Seniors Pay Tribute to Former President

Three days before walking the stage to receive their own share of honors, a few members of the graduating Class of 2008 gathered in the Eliot House dining hall Monday to celebrate a new initiate.

Former University President Lawrence H. Summers arrived nine minutes after the event’s scheduled start time, and was swiftly rewarded with testaments from students who took the podium to recall the high points of his presidency and professorship. The recollections ranged from Summers’ work on financial aid, to his support for undergraduate student events, to the famous appearances at student dances that marked his tenure in the University’s top spot.

The event featured no prepared remarks from Summers—who said he would leave that to others later in the week. Instead, the former president, before being bestowed with an honorary membership in the Class of 2008 by First Class Marshall Alexander J. Tennant ’08, spoke briefly on the advantages of leaving University housing behind and the tasks ahead of the graduates.

Summers, who recently returned from a week in Israel with his wife and step-daughter, recalled attending the 18th birthday party of a friend’s child during the trip and hearing the teenagers discuss their impending conscription into the armed forces. (Israel requires men and women to serve time in the military upon reaching the age of majority.)

Speaking before a crowd of about 100, the former president went on to draw a parallel between the indispensable contribution of the Israeli youths to their country and the responsibility of the graduating class to have a similar impact.

“I really like how he was able to join a small event, an event for undergraduates, to the potential to really do something great,” said Brian S. Gillis ’07-’08

Upon receiving his class membership, Summers acknowledged being “touched,” but quipped that he could only accept the honor on the condition that he would not be asked to donate as an alum—an unhappy circumstance that he said he has encountered after receiving honorary membership from several other classes at various alumni events.

“You sniffed us out on that one,” said Tennant before presenting Summers with a Class of 2008 sweatshirt and a set of 2008 liquor glasses.

While his remarks were short, Summers seemed to enjoy his celebrity, spending several minutes after the event greeting well-wishers, taking photos, and accepting thanks from seniors and their families. At one point the former treasury secretary was asked to sign a dollar bill. He obliged.

“He’s very famous,” a mother told her child, not even waist-high, pointing at Summers.

When the child, four-year old James Corcoran, made his way to the front of the line, he was rewarded with plenty of attention.

“To James,” Summers said, reading aloud a message he had written down for the boy. “Study. And come take my class in 10 years.” The former president, saying that he wished to test his strength, then asked Corcoran if he wanted to be lifted into the air. Soon James’ feet were dangling in the vicinity of Summers’ shoulders.

Gillis said he organized yesterday’s event when he realized that Summers would not have a formal role in the Commencement ceremonies.

“I was auditing Summers’ Globalization class, and I’ve always felt Summers was an important person here at Harvard, and I felt kind of bad that he had nothing to do with Commencement week,” Gillis said. “I just really wanted to hear from him.”

The event was originally scheduled for Adams Lower Common Room, but had to be moved to Eliot Dining Hall when over 300 people showed interest, Gillis said. Many of Monday’s attendees appeared to be the interested parents of soon-to-be graduates.

Asked after the event whether he had any designs on reprising the dance moves that made him famous in past years, Summers indicated that the option was on the table, “if I’m invited by students to do things.”

“I didn’t realize people were going to talk about me,” he said of Monday’s event. “I was sort of surprised and flattered.”

—Staff writer Christian B. Flow can be reached at cflow@fas.harvard.edu.