Anna Cowenhoven Returns to Lead Faculty of Arts and Sciences Communications

Anna G. Cowenhoven returned to her position as the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ top communications official on Sept. 16 after a year-long stint leading public affairs at the University of Pennsylvania.

Cowenhoven announced her departure from Penn seven months after former Penn President Elizabeth Magill and Scott Bok, the chair of Penn’s board of trustees, resigned in the wake of the same congressional hearing that sent Claudine Gay’s Harvard presidency into a fatal spiral. She had served in the role since August 2023.

In an email to FAS staff about Cowenhoven’s appointment, FAS Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra praised Cowenhoven for “managing complex and sensitive University issues through a period of profound institutional challenge” at Penn.

Cowenhoven previously served in communications roles at Harvard for 10 years. At the time of her departure, she led the FAS’ communications team under Gay, then serving as FAS dean.

Holly J. Jensen, a former spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, filled the top FAS communications post for a brief, four-month tenure before leaving Harvard in May. Jonathan Palumbo, the lead spokesperson for Harvard College, and FAS editorial director Jill Radsken led the FAS’ communications office as administrators sought a replacement for Jensen.

The turnover among Harvard’s spokespeople comes at a trying time for the University. Though Harvard has a new slate of permanent leaders at the helm, it’s currently embroiled in an ongoing congressional investigation into campus antisemitism and a steady drumbeat of media attention.

Cowenhoven previously oversaw the FAS’ communications strategy around the Supreme Court case challenging Harvard’s use of race-conscious admissions — a topic that is back in the news after Harvard College released race data for its first admitted class since affirmative action fell.

Meanwhile, faculty members in the FAS are looking to take on a stronger role in governance — and are increasingly willing to publicly voice their opposition to administrative decisions, both in official forums and in the papers.

At Tuesday’s FAS meeting, Hoekstra told attendees that “communications are more important than ever,” both internally and externally.

Hoekstra acknowledged the political headwinds at Tuesday’s FAS meeting, saying she planned to emphasize “making the case externally for the impact of our teaching and research nationally and globally.”

“With your help, we can take back our narrative,” she said.

—Staff writer Tilly R. Robinson can be reached at tilly.robinson@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @tillyrobin.

—Staff writer Neil H. Shah can be reached at neil.shah@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @neilhshah15.