Hunt Woos Important Visitors to Harvard

Over the past several years, he has chatted with the princess of Thailand, the King of Jordan, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, the Chinese President and over 3,000 others of national and international renown.

For Richard M. Hunt it's all in a day's work. As University marshal, he is in charge of coordinating and supervising all visits to the University by scholars, leaders, journalists and other recognized figures.

The mysterious inhabitant of Wadsworth House, the yellow building across from Au Bon Pain and next to Wigglesworth Hall, Hunt is known to many students simply as the man who helps organize Commencement in June.

His job, however, extends far beyond the limits of Commencement week.

One day Hunt may be working closely with students and professors to decide where Harvard's visiting dignitaries will travel on campus and with whom they will meet. The next he will be extending invitations to the next round of guests.

But however varied his tasks, the University marshal's office is above all a public relations apparatus--another arm of the extensive Harvard system, designed to coordinate the image the University presents when delegates leave the campus and preparing a ceremonious welcome for all visitors.

Presenting a Pretty Face

Whenever any student organization or school within the University wishes to invite a well-known scholar, government official, or public figure to visit and speak here, the University Marshal's office is the first necessary stopping point.

"The University Marshal's office handles visits from international visitors who come on an official basis and very regularly," Hunt says. "It is our responsibility to set up appointments so they can meet people."

All outside speakers at the Kennedy School of Government (KSG) pass through the marshal's office on their way to the ARCO Forum--in addition to visitors at any of Harvard's other eight tubs.

His office also sends out all invitations to national and international figures asked by individual schools or professors to visit Harvard.

"It may not seem very complex, but it is," Hunt says. "It involves being sure an invitation that goes out is not going to conflict with an invitation that is outstanding."

Hunt's office is welcoming to all, he says. Because it serves merely as the clearing house for coordinating and sending invitations to prospective visitors, it doesn't take political positions.

"If a group wishes to invite someone, our policy is to be hospitable and to arrange meetings," Hunt says. "Our main goal is to be sure that invitations aren't overlapping."

Harvard is not always the one to take initiative in inviting dignitaries.

Through World Boston Organization, an arm of the State Department, people from around the world request to speak with Harvard faculty members. The University marshal's office will provide the link between the outside world and Harvard.

"We get a real range of people, including journalists, lawyers, judges and scientists that come from 80-90 countries," says Jill R. Chamberlain, assistant director for administration who works in the marshal's office.

Finally, it is Hunt's responsibility to appoint delegates to represent Harvard at different universities and professional associations in the United States and in other countries and to coordinate their trips. The University usually disperses 60 delegates to the four corners of the world.

The Loose Ends

Beyond the high-profile tasks of inviting and receiving the visitors, Hunt must coordinate the behind-the-scenes details of pomp and circumstance.

To prepare for visits, the University Marshal advises particular groups and organizations on protocol for certain visitors. For example, Hunt says, his office frequently instructs students and faculty on the proper way to greet visitors and to write invitations or thank you notes.

Hunt works closely with the Crimson Key Society to organize tours and orientation sessions for interested visitors.

"The undergraduates know the undergraduate life," he says. "So they can best give informational tours of Harvard Yard, Widener, etc."

And, of course, there is always the important job of hanging the correct flag from the Yard side of University Hall when foreign visitors come.

When a high-profile visitor arrives, Hunt also helps with security arrangements.

The Best Autograph Book

Perhaps most important of Hunt's duties is as keeper of the guest book.

Every time an important national or international visitor comes to Harvard, the first stop is usually Hunt's plush and ornately decorated office. Each visitor then signs the official guest book, of which there are eight or nine volumes that date back 30 or 40 years.

"They're an autograph collector's dream," Hunt says.

The most interesting signature, he says, is that of Jiang Zemin, the president of China.

"Jiang Zemin took the entire page," Hunt says. "He said, would we mind if he used a brush. His signature looked like calligraphy in Chinese."

"The interesting thing is that the day before, [Vice President] Al Gore was here and signed his name very little. Jiang Zemin noticed that he took the whole page and Vice President Gore signed much smaller, but said, 'It's because our country China is much bigger,'" he adds.

Hunt's office bears witness to the many visitors who have signed the book over the years. Gifts from famous guests line the walls.

Commencement Duties

Commencement, the longest continuous running springtime festival in American history, also falls under the umbrella of responsibilities of the University Marshal.

"I help plan and coordinate the event," Hunt says, noting the

complexities of planning for the more than 30,000 degree candidates, parents, visitors, friends and faculty who attend each year.

Along with Commencement, Hunt coordinates the honorary degree, which are awarded each spring at the ceremony

A Job Well-Liked

One might then expect that after meeting more than 1,100 leaders and scholars each year, Hunt might not be wowed by anyone. But according to him, it's always incredible to see world leaders and scholars.

"There's no question that the most awesome individual, the most awesome moral figure, that I've met is Nelson Mandela," Hunt says.

More and more, Hunt said, when foreign officials visit Washington for official visits, many stop in Boston.

"It puts Harvard on the map, and is good in many ways," he said. "It helps us be a place people feel they have profited from visiting."