Building a Future at Harvard: The Henry B. Hoover Fellowship
The children of Henry B. Hoover MArch ’26, pioneer of New England modernist architecture, established the Henry B. Hoover Fellowship at the GSD and generously give additional gifts in order for their father’s legacy to live on at the GSD.
Henry B. Hoover MArch ’26 is considered a pioneer of New England modernist architecture. He designed more than 50 modern houses in his hometown of Lincoln, Mass., and other suburbs west of Boston, as well as houses in New Hampshire, Georgia, and Florida.
The quality of his GSD education and the financial assistance Hoover received at Harvard inspired his three children—Henry B. (Harry) Hoover, Jr., Lucretia Hoover Giese PhD ’85 (1937-2018), and Elizabeth Hoover Norman PhD ’05 (1937-2010)—to establish the Henry B. Hoover Fellowship at the GSD in 1989. Since then, further gifts from the siblings ensure that their father’s legacy lives on.
A portion of the sale of the family home in Lincoln, which their father designed in 1937, was added to the Hoover Fellowship in 2020 through a bequest from Lucretia’s estate. In 2021, a charitable gift annuity from Harry brought the endowed fund to full fellowship status. This long-term commitment has made it possible for the GSD to award the fellowship to a student every year.
“I’ve been honored to meet these awardees and even give them a tour of my father’s architectural work in my town of Lincoln and other communities,” Harry said. “They come to know Hoover as a person who had aspirations and experiences just like they have now.”
“The training he received at Harvard was so important to him,” Lucretia had said. “That’s why we decided to establish a fund to provide scholarships to students who would not otherwise be able to attend Harvard. Our father had received a scholarship that enabled him to study at Harvard.”
“All three of us revered our father,” Harry said of himself and his sisters. “This fellowship was a natural outpouring of our affection and respect.”
“We’re fortunate that through my father’s legacy, we can bring this opportunity to well-deserving and accomplished people who are the best qualified to carry our father’s work, vision, and spirit onward,” Harry said. This generosity is carrying through to the next generation and inspiring others with connections to Hoover to support the fellowship.
Photos in header:
- Front row: Daughter Elizabeth Hoover Norman, son Henry Hoover, Jr., daughter Lucretia Hoover Giese
- Rear row: Son-in-law John Norman, wife Lucretia Hoover, Henry Hoover, son-in law Paul Giese