Honoring the Visionaries Behind DRCLAS

As part of the 30th anniversary celebration of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS), we recognized four individuals whose vision, leadership, and commitment have left a lasting mark on the Center’s history and mission.

We began by honoring two people at once: David Rockefeller, whose bold vision and extraordinary generosity made the founding of DRCLAS possible, and his daughter Peggy Dulany, whose continued support has helped sustain that vision over the decades.

In 1994, Rockefeller’s transformative $11 million gift—sparked by a conversation with then-Harvard President Neil L. Rudenstine—established Harvard’s first university-wide international center and its first chair in Latin American Studies. Rockefeller’s approach to institution-building combined strategic foresight, deep personal relationships, and an unwavering belief in the people tasked with bringing his vision to life. He saw, far earlier than many, the potential for a deeper, more meaningful relationship between Harvard and Latin America.

Reflecting on Rockefeller’s legacy, former Executive Director Steve Reifenberg has remarked that three qualities defined his impact: a bold and pioneering vision; an ability to mobilize resources through trusted partnerships; and a deep trust in those implementing the work. All three were evident in the creation of DRCLAS—where Rockefeller not only helped design the Center’s mission, but actively brought together influential leaders from across the Americas to serve on its founding advisory board. There has never been a Latin American Studies center with as star-studded an advisory board as the one Rockefeller assembled for DRCLAS.

Just as critical was Rockefeller’s confidence in the Center’s early leadership. His trust in the scholars and staff building DRCLAS proved to be a key ingredient in its success—one that is still felt today.

Rockefeller’s daughter, Peggy Dulany, a longtime member of the DRCLAS Advisory Board, accepted the award on his behalf. Her own distinguished work in global philanthropy and social development has powerfully advanced the Center’s mission to foster understanding and engagement with Latin America. She has brought to DRCLAS her deep commitment to equity, sustainability, and international collaboration, helping to steer the Center’s agenda toward inclusive and lasting impact. Her presence at the event served as a meaningful continuation of the Rockefeller family’s enduring commitment to the region.

We also honored Neil L. Rudenstine, whose leadership as Harvard’s 26th president was instrumental in the Center’s creation. Drawing on his longstanding engagement with Latin America and his prior work at the Mellon Foundation and the Americas Society – Council of the Americas, Rudenstine approached Rockefeller with the idea for a university-wide center focused on the region. In recognition of his role, Rockefeller later endowed a second professorship in his name—the Neil L. Rudenstine Professorship for the Study of Latin America—affirming his status as a true co-founder of DRCLAS. Rudenstine’s vision and deep understanding of Latin America helped lay the groundwork for an enduring institutional bridge between Harvard and the region.

John Coatsworth, the founding director of DRCLAS, was also recognized for his transformative leadership. During his 12-year tenure, Coatsworth embedded Latin American teaching and research throughout Harvard, dramatically expanding the University’s intellectual and institutional ties with the region. Under his guidance, DRCLAS opened regional offices in Chile and Brazil and laid the groundwork for the Mexico office—initiatives that continue to deepen Harvard’s partnerships across Latin America today.

Although Coatsworth could not attend the event due to health reasons, we were thrilled to welcome his wife, Pat, and daughter, Anna, who joined us to represent him. His influence on DRCLAS is difficult to overstate. He laid the Center’s intellectual, organizational, and cultural foundation. More than anyone else, he shaped the Center’s identity, branding, and academic trajectory—establishing robust regional ties and instilling a culture of excellence, inclusion, and exchange. As Faculty Director Steven Levitsky noted, Coatsworth left behind “shoes that his successors, try as we may, cannot fill.” The Center we know today continues to reflect his legacy.

Finally, we celebrated the contributions of Steve Reifenberg, who served as Executive Director of DRCLAS and later founded and led the Center’s Regional Office in Santiago, Chile. His early experiences as a volunteer in Latin America shaped a lifelong commitment to social, economic, and environmental justice—principles that continue to guide DRCLAS’s work across the region. Reifenberg played a crucial role in bringing Harvard’s presence into closer dialogue with Latin American communities, institutions, and scholars.

His vision and leadership made the Santiago office a model for future Harvard international offices, combining academic rigor with local partnerships and community engagement. His values still resonate in the Center’s culture—both in Cambridge and abroad. Levitsky, reflecting on their early years at Harvard, remarked: “Steve was ED when I first arrived here at Harvard and he helped bring me into the DRCLAS community. I’ve always thought of him as our all-time greatest Executive Director—until Sol arrived, of course. Now it’s a tie.” (Sol Carbonell currently serves as the Executive Director of DRCLAS, continuing to build on this strong foundation.)

These four individuals—each in their own way—helped shape DRCLAS into the vibrant, regionally engaged, and intellectually ambitious center it is today. As we look to the future, we remain deeply grateful for the vision, trust, and dedication they brought to building stronger bridges between Harvard and Latin America.