As a Harvard undergraduate, gubernatorial candidate and State Rep. Mark Roosevelt '78 (D-Beacon Hill) was as close to the stereotypical briefcase-toting "gov jock" as you can get.
That is, except for one thing: he never took a single government class.
The American history concentrator, who is now vying for the top spot in Massachusetts government, bypassed Harvard's lecture halls and chose to receive his political education from the real world instead.
By the time he graduated, Roosevelt, now 38, had managed three Massachusetts political campaigns-including the unsuccessful bid of Lawrence R. DiCara '71 for state treasurer-and had earned a respected name in state Democratic circles.
"At 21, he was already a fixture in Democratic politics in Massachusetts," says Jonathan H. Alter '78, who also worked in Di Cara's campaign. "He knew everybody and was taken seriously as a political operative."
Roosevelt was one of many members of the Class of 1978 to pursue political careers in the aftermath of the anti-establishment wave that hit Harvard in the late 1960s.
His grand entrance into politics at such a tender age did not surprise those who knew him, says Andrew S. Lynn '78, Roosevelt's college roommate for three years and his classmate at St. Albans School in Washington D.C.
Even before he entered Harvard, Roosevelt had already decided to follow in the footsteps of his famous "He'd read every biography of Teddy Rooseveltthere was," Lynn says. "He very early on knew thathe wanted to be a public servant." Roosevelt first gained a reputation for socialactivism in high school, when he publiclyprotested the notable absence of Blacks in a localWashington D.C. dancing school, Lynn recalls. "There were no Blacks in the dancing class, soMark went up and confronted [them] about it...and caused quite a ruckus doing this," Lynn says."He's basically been an active, aggressivecharacter for some time." At Harvard, Roosevelt continued the politicaland social activism that eventually developedinto a career in public service. But his politicalinvolvement was not on campus--rather, Rooseveltplunged straight into his work on state and localcampaigns. After his first year at Harvard, Roosevelt heldfull-time jobs each semester. And though heentered the College with advanced standing,Roosevelt graduated with his original class afterhe took a year off to manage two campaigns. In addition to Di Cara's campaign, Rooseveltalso directed the successful campaign of John O'Bryant, who became the first Black member ofBoston's School Board. Little Time to Study Because of his outside activities, Rooseveltoften placed college academics and entertainmenton the back-burner, friends and observers say. "Mark was one of those people in terms ofschoolwork who was obviously extremely bright buttended to put other kinds of things beforeschoolwork," Alter says. "A grind he wasn't." Roosevelt himself says although he enjoyedacademics, he often sacrificed intellectualpursuits for his political responsibilities. Evenafter he returned to Harvard from his year ofabsence, Roosevelt says it was difficult to juggleacademics with politics. His senior thesis never got much beyond aworking title, "Progressivism in Urban Settings inthe Early 20th Century," before the pressures ofmanaging DiCara's campaign put an end toRoosevelt's magna cum laude dreams. But Roosevelt says he has fond memories of hisacademic experience as an undergraduate atHarvard, which he credits with inspiring "a greataffection and love for reading." "Even now I still read at least a book or two aweek," says Roosevelt, adding that the pressuresof his recent campaign trail have not kept himfrom his favorite hobby. Even in college, Roosevelt says he felt littleacademic pressure and treated his schoolwork as apassion--not a responsibility. "I was a little too driven, but not aboutacademics (I only took courses I liked), about mylife and getting involved in politics," Rooseveltsays. "My academic interests let me relax." Roosevelt says his favorite courses while hewas an undergraduate were a tutorial with AlanBrinkley, now a professor at Columbia, and classestaught by Professor of Psychiatry and MedicalHumanities M. Robert Coles '50, Warren Professorof American History and American CivilizationDavid Donald, Adams University Professor emeritusBernard Bailyn and former Harvard professor WalterJackson Bates. Brinkley, who instructed Roosevelt throughouthis undergraduate career, remembers the candidateas one of his most outstanding students. "He was extremely interested in the NewDeal--for reasons beyond the fact that his lastname was Roosevelt," Brinkley recalls. "He did very well," adds Brinkley. "He probablywould have done better if he hadn't had so manyoutside activities, but he was a very goodstudent." Not Much of a Socialite Of course, all work and no play makes for adull Harvard student--and Roosevelt pleads guiltyto the charge. "I was not a wild guy at all," Roosevelt says."I have never been a partier." "Most of my free time was spent in politics,"Roosevelt adds. "I hung out at the Institute ofPolitics a bit because I had friends there, but Iwasn't really involved in many activities internalto the school." Roosevelt invested much of his entertainmentbudget in movies and records, which his roommatesrecall with a mixture of nostalgia anddispleasure. "Much to my chagrin, he was a big JacksonBrowne fan," Lynn says. "It used to drive menuts." But Lynn says he and his rommates spent muchtime together. Discussing courses--and notlate-night carousing--was their favorite pastime. "We were both very interested in history,American history in particular, and so we wouldhave a lot of bullshit sessions about that," Lynnsays. The roommates, however, were