The 2013 Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Centennial Medalists

The 2013 Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Centennial Medalists

Clockwise from top left: Everett Mendelsohn, Arnold Rampersad, Louise Richardson, and Sherry Turkle

Clockwise from top left: Everett Mendelsohn, Arnold Rampersad, Louise Richardson, and Sherry Turkle | Photographs by Martha Stewart

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Centennial Medal, first awarded in 1989 on the occasion of the school’s hundredth anniversary, honors alumni who have made notable contributions to society that emerged from their graduate study at Harvard. It is the highest honor that the Graduate School bestows, and awardees include some of Harvard’s most accomplished alumni. The 2013 recipients, announced at a ceremony on May 29, are: Everett Mendelsohn, Ph.D. ’60, professor of the history of science emeritus; biographer and scholar of American literature Arnold Rampersad, Ph.D. ’73, Stanford’s Kimball professor in the humanities emeritus; Louise Richardson, Ph.D. ’89, formerly professor of government and executive dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard, now principal and vice-chancellor of the University of St Andrews; and Sherry Turkle ’69, Ph.D. ’76, professor of the social studies of science and technology at MIT. For more about the honorands, see www.harvardmag.com/medalists-13.

Related topics

You might also like

Harvard Honors Its Oldest Alumni

At 97 and 101, Linda Cabot Black ’51 and William “Bill” Dubey ’46 led the way on Alumni Day.

Shakespeare and Stephen King Have a Lot in Common

Shakespeare scholar Caroline Bicks studies horror and fear in literature. 

Harvard Elects New Overseers, HAA Directors

Leaders for the governing board and alumni association were chosen by an alumni vote.

Most popular

Ronny Chieng Tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as Graduates Cheer

The comedian and The Daily Show host gave the keynote address for Class Day 2026.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Don’t Be A ‘Solo Superhero,’ Jonny Kim Tells Harvard Alumni

The astronaut, doctor, and Navy SEAL delivered keynote remarks on Alumni Day.

Explore More From Current Issue

Portrait of a man with white hair, wearing a black coat, arms crossed, thoughtful expression.

The Framer Who Refused to Sign the Constitution

Harvard’s Elbridge Gerry helped draft the U.S. Constitution, but worried it might create a new monarch.

Katie Benzan stands on a basketball court holding a ball, with a hoop in the background.

How Women Are Changing the NBA

From coaching staffs to front offices, female leaders are bringing new strategies to men’s basketball.

Brick archway with a sandy base, surrounded by wooden planks and boxes in a dim space.

How the American Revolution Freed a Future Abolitionist

Darby Vassall, an enslaved child freed after the Battle of Bunker Hill, dedicated his life to fighting for liberty.