John Fan PhD ’72 came to Harvard because “it is a great place to learn,” but admits that it was easy to feel a little lost when he first arrived from the West Coast via Berkeley. “When I was a graduate student, there was no Dudley House, no orientation, and no formal training on how to write or present,” says Fan, who was raised in Hong Kong.
Things have changed at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) and he and his wife, Stephanie, are delighted to support that change with a gift for the English Language Program (ELP).
Now in its 18th year, ELP offers three weeks of intensive reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension instruction for international students before they begin their graduate work. The program was started through a generous gift of Ken Froewiss ’67, PhD ’77. ELP helps prepare students for a life at Harvard and develop the competencies they will need for future roles as teaching fellows, tutors, and laboratory assistants. Not only does ELP help to eliminate any potential language barriers for incoming students, it also helps to attract top graduate students from across the globe.
“This program is more than just about the language—it’s helping students understand the culture of Boston and of Harvard,” says Fan. Stephanie, who at one time managed the English as a Second Language Program in Boston Public Schools, agrees about ELP’s importance.
For Fan, who earned a doctorate in applied physics, Harvard was a time to explore where he was going to apply his talents.
“One of the things that the GSAS taught me was to dream and keep dreaming,” he says. “Harvard encouraged me to think about what I can do to change the world and how to make the world a better place.”
He is founder, chair, and CEO of Kopin Corporation, a global company perhaps best known for its vertically grown power transistors, now used in almost every smartphone worldwide and for its tiny liquid crystal displays, used in consumer cameras and camcorders, as well as in defense industries. He is a prodigious entrepreneur and authority in his field, having written 200 publications, edited three books, and held over 70 issued patents. The company is now venturing into wearable computer technology.
“We have another chance to redefine how we interact with technology,” says Fan. “This new wearable drive has so many twists and turns. It is very exciting and keeps me young.”
Harvard has remained an integral part of Fan’s life. In addition to staying in regular touch with his Harvard peers for advice on wearable technology, and serving on the GSAS Alumni Council for over 11 years, Fan is the proud father of GSAS graduate Melina C. M. Fan, PhD ’04.
He’s particularly energized to think about the impact of his multiyear gift on future GSAS students. “Harvard should be commended,” he says. “I really want to support them as they enhance the program and offer it to more students.”
Support Harvard today with a gift to the Graduate School Fund.
This story first appeared in Colloquy, the alumni magazine for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.