Student and Alumnus Win Luce Fellowships

A Harvard senior and alumnus won one year-long fellowships designed to give America's future leaders a taste of Asian culture, the chair of a Harvard selection commitee said yesterday.

The national Luce Foundation selected Nicholas T. Dawidoff '85 and Benjamin R. Miller '89 for the fellowship this week, said Dean of Student Affairs at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Margot N. Gill, head of the four-member University nominating committee. She said the foundation awards 15 fellowships each year.

In August, the two will embark for their 11-month stint in East or Southeast Asia. Miller, a History and Science concentrator, said he will look at how science research is used by government and industry in Asia.

"I knew that I was qualified because it required at least a little ignorance," said Miller, who has little knowledge of Asia.

Luce fellows begin the program with a week-long orientation in language and contemporary Asian issues at Princeton, then travel to Hong Kong for further training, according to a Luce Foundation report. The report said the scholars are placed in internships by the federally-funded Asia Foundation.

"The placements are very specific to the individual and extremely diverse," said Jonathan S. Miller '72, a 1975 Luce scholar who is now a member of Harvard's selection committee.

At the end of the year, the scholars gather to compare their experiences. Miller, the general manager of the American Repertory Theater, studied Japanese theater architecture during his internship.

Dawidoff and Benjamin Miller were among 135 finalists from 60 colleges and universities across the country considered for fellowships, Gill said. Candidates must have had little exposure to Asia.

A spokesperson for the Luce Foundation said she could not comment on the decisions because the results have not been announced officially.