ACHIEVING AND LEADING / NORTHWOOD LEGACIES
Northwood Siblings: The Hardens BY STEVE REED
For years, our campus community has been blessed by families who have sent multiple siblings to Northwood. In my first years back in the 70s, the McGreevy family had five siblings in attendance in the same school year. This is the first of a series of articles about Northwood siblings who have found success in a variety of fields after college. Three Hardens from McConnellsville, N.Y., of Harden furniture fame, graduated from Northwood between 2004 and 2007. All were terrific athletes (skiing and soccer) and attended college in the Northeast to be near the mountains. Each responded to a series of questions about their current lives and the paths that led them there.
Alex ’04
Alex Harden ’04 (Colgate ’08) is a Ph.D. candidate in Geography focusing on how climate variability and long-term change interact with climate culture to affect the lived experience of glacio-hydrological change in the South American Altiplano.
Brad ’05
What led you to choose the field you have entered? I have always been interested in climate science. Before I started grad school, I found a 5th-grade essay titled “My future as an Atmospheric Scientist” while packing. My biggest concerns about this future career were that the weather didn’t stop for Christmas, and it didn’t stop for weekends. (Joke was on me, most jobs don’t stop for Christmas or weekends, so you might as well love what you do!)
Max ’07 28
Northwood
| SPRING 2021
What is the most interesting aspect of your work/study? I think one of the most interesting aspects of my work right now has been climate modeling. It’s incredible to see how these simulations can change over space and time, especially in mountain systems.
How well did your college serve you in preparation for your career? Colgate gave me a well-rounded education, which helped me develop a skillset and see the value in looking at climate as more than just a physical science and research it using an intersectional approach. What advice do you have for Northwood students relative to choosing a college and career? There can often be a lot of pressure around choosing the right college and the right career, so I think it’s important to focus on things that you really love. I would also encourage students to chat with Northwood faculty and alumni about their experiences. Having a support system to help navigate these choices can be incredibly helpful. On the flip side, if you have no idea what you want to do, try not to stress! Attempt to narrow down possible options and know that nothing is permanent.
