Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and Harvard dropout, supports outsider for university position

A Harvard College graduate vying for a spot on the prestigious alumni council received support from an unexpected source: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Sam Lessin, a former employee of Zuckerberg’s social media giant and now a venture capitalist, launched a campaign last month to join the Board of Overseers, a group that advises university leadership. Lessin announced on LinkedIn that Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, would join him in a Zoom call to discuss his effort to become a write-in candidate for the overseers ballot.

The couple is among the biggest donors in Harvard’s history, having pledged $500 million in 2021 to establish an artificial intelligence institute at the university. Zuckerberg’s net worth is estimated at about $141 billion, making him the fifth-richest person in the world.

Harvard has faced allegations of increasing antisemitism following an attack by Hamas on Israel in October, leading to a government investigation and two congressional probes, as well as a pause in contributions from alumni and major donors. Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, also a Harvard graduate, is supporting another group of candidates seeking a spot on the overseers ballot.

The controversy at Harvard has persisted even after the resignation of President Claudine Gay earlier this month, who faced criticism for her response to antisemitism and accusations of plagiarism. Alumni and donors have also been critical of Harvard Corp., the university’s governing board, led by former US commerce secretary Penny Pritzker.

Zuckerberg, who dropped out of Harvard to start Facebook (now known as Meta Platforms Inc.), and Chan, a 2007 graduate, have both maintained strong ties to the university. Lessin, who graduated from Harvard in 2005, is running to address what he described as “glaring leadership failures.” Write-in candidates must gather over 3,000 signatures by the end of January to be included on the spring ballot.