CLAUDINE Gay is widely known as the 30th president of Harvard University and the first Black woman to assume this role.
Supporting the Ivy League's president is her husband, Christopher Afendulis — here's everything to know about him.
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Who is Claudine Gay's husband, Christopher Afendulis?
Christopher Afendulis is a senior research analyst and lecturer at Stanford University's Department of Health Research and Policy.
According to his Stanford bio, Christopher "is interested in the economics of health care, including the financing of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, the provision of long-term care, and the effects of managed care on the health care system."
Christopher received his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and later got his Ph.D. from Harvard University.
Following his degree, Christopher went on to work as a lecturer of health care policy at the Harvard Medical School from 2006 until 2015.
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He then spent three years working as a research associate for the university.
Who is Claudine Gay?
Claudine Gay is an educator born on August 4, 1970, in New York City, New York.
Claudine received her bachelor's degree in economics from Stanford University.
Like her husband, she went on to receive her Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1998.
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From 2000 until 2006, Claudine worked as an assistant professor at Stanford University.
During her final year at Stanford, Claudine and Christopher welcomed their first child.
Claudine began working as a professor of government in 2006 for a year before being appointed to teach African and African-American Studies in 2007.
She remained in that position until 2015 when she served as the dean of the social science department.
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When was Claudine Gay appointed president of Harvard University?
Claudine Gay was appointed president of Harvard University on July 1, 2023.
Taking on this position made Claudine the 30th president to do so but also the first Black woman to ever occupy this role.
News broke that she would be stepping in as president replacing Lawrence Bacow in December 2022, according to The Harvard Gazette.
As per the publication, Claudine said: "I am humbled by the confidence that the governing boards have placed in me and by the prospect of succeeding President Bacow in leading this remarkable institution.
"As I start my tenure, there’s so much more for me to discover about this institution that I love, and I’m looking forward to doing just that, with our whole community."
On Tuesday, January 2, 2024, Claudine resigned from her position as president of the prestigious school.
She made the university's history by being the first Black president and the second woman to hold the position.
However, she resigned just after a little over six months of holding the position.
The resignation comes after allegations of plagiarism. She also came under fire for her testimony to Congress on December 5, 2023.
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She wrote in a letter to the student body, "It is with a heavy heart but a deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president."
She said she will "now return to the faculty, and to the scholarship and teaching that are the lifeblood of what we do, I pledge to continue working alongside you to build the community we all deserve."
