Incoming Harvard Alumni Association president aims to continue people-centered leadership of predecessor
For Martin J. “Marty” Grasso Jr. ’78, what truly sets Harvard apart are the exceptional people. Speaking to graduating seniors at Class Day a year ago as the incoming president of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA), Grasso reflected on the vibrant and long-lasting relationships he has enjoyed during his more than 40-year association with the University. “I have come to realize that the greatest thing that Harvard gives us,” he said, “is us.” His experiences as HAA president over the past year have only reinforced this idea. Meeting his fellow alumni across the country and around the world, Grasso has been struck by their enduring enthusiasm for Harvard, no matter how many years or miles removed they are from Cambridge. “Alumni are our ambassadors, and I’ve never seen that more than I have this year,” he said. “They’ve maintained this extraordinary thirst for knowledge of their alma mater, and they exhibit a...