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In a monumental moment for higher education, Harvard University marked a significant milestone with the inauguration of Claudine Gay as its new president. 

Gay is not only the first Black individual but also the second woman to take the helm of the prestigious Ivy League institution which was established in 1640. 

Gay, who is now its 30th president, outlined her vision for the future.

At her inauguration ceremony, she spoke of her aspirations to lead Harvard forward with courage and resolve, underlining the university’s legacy of challenging the status quo and aiming to reshape the world for the better.

Gay’s association with Harvard runs deep. She earned her Ph.D. in government from the university in 1998, and in 2006, she joined the Harvard faculty, where her contributions were not just limited to academics. 

Gay has been awarded the Toppan Prize for the best dissertation in political science and has previously helmed the Faculty of Arts and Sciences as its Dean. Notably, she is also a leading scholar of political behavior and the founding chair of the Inequality in America Initiative, launched in 2017, which aims to research social and economic inequality.

Congratulations to her. Keep rising out there Black Queens!