Commencement | June 8, 2017

Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Centennial Medalists of 2017

Honorands whose contributions to society emerged from graduate study

From The July-August 2017 Issue

**Graduate School of Arts and Sciences honorees (from left) Russell A. Mittermeier, Sarah P. Morris, Thomas F. Pettigrew, and Richard Sennett** | Photograph by Tony Rinaldo/Courtesy of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

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 contributions to society that emerged from their graduate studies. It is the highest honor GSAS bestows, and awardees include some of Harvard’s most accomplished alumni. The 2017 recipients, announced at a ceremony on May 24, are: Russell A. Mittermeier, Ph.D. ’77, a primatologist, herpetologist, and conservation advocate; Sarah P. Morris, Ph.D. ’81, a classicist and archaeologist; Thomas F. Pettigrew, Ph.D. ’56, an expert on racism and intergroup relations; and Richard Sennett, Ph.D. ’69, a sociologist who writes about cities, labor, and culture. For more about the medalists, see harvardmag.com/centennial-17.

Published in the July-August 2017 print issue under the headline “Centennial Medalists,” in the Alumni section.

You might also like

Graduates in caps and gowns celebrate joyfully, raising their hands in excitement.

Conan O’Brien headlines a star-studded cast

Smiling astronaut in blue jumpsuit speaking at a podium, colorful background.

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

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

Older woman in a white outfit with a cane and red sash, alongside an elderly man in a gray suit holding a sign.

Harvard Honors Its Oldest Alumni

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

Most popular

Two laboratory researchers, one seated and one standing, in a scientific lab with equipment.

The stakes are high for this husband and wife: one of them will die if they don’t find a cure.

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.

A busy classroom filled with students working at computers, colorful decor, and a bright atmosphere.

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

A smiling William C. Kirby in a suit with glasses stands outdoors, surrounded by greenery.

Editor’s Letter

The president of Harvard Magazine’s Board of Directors will step down in September.

Technology

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

Research

The stakes are high for this husband and wife: one of them will die if they don’t find a cure.