvard Medal for outstanding service. Three other medalists were also publicly thanked and cited, by Summers, at the meeting.

Sidney Knafel
Photograph by Stu Rosner
Chester Stone III
Photograph by Stu Rosner
Chase Peterson
Photograph by Stu Rosner

Sidney R. Knafel ’52, M.B.A. ’54, of New York City—As a loyal alumni leader and philanthropist, your enduring commitment to education and to Harvard has built a lasting legacy for our scholars and students, enabling them to make a difference in the world and a world of difference.

Chase Peterson ’52, M.D. ’56, of Park City, Utah—From your medical practice in Salt Lake City, you were called back to your alma mater as dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard College, and later the first vice president for alumni affairs and development. We thank you for making Harvard a better place by advocating change, affirming diversity, and standing up for excellence.

Chester “Chet” Stone III, of Scituate, Massachusetts—As Lord Mayor of Dillon Field House, you were the man behind the mortar for countless Harvard athletes, equipping our students for play and for life through your encouragement, hard work, and bedrock devotion.

Lawrence H. Summers
Photograph by Stu Rosner

Lawrence H. Summers, Ph.D. ’82, of Cambridge—As University President and professor, your passionate pursuit of excellence has left an indelible mark on Harvard, demanding and supplying a bold vision of the future while challenging Harvard to maximize the use of all its resources for the greater good.

 

Most popular

Social Media Use and Adult Depression

A survey reveals suprising links between social media use and depression in adults.

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

In 2004, a frenzy spread across Harvard Yard in days. Four billion users later, we are only just catching up.

Explore More From Current Issue

Three actors perform on stage, with one actor interacting closely with another, set against abstract backgrounds.

The play Spare Parts is a contemporary fable about the quest to live forever.

Runners compete on a track, with a Harvard athlete in the foreground and others behind.

After a historic 2025-26 season, athletes eye NCAA championships.

Caricature of a young man in front of red doors, wearing a green striped sweater.

In 1954, Gregory Corso moved into Eliot House. How he stayed there is a literary legend.