Video Feature
Crimson Connections: Walter Isaacson ’74 and Evan W. Thomas III ’73
In the final episode of "Crimson Connections", we spoke to Walter S. Isaacson '74 and Evan W. Thomas III '73. They met briefly at Harvard but became close after working together at Time Magazine. They began their accomplished media careers as print journalists after both having written for The Harvard Crimson. In 1986, the two co-wrote a book profiling key players in post-World War II American foreign policy. Since then, they have individually authored definitive biographies of figures including Steve Jobs, Robert F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein, Richard Nixon, and Leonardo da Vinci.
Crimson Connections: Walter Isaacson ’74 and Evan W. Thomas III ’73
Walter S. Isaacson ’74 and Evan W. Thomas III ’73 met briefly at Harvard but became close after working together at Time Magazine. They began their accomplished media careers as print journalists after both having written for The Harvard Crimson. In 1986, the two co-wrote a book profiling key players in post-World War II American foreign policy. Since then, they have individually authored definitive biographies of figures including Steve Jobs, Robert F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein, Richard Nixon, and Leonardo da Vinci. Filmed October 19, 2020. Hosted by Andrew W. Liang and Samuel W. Zwickel. Edited by Ryan N. Gajarawala.
Crimson Connections: Andrei Shleifer ’82 and J. Bradford DeLong ’82
As Weld Hall freshman roommates, Andrei Shliefer ’82 and J. Bradford DeLong ’82 spent evenings working through problem sets for Math 55 — among the most difficult undergraduate math courses in the country. Their collaborations soon turned to groundbreaking papers in behavioral finance and political economics. Now a Harvard economics professor, Shleifer has been awarded the coveted John Bates Clark Medal and is IDEAS’ top-ranked economist in the world. DeLong is an economics professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and previously oversaw economic policy for the U.S. Treasury under President Clinton. Filmed October 7, 2020. Hosted by Andrew W. Liang and Samuel W. Zwickel. Edited by Ryan N. Gajarawala.
Crimson Connections: Andrei Shleifer ’82 and J. Bradford DeLong ’82
In the next episode of "Crimson Connections", we spoke to Andrei Shleifer ’82 and J. Bradford DeLong ’82. As Weld Hall freshman roommates, they spent evenings working through problem sets for Math 55 — among the most difficult undergraduate math courses in the country. Their collaborations soon turned to groundbreaking papers in behavioral finance and political economics.
Crimson Connections: Mary Louise Kelly ’93 and Tracy P. Palandjian ’93
In the next episode of "Crimson Connections", we spoke to Mary Louise Kelly '93 and Tracy Palandjian '93. They aren’t in the same profession today, but their lives were intertwined as Harvard undergraduates. Kelly is now co-host of All Things Considered on NPR, and Palandjian is the co-founder of Social Finance, the impact investing nonprofit, and former vice chair of the Harvard Board of Overseers.
Crimson Connections: Mary Louise Kelly ’93 and Tracy P. Palandjian ’93
Mary Louise Kelly ’93 and Tracy Palandjian ’93 aren’t in the same profession today, but their lives were intertwined as Harvard undergraduates. Kelly is now co-host of All Things Considered on NPR, and Palandjian is the co-founder of Social Finance, the impact investing nonprofit, and former vice chair of the Harvard Board of Overseers. While in college, Kelly wrote for The Harvard Crimson, and Palandjian worked in the Eliot House Grille. The two were “honorary roommates” in the house—members of a tight-knit friend group that continues to gather annually. Filmed October 11, 2020.
Crimson Connections: Jill E. Abramson ’76 and Amy Wilentz ’76
In the next episode of "Crimson Connections", we spoke to Jill E. Abramson '76 and Amy Wilentz '76. Before Abramson sat at the helm of The New York Times and Wilentz embedded herself within post-Duvalier Haiti, these decorated journalists were Mather House roommates and kicked off their reporting careers as undergraduates — Wilentz for The Crimson and Abramson as a theatre critic for The Harvard Independent. They were part of the first cohort of women to live in Harvard Yard.
Crimson Connections: Jill E. Abramson ’76 and Amy Wilentz ’76
Before Jill E. Abramson ’76 sat at the helm of The New York Times and Amy Wilentz ’76 embedded herself within post-Duvalier Haiti, the two’s college misadventures were the subject of a Commencement feature in The Harvard Crimson. These decorated journalists were Mather House roommates and kicked off their reporting careers as undergraduates — Wilentz for The Crimson and Abramson as a theatre critic for The Harvard Independent. They were part of the first cohort of women to live in Harvard Yard. Filmed October 2, 2020.
Crimson Connections: Mark J. Penn ’76 and Doug E. Schoen ’74
In the next episode of "Crimson Connections", we spoke to Mark J. Penn '76 and Doug E. Schoen '74. Their collaboration culminated in half a decade as the architects of the polling-driven strategy of President Bill Clinton; the duo is commonly credited with helping Clinton to win re-election in 1996. Penn remembers giving the final poll result to the incumbent president on Air Force One on election night, and Doug recalls personally walking into Trump Tower to demand a check from future president Donald Trump, who in the 1980s was already surveying his political viability.
