The Iranian Crisis Hits Home in Cambridge

The Iranian crisis also hit home this week to friends of Elizabeth A. Swift '62, who confirmed that Iranian students are holding her among the 50 hostages at the U.S. embassy in Tehran.

Although the Iranian militants released 13 black and women hostages last week "whose espionage has not been proved," they refused to release Swift and one other woman.

The U.S. State Department confirmed earlier this week that Swift, a firmed earlier this week that Swift, a senior-ranking foreign service officer in charge of relaying political information to the U.S., had been recently assigned to the Tehran embassy. The militants say they plan to try and execute the remaining hostages as spies.

Swift, a transfer student from Stanford University, spent her sophomore year here in Cabot Hall before moving into off-campus housing for the junior and senior year Strongly interested in government, the cum laude History graduate remained actively involved in the Young Democratic Club.

"She wanted to be a foreign services officer, and that's what she is," a classmate of Swift in both prep school and Radcliffe said.

The Swift family of Washington, D.C., has refused to comment on the matter, even with family friends, a friend who visited the Swifts last week said.

Many of Swift's acquaintances, however, cite her resourcefulness in tough situations, like the embassy crisis.

"I would hardly call her a docile person," a former Cabot Hall resident said. Another friend commented, "She's sensitive person, a somewhat frequent observer of human nature," adding, "she may need that now."