Notification that Ian Lockwood was Awarded a Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University

(The events in this post occurred in April 2011)

I felt good about the interviews but really had no clue about how I faired compared with the other 18 finalists.  Being nominated was cool and making the finals was very cool.  I definitely had my fingers crossed, but there was nothing much else for me to do but wait patiently for the decision.  It came surprisingly quickly.  Sally’s e-mail arrived on April 6^th only 10 days after my last interview, at exactly 19 minutes after midnight and well after my bed-time.  Oblivious to the life-altering news that was waiting in my in-box, I slept peacefully.  I woke up at the usual time and went through my normal “in-town” morning routine.  Upon arriving at the office, I said, “Good morning” to Barbara, our friendly multi-tasking receptionist, got my usual glass of water, and went to my desk.  I exchanged the usual pleasantries with Danni and Fabian, who always arrived to the office before me, sat in my chair, hooked up my lap top, and checked my e-mail as per normal.  In my mind, everything was fairly routine until I saw the e-mail from Sally, with the subject line saying, “Congratulations!  You are a Loeb Fellow.”  Bang!  Right in the subject line.

My eyes welled up with tears.  I was happy beyond words.  Five months earlier, Joanne encouraged me to take a shot.  Ben pulled the trigger.  Tim, Dan, and Andrew wrote letters.  I’d submitted my application and was interviewed.  AECOM, my colleagues, and my family were supportive in so many ways and at so many levels the entire time.  And the shot hit the bull’s eye.  We had done it!  I was a Loeb Fellow.  This was no longer a normal day.

Silently, I rose from my chair and walked slowly to a spot about half way between Danni’s and Fabian’s desks and, seemingly, about six inches off the floor.  Danni was highly focused on her computer but Fabian noticed me approach and looked up to address me.  As soon as he saw my face, he smiled and said, “You got the Loeb Fellowship, didn’t you?”  Wow, I thought, this guy does have ESP and I replied, “Why do say that?”  He said, “I know you.  I can tell.”  So I fessed up and said, “Yes, I just heard, just now.”  Danni chimed in with a voice about an octave higher than her normal voice and at about twice her normally fast speaking pace,“Yeh!-You-got-it-Congratulations!-I’m-so-proud-of-you!-That’s-so-great.”

I had to tell my wife.  I returned to my chair.  The call went something like this.  Joanne answers her phone, “Hello”.  Short pause. Ian says, “I got it.”   Joanne screams… 

For the next several days, I wanted to spread the word from the roof tops.  However, I couldn’t.  Sally asked me to not spread the news widely because the results had not reached the unsuccessful finalists.  Every successful finalist had to officially accept their offer with an acceptance letter, prior to Sally informing the unsuccessful finalists.  This was necessary in case any of the successful finalists could not accept the Fellowship for whatever reason.  Then Sally could make the offer to the next candidate(s) on her list.  My acceptance letter was written, scanned, and e-mailed within an hour of learning about this requirement.

I did as Sally requested and only told my references, Tim, Dan, and Andrew, as well as Ben and my family.  I also sent an internal office e-mail to my colleagues so that they would get the correct information all at the same time.  After that, and after the acceptances were complete, the news of my Fellowship spread and the reaction was like after my nomination but times five.  I had no idea how fast news travels and how many people would be excited about this opportunity.  E-mails and calls came from diverse geographies, clients, friends, colleagues, and even people whom I’d never met. 

After that, Sally and Jim sent several letters and e-mails about preparing.  They covered everything from health care, to key dates, to finances, to housing, to, “Are you bringing your family?”  The Loeb Fellowship program is so cool that Harvard offered to house my whole family, if that was our desire.  Sally would even help find schools for our children.  Unbelievable!  The opportunities seemed endless.  This was new territory in my circles so my office, Joanne, and I had lots of questions, all of which would hopefully be answered in an upcoming multi-day, on-site, orientation.  Harvard planned to fly the whole Class of 2012, from wherever we were around the world, to Cambridge from May 5^th to 8^th.