Chapter 60 Harvard University

Christmas was getting closer and closer, and after Milo slept at home for one night, there was only one day left.

Today is Christmas Eve, and the festive atmosphere is in full bloom across America.

As the oldest city in the United States, it is also the first city in the United States to celebrate Christmas.

Boston almost turned into a sea of ​​red - don't get me wrong, it was not occupied by red flags.

It is the various red Christmas decorations that occupy the colors of many shops and shopping malls.

There were some people dressed in Santa Claus costumes parading through the streets, and most parents brought one or two children, or the whole family, to the major shopping malls to shop.

This is Milo's first time to celebrate an authentic Christmas.

In the past, we also followed the trend and celebrated foreign festivals in China, but after all, they were not our traditional festivals. Some women would make up excuses to ask for gifts, and some men would take the opportunity to bully girls.

Milo sat in the car, watching the lively scenes along the way through the window.

Almost every store has wreaths hung and doors and windows are decorated, and some larger stores even have Christmas windows.

To be honest, the atmosphere is similar to that in China after the Little New Year.

It was festive, lively and busy. Everyone, whether adults or children, were walking on the road with bags of all sizes and happy smiles on their faces.

Even though there was a snowstorm last night, there was still a lot of snow on the street corners today.

This still cannot conceal the joy of the general public in celebrating the festive holidays.

Live a good life and live a better life.

This desire is the same wherever you are.

Milo was riding in a black Lincoln sedan.

In front of him and behind him, there were three other identical Lincoln sedans.

And in the trunk of another of the four cars, his father Joseph Blackburn was sitting.

The father and son came over from Plymouth this morning.

After passing through downtown Boston, the convoy's destination was Cambridge, which is across the Charles River from the city.

The history of Cambridge can be traced back to 1630, when the British Puritans who first settled in the Boston area established the town of Newtown.

Nearly four hundred years ago, Harvard University's predecessor, the first institution of higher education in North America, Civic New College, was founded here.

At that time, people hoped that this town could become a university town like Cambridge in England, so they renamed it "Cambridge".

In the morning, before getting on the bus.

Grandfather John announced to the whole family.

He has decided to hand over his positions on the Harvard University Board of Trustees and Board of Overseers to his son Joseph Blackburn.

Milo and his father came to Cambridge at this time to do this.

I heard from Joseph more than thirty years ago.

His grandfather passed these positions to Milo's grandfather.

It was Joseph who followed John, and the father and son went to Harvard University together.

This seems to be a ritual, a family tradition.

Don't underestimate your roles as a Harvard University board member and a member of the Board of Overseers.

Especially the latter, the members of the Board of Overseers are actually the real trustees of Harvard University.

He is the one who truly dominates and manages this school.

The status is similar to that of the board of directors of a listed company, and the principal is actually just the CEO of the school company.

In particular, members of Harvard University's Board of Overseers are very important in Massachusetts, mainly in the Boston area.

Because several universities in Boston have actually long ceased to be pure universities.

Over the centuries, they have become a major factor influencing the economy of Boston and the entire surrounding area.

The schools are not only major employers in the region, but also serve as the core black hole that attracts high-tech industries to nearby areas.

Take Boston as an example. It receives the most funding from the National Institutes of Health among all American cities each year.

Other important industries, such as finance and insurance, are almost all built on these high-tech technologies.

So it is called the Board of Trustees, but in fact it is a committee of universities such as Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Brown.

They were the masters of New England to some extent.

This is also why Bertrand Irwin of Harvard Press had to go to Milo in person after John called him.

And the real reason why he offered better conditions than others to publish "The Da Vinci Code".

Fortunately, "The Da Vinci Code" is now very popular, with sales exceeding four million copies in four months.

It is also very popular internationally, with sales exceeding two million copies in just one month.

At least it did not bring disgrace to HU P's name.

It also made HUP a lot of money.

This also made John a little more vocal in school.

After driving for a long time, the convoy finally arrived at the main campus of Harvard University before noon.

Harvard has multiple campuses with a total area of ​​4,882 acres.

The main campus covers an area of ​​224 acres and is home to Harvard University.

The name on the map is Harvard Yard, which is located northwest of Boston's business district.

It includes major buildings such as the school's administrative office and the university's main library.

The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!

Milo and his father came to the General Administration Office today.

Milo had never been to this place, but he was familiar with its past.

When my predecessor was a child, his grandfather, father and brother would often bring him here.

After the accident, he was admitted to Harvard University on an emergency basis.

I stayed here for nearly a month before being sent to Los Angeles.

The convoy was still more than ten meters away from Harvard's main administrative office.

Milo saw a group of people standing at the large entrance of the general office in the cold wind.

Don’t think that Americans don’t engage in formalism; they do it too.

Whenever a superior or an important person comes, he will still wait at the door.

Like Milo, he recognized him at a glance in the car among the people waiting at the door of the General Administration.

Headed by the 26th President of Harvard University, who took office in 1991.

Neil Rudenstine.

Neil Rudenstine also has a Chinese name in the Eastern country, which many Chinese people have heard of in later generations - Lu Dengting.

The reason for this is that Lu Dengting is the president of Harvard University.

Probably the one who is closest to China.

It was almost defined as the level of "old friend".

The convoy stopped in front of Neil Rudenstine and others.

After the driver opened the door.

Milo waited for his father to get out of the car behind before he followed with a smile on his face.

Then he saw Neil Rudenstine, who came up to him with a smile on his face, shook hands with Joseph and then hugged him.

"Oh, good afternoon, dear Joseph."

"Neil, I'm sorry we're late. It snowed heavily last night and the roads are difficult to travel today."

"It doesn't matter. The road is really difficult to walk on in this kind of weather."

Neil Rudenstine said this with a smile and separated from Joseph.

Then his brown eyes fell on Milo behind Joseph.

He immediately let go of Joseph and came over to Milo, holding out his hand. "Ah, dear Milo, it's good to see you again."

Milo shook hands with him, hugged him, and said with the same smile: "Mr. Rudenstine, I am glad to see you too. I still remember the day when you took me to the dormitory."

Six years ago, Milo, who had gotten into trouble, fled to Harvard for refuge.

The person who processed his admission procedures was Neil Rudenstine, the then vice president and director of the main campus.

"Haha, I didn't expect you still remembered."

Neil Rudenstine laughed:

"I've told people before, dear Milo, that you are a pure Harvard man! Sure enough, you proved it this year. Come on, dear Milo and Joseph, how about we go in first? It's too cold outside in this damn weather today!!"

(End of this chapter)