Claudine Gay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Claudine Gay
Gay in 2023
30th President of Harvard University
In office July 1, 2023 – January 2, 2024
Preceded by	Lawrence Bacow
Succeeded by	Alan Garber
Dean of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences
In office August 15, 2018 – June 30, 2023
Preceded by	Michael Smith
Succeeded by	Emma Dench (interim) Hopi Hoekstra
Personal details
Born	(1970-08-04) August 4, 1970 (age 55) New York City, U.S.
Spouse	Christopher Afendulis
Children	1
Relatives	Roxane Gay (cousin)
Education	Princeton University Stanford University (BA) Harvard University (PhD)
Scientific career
Institutions	Stanford University (2000–2006) Harvard University (2006–present)
Thesis	Taking charge: Black electoral success and the redefinition of American politics (1997)
Doctoral advisor	Gary King

Claudine Gay (born August 4, 1970) is an American expert in political science. She studies how people vote and how race and identity affect politics in America. She has been a professor at Harvard University for many years.

Gay held several important leadership roles at Harvard. She was the dean of Social Sciences from 2015 to 2018. Then, she became the dean of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences from 2018 to 2023. From July 2023 to January 2024, she served as the 30th President of Harvard University.

In late 2023, Gay and other university leaders faced questions from a Congressional committee. They were asked about how their universities handled certain issues on campus. Gay also faced questions about whether she had properly cited sources in some of her earlier academic writings. She resigned from her role as president in January 2024.

Claudine Gay's Early Life and Schooling

Claudine Gay was born in The Bronx, New York City, on August 4, 1970. She grew up there with her older brother. Her parents were international students from Haiti who met in New York in 1967. Her mother studied nursing, and her father studied civil engineering.

When Claudine was a child, her family moved to Saudi Arabia. Her father worked there for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Later, the family moved back to the United States, living in Georgia and Colorado. The well-known writer Roxane Gay is Claudine Gay's first cousin.

Gay attended Phillips Exeter Academy, a private boarding school in Exeter, New Hampshire. She graduated from there in 1988. She then went to Princeton University for a year. After that, she transferred to Stanford University, where she studied economics and graduated in 1992.

In 1998, Gay earned her Ph.D. (a high-level university degree) from Harvard University. Her Ph.D. was in political science, and she won an award for her excellent work.

Her Career in Academia

After finishing her studies, Claudine Gay became a professor at Stanford University. She taught in the Political Science Department from 2000 to 2006. During this time, she also spent a year as a fellow at a special research center at Stanford.

Gay's research looks at how people behave in American politics. She studies topics like how many people vote, rules about housing, and how race and identity affect political choices. Harvard University asked her to become a professor of government in 2006. In 2007, she also became a professor of African-American studies.

Leading Roles at Harvard

In 2015, Gay was chosen to be the dean of social sciences at the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). This is a big part of Harvard that includes many different subjects. In 2018, she became the overall Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

As Dean of FAS, Claudine Gay focused on several key areas. She wanted to increase the number of different kinds of professors. She also supported students who wanted to study subjects that combine different fields. She encouraged professors to work together across different departments.

During her time as dean, Gay also worked on making the campus more welcoming for everyone. She focused on initiatives to promote fairness and inclusion. She also made sure Harvard followed rules about student admissions.

Gay also handled situations where professors were accused of bad behavior. She took action to address these issues, showing her commitment to a safe and respectful environment.

In 2019, Gay announced that Harvard would hire more professors who study different cultures and groups. She also started a review of how Harvard decides which professors get permanent jobs.

As dean, Gay also oversaw the opening of a new, large Science and Engineering Complex in 2021. This new building included a special program for advanced studies in quantum engineering.

Harvard faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected its finances. Gay worked to manage these financial issues and reduce costs. By the end of 2021, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences had a financial surplus.

Outside of Harvard, Gay also held leadership roles in other academic groups. She was a vice president of the Midwest Political Science Association. She also served as a trustee for Phillips Exeter Academy, her old boarding school.

Harvard University Presidency

In December 2022, Harvard University announced that Claudine Gay would be its next president. She officially started her new role on July 1, 2023. She was the 30th president of Harvard and the first Black person to hold this position.

Congressional Questions and Resignation

After some events in October 2023, Gay faced criticism. In December 2023, she and the presidents of two other universities were asked to speak to a Congressional committee. They were asked about how their universities were handling certain issues on campus. Gay's answers during this hearing led to a lot of discussion and criticism. She later apologized for how she answered some questions.

Soon after the hearing, questions were raised about some of Gay's past academic writings. People looked into whether she had always given proper credit to other scholars' work. Harvard reviewed these concerns and found some instances where citations were not perfect. Gay then made corrections to her work to add missing citations.

On January 2, 2024, Claudine Gay announced that she was resigning from her position as Harvard's president. She explained that it was difficult to have doubts cast on her commitment to fighting hate and to academic honesty. She also mentioned facing personal attacks.

After her resignation, Alan Garber, who was Harvard's provost, became the interim president. Claudine Gay remained a faculty member at Harvard.

Personal Life

Claudine Gay is married to Christopher Afendulis. He is an information systems analyst at Stanford University. They have one son.