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Florence Cawthorne Ladd
Born (1932-06-16)June 16, 1932
Washington, D.C., US
Occupation Educator, author

Florence Ladd (born June 16, 1932) is an American educator and author. She is known for being a respected leader at a special research center called the Bunting Institute. She also wrote the novel Sarah's Psalm.

About Florence Ladd

Early Life and Education

Florence Ladd was born in Washington, D.C. on June 16, 1932. Her parents were both teachers. She grew up in Washington, D.C., learning a lot from her family.

She went to Howard University and graduated in 1953. Later, she studied at the University of Rochester. In 1958, she earned a high-level degree called a Ph.D. in psychology. This means she became an expert in how people think and behave.

Career in Education

Dr. Ladd started her teaching career at Simmons College in Boston. After that, she taught at Harvard University's graduate school.

In 1977, she began working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At MIT, she took on more leadership roles.

Leadership Roles

Dr. Ladd became a dean at the MIT School of Architecture. A dean is a senior leader in a university. She also served as the dean of students at Wellesley College until 1984. In these roles, she helped guide students and manage important parts of the universities.

Work Beyond Universities

For a while, Dr. Ladd took a break from university work. She worked with Oxfam America, which is a charity organization. She also worked with groups that help with international education. These included the South African Education Program and the School for International Training.

In 1989, she became the director of the Bunting Institute at Harvard University. This institute supports women in their research and creative projects. She held this important position until 1997. Today, she is the Director Emeritus, which means she is a respected former director.

In 1994, Dr. Ladd helped organize a big conference. It was called "Black Women in the Academy: Defending Our Name 1894-1994." This event took place at MIT.

A Published Author

In 1996, Dr. Ladd's novel Sarah's Psalm was published. It was released by Charles Scribner's Sons, a well-known publishing company.

Her book was very successful. In 1997, it won a special award for fiction. This award came from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.

Later Recognition

In 1998, Dr. Ladd received a MacDowell fellowship. This is a special award that helps artists and writers have time and space to create their work.

A painting of Dr. Ladd was made in 2008 by Stephen E. Coit. You can see this portrait hanging in Lowell House at Harvard University.

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