Four recipients to be presented with the Harvard Medal for outstanding service

The Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) has revealed that Kathy Delaney-Smith, Paul J. Finnegan ’75, M.B.A. ’82, Carolyn Hughes ’54, and David Johnston ’63 will be the recipients of the 2025 Harvard Medal.

Initially awarded in 1981, the Harvard Medal honors exceptional contributions to the University in various domains, such as leadership, fundraising, teaching, innovation, administration, and volunteerism. Alumni, former faculty and staff, and members associated with the University are eligible for consideration. The medals are set to be conferred on the recipients during Harvard Alumni Day on June 6.

Kathy Delaney-Smith

The most successful coach in the history of Ivy League sports, regardless of gender, and a pioneer for gender equality, Kathy Delaney-Smith elevated Harvard basketball’s standing both nationally and internationally.

With 630 career wins, Delaney-Smith steered Harvard Women’s Basketball to 11 Ivy League championships and 16 postseason appearances throughout her 40 seasons with the Crimson — the second-longest coaching career among NCAA Division 1 coaches. To honor her remarkable tenure, the women’s coaching role was rebranded as the Kathy Delaney-Smith Head Coach for Harvard Women’s Basketball upon her retirement.

The inaugural woman inducted into the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, Delaney-Smith has been recognized for her coaching prowess and her advocacy for gender equity in sports.

Her nurturing yet firm coaching methodology was defined by her “act as if” philosophy, inspiring team members to embody the confidence of having already met their aspirations. She embraced visualization, mindfulness, and sports psychology well ahead of their widespread adoption and, throughout her extensive career, has supported players through challenging times beyond the court. At the request of basketball alumnae, she authored the book “Grit and Wit: Empowering Lives and Leaders,” released earlier this year.

Delaney-Smith joined Harvard in 1982 after achieving a 204–31 record at Westwood (Massachusetts) High School, with six undefeated seasons and one state championship. While at Westwood, she fought for equitable resources for the girls’ team. Additionally, she coached USA Women’s Basketball three times, including the squad that secured gold at the World University Games in Turkey in 2005.

A survivor of cancer, Delaney-Smith has devoted significant time to supporting the American Cancer Society and promoting the importance of early detection, for which she received the Gilda Radner Award.

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Paul J. Finnegan

Paul Finnegan has been a steadfast and passionate advocate for Harvard for more than 40 years, contributing his knowledge and steady presence in top leadership roles, including as a member of the Harvard Corporation, University treasurer, Harvard Overseer, chair of the Harvard Management Company, and HAA president. Driven by his dedication to education and love for his alma mater, Finnegan has relentlessly worked to enhance the University’s financial stability, governance, and academic mission.

Finnegan served on the Harvard Corporation, the University’s senior governing board, for 12 years. From 2014 to 2023, he acted as University treasurer, where his financial expertise and rich institutional insights informed the University’s financial administration and facilitated significant transformations at Harvard Management Company, which he led from 2015 to 2024.

Finnegan was instrumental behind The Harvard Campaign, orchestrating and leading fundraising initiatives as executive committee co-chair to secure an impressive $9.6 billion — turning it into the most successful fundraising endeavor in the annals of higher education upon its conclusion in 2017.

A collaborative leader esteemed for his approachable demeanor and ability to identify opportunities amidst challenges, Finnegan was an elected member of the Harvard Board of Overseers from 2008 to 2012, where he chaired the committee on finance, administration, and management. As HAA president from 2006 to 2007, he improved alumni communication frameworks and broadened global outreach efforts.

Throughout his years, Finnegan has closely engaged with numerous Harvard Schools, being part of Harvard Business School’s Board of Dean’s Advisors, the Leadership Council of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, serving as honorary co-chair of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s campaign, and sitting on the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Dean’s Council, where he stimulated meaningful advancements in the undergraduate experience.

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As a member of the Committee on University Resources, Finnegan held the position of chair for both the HBS Fund and the reunion committee for the College Class of 1975. He has been a steadfast patron of Teach for America.

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Carolyn Hughes

Fueled by her enthusiasm for education and a dedication to assisting future generations of gifted students in attending Harvard, Carolyn Hughes has served as a devoted and esteemed volunteer and representative for almost half a century, interviewing numerous high school candidates and connecting alumni through her leadership in the Harvard Club of Long Island.

Hughes was raised in Boston’s Allston district, the child of a correctional officer and a stay-at-home parent. Although she hadn’t intended to pursue higher education, an eighth-grade instructor urged her to enroll in the academic track and be prepared. Four years later, she received admission to Radcliffe and was awarded partial financial assistance through her high school. Research on the thawing icebergs in the Arctic Ocean covered the rest of her expenses. After attending Radcliffe, she relocated to New York, self-studying computer sciences and systems architecture, becoming part of the pioneering group of women in the industry.

Grateful for the significant opportunities Radcliffe afforded her, Hughes started her volunteering journey in the late 1960s, interviewing college candidates as a member of the Radcliffe Club of Long Island — prior to its eventual amalgamation with Harvard — and personally visiting 120 high schools in the region. Over the past five decades, Hughes has acted as an HAA director for Clubs and Special Interest Groups, an elected HAA director, and chair of the National Schools and Scholarship Committee within the Harvard College Admissions Office.

With unwavering commitment, she has undertaken nearly every leadership role in the Harvard Club of Long Island, including president, aiding in the development of comprehensive programming and outreach. In her capacity as chair of the Long Island Schools Committee, her responsibilities grew to encompass training Harvard interviewers and organizing programs for guidance counselors. She currently holds the title of co-chair emerita of the Club’s Schools and Scholarship Committee.

Hughes has been honored with multiple accolades, including the HAA Award in 1990, the Hiram S. Hunn Award in 2002, and the HAA Clubs Award in 2020.

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David Johnston

As the 28th governor general of Canada, a past university president, and a law professor for over forty years, David Johnston has devoted his life to serving his nation, academia, and Harvard — where he applied his abilities as a consensus-builder and commitment to excellence to various roles, including president of the University’s Board of Overseers.

Raised in a mining community outside Sudbury, Ontario, Johnston quickly discovered that education could unlock countless opportunities. At the age of 14, he was first approached by Harvard based on a recommendation from an alumnus who recognized his potential as a scholar-athlete. Johnston enrolled in the College in 1959 on a scholarship, excelling in academics while also achieving status as a two-time All-American ice hockey player. He graduated magna cum laude and was subsequently inducted into the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame.

Committed to ensuring that talented students from diverse backgrounds have access to the same opportunities that Harvard provided him, Johnston has remained a dedicated volunteer, participating in his class reunions and fundraising committees for decades, serving as an HAA elected director, and on several Overseers visiting committees — encompassing athletics; arts and humanities; finance, administration, and management; and information technology.

Elected to the Board of Overseers in 1992, Johnston became chair in 1997 — the first non-U.S. citizen to hold this role. In recognition of his contributions to the University, the Harvard Club of Ottawa established the David Johnston Financial Aid Fund, supporting Canadian students attending Harvard.

From 2010 to 2017, Johnston held the role of Canada’s governor general. He also served as dean of the law faculty at the University of Western Ontario, principal and vice-chancellor of McGill University, and president of the University of Waterloo.

Having been married for 61 years, Johnston and his wife, Sharon, are parents to five daughters, all involved in public service, and have 14 grandchildren.

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