Symbolically following in the footsteps of those who came before them, members of the Harvard College Class of 2019 took their place among alumni in a procession from the dorms to Tercentenary Theatre for Freshman Convocation on September 1. More than 200 alumni marshals—spanning class years, state lines, and national borders—returned to Cambridge for the ceremony, joining University leaders in formally welcoming the next generation into the Harvard community.
Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) President Paul L. Choi AB '86, JD '89 stressed to freshmen that while their Harvard journey begins at Convocation, it does not end at Commencement.
"You have joined a long history of distinguished people who make up our alumni," said Choi, noting students will become members of the HAA after completing their first semester. "Harvard would not be the institution it is today without the nearly 400-year history of dedicated alumni who have contributed their time, energy, and resources to this place."
The fabric of Harvard
To see examples of alumni engagement with the College, students needed look no further than the many volunteer marshals spread around the Yard.
Stuart Jones AB '77 traveled from Dallas, Texas, to serve as a marshal for Straus Hall. A leader in the Harvard Club of Dallas and a member of many class reunion gift committees, Jones said he volunteers in order to reconnect with Harvard.
"It revitalizes me. It refreshes me," said Jones, who interviews prospective students as part of the Dallas Club’s Schools & Scholarships Committee. "When I talk to students, I talk about how Harvard will choose different threads from which they're going to weave a 1,600-count fabric. And it's not a fabric for four years; it's a fabric for life."
Jones urged freshmen to make the most of their Harvard experience, both as students and later in life as alumni. "Go wide and explore the edges," he said. "A tree's limbs can only grow as broad as the root structure."
A strong bond
For Andrea Palounek AB '78, who came from Los Alamos, New Mexico, to serve as a marshal for Matthews Hall, coming together with students and fellow alumni at Convocation reinforced the bond she feels with Harvard and all those who pass through its gates.
"This place is very dear to my heart,” said Palounek, who has volunteered as an alumni admissions interviewer for over 20 years. "It was a very happy day. Seeing the energy and enthusiasm—the joy that people have to be here—was fantastic."
Reflecting on her own undergraduate experience, Palounek recalled a term-time job reading surveys of Radcliffe alumnae in preparation for the 100th anniversary of the Harvard Annex. "I spent hours upon hours reading the thoughts of these women who had come before me, class by class. It was wonderful and fascinating. It gave me this marvelous sense of history," she said. "I want to maintain that tradition."
Staying connected
As an alumni interviewer for 40 years, Brian E. McManus MBA '67 said it was a thrill to meet members of the freshman class. "To me, it's an extension of the interviewing process to see the students come here and start on their road," said McManus, who traveled from Fort Worth, Texas, to join his daughter, Alison E. McManus AB '99, as a marshal for Wigglesworth Hall.
For the younger McManus, volunteering at Convocation is just one of the many ways she stays connected to Harvard, including co-chairing her class's recent 15th Reunion, serving as the class webmaster, and, like her father, interviewing prospective students.
"I really enjoyed my Harvard experience, and I like being able to still be involved and give back," she said. "It's a lifelong community. Even though the four years here are impactful and a uniquely special experience in your life, it's the larger community—that you become a part of after you graduate from Harvard—that truly impacts your life."
Read more about Freshman Convocation in the Harvard Gazette.
Learn more about how to get involved with the Harvard Alumni Association.