Nineteen Harvard seniors were commissioned as officers in the U.S. military during a ceremony in Sanders Theatre on May 27. The event, part of Harvard’s 375th Commencement celebrations, highlighted the tradition of service among university alumni.
Retired Air Force Lieutenant General Richard Clark addressed the new officers, using the story of Sherrod Skinner, a Harvard alumnus killed in Korea after sacrificing himself to save fellow Marines, as an example of leadership and commitment. Clark said, “He took that explosion himself to save his men. Lt. Skinner knew what it meant to hold the line. He knew what it meant to commit to something greater than himself.” Clark also outlined three core values for leaders: integrity, humility, and excellence.
Clark’s daughter Zoe Clark was among those commissioned as an Air Force second lieutenant at the event. The ceremony included welcoming remarks from Harvard President Alan Garber, who reflected on other notable alumni such as Edward Hutchinson Revere—Paul Revere’s grandson—who served and died treating wounded soldiers during the Civil War. Garber said, “In the year of the United States Semiquincentennial, we are reminded of the role that this place of learning and the people it has educated have played in the making of America.”
The names of 136 Harvard students and alumni who died in Civil War battles are inscribed on Memorial Hall’s walls where Wednesday’s event took place. With nearly 50,000 alumni having served since America’s founding—including 18 Medal of Honor recipients—Harvard claims more recipients than any other college or university outside U.S. service academies.
During Wednesday’s commissioning ceremony led by Lieutenant Colonel Tom Allen from MIT for Army ROTC, cadets took their oath and received insignia marking their new ranks: gold bars for second lieutenants and shoulder boards for ensigns. Each also received a biography of Winston Churchill and a commemorative coin from Harvard before exchanging first salutes with enlisted personnel or mentors.
The newly commissioned officers will serve across various fields including infantry, intelligence, aviation, submarines, medical corps, cyber warfare, and some will continue training or pursue further education before active duty.
