Matina horner biography of martin

Scholar and administrator Matina Horner born did early research into women's fear of success. She later became the youngest president of Radcliffe College during a period of redefining its relationship with Harvard University. While attending Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania she became interested in experimental psychology and studied "need achievement" in Greek and Jewish subculture groups for her honors thesis. She obtained her BA degree cum laude in

Matina Horner

American psychologist (born )

Matina Souretis Horner (born July 28, ) is an American psychologist who was the sixth president of Radcliffe College. Her research interests included intelligence, motivation, and achievement of women.^[2] She is recognizable for pioneering the concept of "fear of success".^[3]

Early life

Horner was born in Roxbury, a neighborhood of Boston.

She received her bachelor's degree in experimental psychology cum laude in from Bryn Mawr College, a master's degree in and a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Michigan in While at the University of Michigan, she was a teaching fellow and lecturer.

Matina Souretis Horner was appointed the sixth president of Radcliffe College in Born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, she was educated at Bryn Mawr College and at the University of Michigan, where she earned her doctoral degree in psychology in Horner connected the Harvard faculty in as a lecturer in the Department of Social Relations and became an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology the obeying year. During her presidency, the separate Harvard and Radcliffe offices of admissions were merged, and the quota for women students was abolished.

Horner was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi.^[4]

Career

Horner joined the Harvard faculty as lecturer in the Department of Social Relations in and in became assistant professor of ego and development.

In , Horner was selected the sixth and youngest president in Radcliffe's history.^[4] She became president of Radcliffe College during a complicated era. During the tenure of her predecessor, Mary Bunting, the affair between Harvard University and Radcliffe had evolved into what was known as the "non-merger merger."^[2] Harvard was primarily responsible for students although Radcliffe maintained a separate Admissions and Financial Aid Office.

Additionally, Radcliffe had ceded some business operations such as payroll, accounting, dining halls, library, and buildings and grounds to Harvard, but maintained control of and administered its own educational, research and alumnae programs.^[2] Horner negotiated a new agreement with Harvard in that reestablished Radcliffe's financial independence, with its hold administration, governing board, research programs, and a new oversight role and special programs for undergraduate women.^[2]

Horner was lauded for her leadership of Radcliffe and her stance on the issue of coeducation.

Many resisted the coeducation movement of merging Harvard University and Radcliffe College because it would have meant the elimination of Radcliffe College.^[5] Ellen Sackson Heller (Radcliffe Class of ) stated, "If Radcliffe had combined, it would have meant to me that I no longer had a college."^[6] A merger would also have meant that Radcliffe would lose its autonomy.

Horner said, "The challenge was to see if the mandate of Radcliffe could provide a leadership model for true coeducation that gave weight to women's voices, as opposed to just letting women enter a male world."^[6] Although Horner had many responsibilities, she made contact with Radcliffe students a priority during her presidency by holding weekly conferences and teaching several classes.^[2] Horner remained president until , when she was succeeded by Linda Wilson.

Honors

President Jimmy Carter in named Horner to the President's Commission for the National Agenda for the s, and one year later, chairperson of the Task Force on the Quality of American Life.^[1]

Awards Horner has received include the Catalyst award (), awards from the American Civil Liberties Union, National Conference of Christians and Jews (), the Distinguished Bostonian Award (), the Ellis Island Medal () as well as honorary degrees from Dickinson College, the University of Massachusetts, Mount Holyoke College, the University of Pennsylvania, Tufts University, Smith College, Wheaton College, the University of Hartford, the University of New England, and the University of Michigan.^[7]

References