A number of Campus Services employees share a special connection with Harvard’s incoming president. Claudine Gay, whose parents are Haitian immigrants, will officially become president this summer. The announcement of her election was recently held at the Smith Campus Center and some of the custodial staff who helped organize and prepare for the event found it extra special, since they too trace their roots to Haiti. “I’m so happy, so excited,” said Custodian Jean Louis who arrived in the United States more than a decade ago and has worked at Harvard since 2014. “It’s wonderful to have someone with a connection to Haiti, at such a high level at Harvard.” Custodial Crew Chief Gabie Diligent, who came to the U.S. from Haiti in 2010, said she feels very good about the news. “It’s a big step, a big deal, and I’m very proud of her. I didn’t know her parents were from Haiti until she mentioned it in her speech. I was surprised!”
President-elect Gay will officially step into her new role on July 1st. Other Campus Services departments also played a role in the announcement event including Harvard Common Spaces and Harvard Real Estate.
Photo (l-r): Custodians Ana Guevara, Gabie Diligent, Jean Louis, and Doris Reina-Landaverde meet with Harvard’s President-elect Claudine Gay. Jean Louis and Gabie Diligent are both from Haiti.
Photo Credit: Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard University
