Honor for Native American
Harvard University announced today that it will honor one of the first Native Americans ever to attend Harvard College with a special posthumous degree at its 2011 Commencement exercises on May 26. Joel Iacoomes, a member of the Wampanoag tribe, died in 1665 shortly after having completed four years of study in Harvard College but just before he was to participate in Commencement. In addition to recognizing Iacoomes’ achievement as one of the two original Wampanoag students at Harvard, this special degree commemorates the historical bonds between Harvard and the Native American community as the University prepares to celebrate its 375th anniversary. “It is fitting that we honor Joel Iacoomes as Harvard marks the 375th anniversary of its founding,” said Harvard President Drew Faust. “With the presentation of this degree, we also recognize some of the commitments that were fundamental to the founding of Harvard: a commitment to a diversity of students, a...