often on oppositesides of debates, Lynn recalls. "When we would debate or talk about issues,whether American history or the history of theCommunist revolution in China, typically he wouldhave a humanitarian angle on things that I didn'talways have," Lynn says. "My friends were very idealistic and veryrigorous," Roosevelt says. "My roommates were verytough on me when I decided to drop my thesis." Ironically, Roosevelt and Lynn spent theirfirst year living in Weld Hall, the building namedfor the family of another Harvard graduate whowas to become Roosevelt's most formidablepolitical rival some 20 years later, Gov. WillamF. Weld '66. Roosevelt recalls that much of his first yearwas dedicated to defending Weld Hall's honor inintramural athletic competitions. An avid tennis player, Roosevelt made forays insquash, football and a variety of sports he hadnever before played--including fencing--in orderto win the Intramural Championships for Weld Hall. "We yelled, screamed, swatted around,"Roosevelt recalls. "Freshman year was great." But when he and his roommates were assigned toMather House, the enchantment of on-campus lifesoon wore off. "I think we wanted to live in Adams or Lowell,"Roosevelt says. "Mather had a reputation as thenerdy dorm." After living in Mather for just one term, andafter Roosevelt returned from his one-year leaveto work in politics, Roosevelt and his roommatesdecided that Mather House wasn't for them. "At the time the heat didn't really work in thedinning hall," Lynn remembers. "The architectureis very modern and brutal. Mark also had a dog, orwanted to acquire one." Roosevelt traded his Mather House residency foran affiliation with Dudley House and an Allstonapartment he shared with four roommates and a dognamed Zoddie. "Dudley House was probably as it is today, avery amorphous house," says former Dudleyaffiliate David McKean '79. "It was not a housethat had a lot of spirit--just a loose collectionof interesting people." For the rest of his time at Harvard, Rooseveltcontinued to isolate himself from the traditionalundergraduate life, keeping his eye on a futureaway from the Yard. "I didn't get to know as many people as I'dlike to," Roosevelt says. "I regret the speed andhurry I exhibited in college." The pace at which Roosevelt sped throughcollege was also manifest in his personal life. Hemarried his first wife in September 1978, just afew months after his college graduation. "I felt an urge to get on with life, to getinto the thick of things," he says. When his marriage failed, Roosevelt maintainedcustody of his now eight-year-old son, Matthew.Roosevelt is now set to enter his second marriageto fiancee Jessica Hallowell. From Law to Politics Though he spent much of his time as anundergraduate away from the College, Rooseveltdecided to stay at Harvard for Law School--adecision he says he came to regret. "I did not enjoy law school," Roosevelt says."The atmosphere was very competitive." Roosevelt says Harvard Law School did notoffer the type of academic freedoms he hadexperienced at the College. "It's a vocationalschool," Roosevelt says. "The intellectualstimulation was none." After law school, Roosevelt plunged full-forceinto politics, entering office in 1986, only threeyears after receiving his J.D. Roosevelt was only one of the many members ofthe Class of 1978 who entered public affairs andwho now serve in positions ranging from the Gov.Weld's chief of staff to communications directorat the White House. Massachusetts State Treasurer Joseph D. Malone'78 attributes the political involvement of hisclass to the students' growing faith in governmentduring the late 1970's. "Our class came shortly after the Vietnamyears, and the feeling was that in order to bringabout change, it was better to work within thesystem as opposed to more of a radical approach,"Malone says. In response to the radical protests of the late1960's and early 1970's there was a moreconservative climate on campus, Lynn says, thatmanifested itself both in the politicalinvolvement and career choices of students. "We arrived in '74 and there were certainly alot fewer campus activists than there had been,"Lynn says. "There were a lot of people who werefocussed on getting into med school, law school orbusiness school." Reflections on the Candidate Those who knew Roosevelt as an undergraduatehere remember this year's democratic gubernatorialcandidate for his social consciousness, hisambition and his sense of humor. Although Roosevelt was hard-working, he was notoverly competitive, Lynn says. "He was driven," Lynn concedes. "But he was notlike the vast majority of driven students I knewin College." Nor did Roosevelt's prestigious lineage givehim a pretense for arrogance, friends recall. "If you take the confidence a typicalundergraduate has, and you pitch it up even moreto a truly high level of self-confidence, that wasMark," Alter says. "But it was leavened with asense of humor and the ability to not take himselftoo seriously." Even his current political rivals applaudRoosevelt for his political involvement. "Although we belong to different parties, Icommend him for going out there and fighting thegood fight," Republican Malone says. "The strengthof the democratic process is good people going outthere and running." Roosevelt, however, is less proud of hispersonality during his Harvard years. "I was veryself-righteous, overly critical of other people,"he says. "I probably still am." In the 16 years since he left Harvard,Roosevelt may have shed some of theself-righteousness he describes. But traces ofthat critical nature remain--especially when itcomes to his life-long passion for politics. Just ask Bill Weld.
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