The Harvard Schools Trust is the steward of the newly established Ambassador Simon Henshaw Award in memory of Simon Henshaw, Bromfield Class of 1978. The award will be given for the first time at Awards Night, June 1, to a senior who exemplifies good citizenship.
Terry Symula, co-president of the Harvard Schools Trust, said the group was honored to be asked by Simon’s mother, Pam Henshaw, and his wife, Jackie, to administer the award. The family told the trust that, at his Bromfield graduation, Simon received a good citizenship award, which turned out to be prophetic of a lifelong commitment to public service. He was always grateful to have received the scholarship and proud of the recognition. In establishing this award in Simon’s name, the family is honoring his memory by giving back for the gift and recognition that Simon was given.
Simon Henshaw. (Courtesy photo)
Symula said it is particularly meaningful to have an award funded by alumni because of the gratitude it expresses. In 1997 the trust initiated the Schools Trust scholarship program, supported in part by an alumnus who had received a scholarship in the past and wanted to reciprocate the honor. She said the Henshaw award will be the second award supported by the Schools Trust involving an alumnus.
After graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Simon worked as an intern for the Harvard Post while he was preparing for the foreign service exam. Most of the Post employees were women, many about the age of Simon’s mother. He was very popular among them; they found him great to work with, smart, funny, easygoing, and a very good writer. At age 24, Simon joined the State Department and began a 36-year professional career that would take him to four continents. Throughout his career he promoted democracy, integrity, and justice abroad, and he made a deep commitment to provide relief for the most vulnerable and suffering populations. Simon died June 9, 2020, while serving as ambassador to the Republic of Guinea in West Africa.
Simon’s altruistic and compassionate qualities are reflected in the written criteria for the Ambassador Simon Henshaw Award for Citizenship and Public Service: “This award recognizes a graduating senior chosen by the teaching staff for demonstrating a spirit of citizenship by consistently volunteering their time and making an extra effort to help others in their school and community. The award remembers Bromfield graduate Simon Henshaw, who was a dedicated public servant, serving our country abroad for 36 years as a career diplomat with the Department of State.”