Crimson Connections: Mark J. Penn ’76 and Doug E. Schoen ’74
A revolutionary approach to polling took Harvard buddies Mark J. Penn ’76 and Doug E. Schoen ’74 from the halls of The Harvard Crimson to South America, Israel, and New York City — just three of the locations where political leaders won stunning electoral triumphs based on their advice. Their collaboration culminated in half a decade as the architects of the polling-driven strategy of President Bill Clinton; the duo is commonly credited with helping Clinton to win re-election in 1996. Penn remembers giving the final poll result to the incumbent president on Air Force One on election night, and Doug recalls personally walking into Trump Tower to demand a check from future president Donald Trump, who in the 1980s was already surveying his political viability. Filmed December 10, 2020.
Crimson Connections: William A. Ackman ’88 and Paul C. Hilal ’88
Two decades before their careers converged as activist hedge fund managers, William A. Ackman ’88 and Paul C. Hilal ’88 were arguing about everything, including the physics of weightlifting in a Harvard gym. Bill recalls that he was always right. He would not have submitted a timely Social Studies thesis, however, without a kick from Paul. The Lowell House roommates — who came to invest billions together at Pershing Square Capital Management — first met in their house dining hall after an introduction by a mutual friend. They reflect on finding fulfillment in finance and in the company of one another. Filmed October 15, 2020.
Crimson Connections: William A. Ackman ’88 and Paul C. Hilal ’88
In a new video series presented by The Crimson, we reunite two prominent figures who were roommates back at Harvard. Two decades before their careers converged as activist hedge fund managers, William A. Ackman ’88 and Paul C. Hilal ’88 were arguing about everything, including the physics of weightlifting in a Harvard gym.
Can Harvard + Yale Students Fall in Love via Zoom? Inspired by "36 Questions That Lead to Love"
This Valentine's Day The Harvard Crimson teamed up with Yale Daily News's YTV to pair up 13 students from their respective schools for blind Zoom dates to see if they could overcome a centuries-old rivalry—using our set of questions inspired by the New York Times's "36 Questions That Lead to Love."
Fifteen Seniors in the Harvard Class of 2021
We spent fifteen(ish) seconds with fifteen different Seniors of the Class of 2021 to see what they've been doing amid the coronavirus pandemic. Come along and join us!
‘A Recipe for Instability’ As Multiple Harvard Unions to Seek Contracts Amid Pandemic
In the midst of a global pandemic, Harvard will be negotiating contracts with five of its unions this year. Given those unprecedented circumstances, union members believe contract provisions regarding health and safety, job security, and compensation will take priority, and bargaining may take place remotely. Despite the constraints and hardships COVID-19 poses on a temporary basis, its alterations to contract negotiations will likely have a lasting impact.
'The Senior Spring That We Didn’t Get'
After Harvard mandated students return home for the remainder of the spring semester to prevent the spread of coronavirus on campus, the Class of 2020 lost innumerable traditions, farewells, and last memories of places and people they might never see again. In the weeks leading up to their online graduation, seniors have been forced to reimagine the canonical senior spring experience, trading spring break trips for service projects, final sports seasons for at-home gyms, and stage performances for virtual fans. The Crimson asked several of them to share videos of how they have spent the last few months. Here’s what they sent.
Week 1 of Harvard's Grad Student Strike
Harvard’s graduate student union went on strike last week on the final day of fall classes. One week later, pickets continue across campus with no end in sight yet. The union announced their decision to strike last month, days after members overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike. The union and the University have met for 28 bargaining sessions since October 2018 and tentatively agreed on 12 contract provisions. Differences on key issues, however, remain: They have yet to find common ground on health care, compensation, and a procedure to adjudicate sexual harassment and discrimination complaints. The strike has already impacted University operations — several classes had to reduce hours allocated to review sessions and some had to move classes out of Harvard Yard. In addition, some deliveries were disrupted across campus last week as picketers stood in front of loading docks and asked drivers to not deliver their goods.
Fifteen Most Interesting Seniors in the Harvard Class of 2020
We spent fifteen(ish) seconds with each of Fifteen Minutes Magazine's picks for the Most Interesting members of the Class of 2020.
HGSU Strike: Day 1
On Tuesday at midnight, the Harvard's graduate student union went on strike. After over a year of unsuccessful contract negotiations, union members began picketing in Harvard Yard 10:00 a.m. Tuesday. Major points of contention include health care, compensation, and sexual harassment and discrimination grievance procedures. Hundreds of striking union members have given up teaching responsibilities including grading assignments, holding review sessions, and hosting office hours following the last day of regular classes at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
SFFA v. Harvard Decision Explained
On Tuesday, October 1, 2019, Federal Judge Allison D. Burroughs ruled that Harvard's admissions practices are legal. The decision brought an end to the first stage of the lawsuit between anti-affirmative action advocacy group Students for Fair Admissions and the college
Boston Marathon 2019: Jenn E. Greiner
Jenn E. Greiner '21 is running the Boston Marathon to raise money for the Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA). Jenn will be running on Monday as a part of the Harvard College Marathon Challenge.
Harvard Olympian: Eli R. Dershwitz
The Crimson interviewed Eli R. Dershwitz '19, a world-class fencer and senior at Harvard, about his fencing career, life at Harvard, and how he balances it all.