Henrietta Holsman Fore, executive director of the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF), received the 2021 Cronshaw Family Distinguished Alumni Award during a recent assembly at her alma mater, Crane Country Day School.
Fore graduated from Crane in 1963 and credits former teachers for encouraging a sense of engagement and curiosity, disciplines that inspire her work today improving children’s lives in 192 countries.
“I am by nature curious, yet my Crane teachers nurtured this curiosity,” said Fore. “Math and science, which teach analysis and problem solving, were my favorite subjects, and I rely on problem solving skills every day in my work. The solutions must fit the culture, the country, and the group of people I’m serving, and if I can get that right it can change lives.
“I think that sometimes as you grow older you value your teachers more than when you were here,” Fore told students, who assembled outdoors in the Oak Tree Quad in the school’s second group gathering in more than a year.
Yet Ruth Pusch, Henrietta’s kindergarten teacher, appreciated a spark in her young student early on, writing: “Henrietta is a lively and interesting little girl who brings with her an intelligent mind.” This intelligent mind would lead Fore around the world championing humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and economic development in the most underserved countries.
Fore shared much of her life with Crane students, who prepared questions asked by five student council members.
“I loved sports at Crane, and participated in field hockey and volleyball,” said Fore. “When you play a sport, you learn about teamwork and how to be a good team player and when to assist with the ball. Knowing when to assist and learning to be a good team player makes all the difference in life.”
Fore also extolled the benefits of school plays, a hallmark of the K-8 independent school. “Plays teach you about public speaking and the importance of representing the voice of others.”
Talking about her time at Crane, Fore’s recollections included skateboarding (and breaking her leg) on the old tennis court, bicycling to school with her sister Marta, and playing tetherball.
During her career, Fore has worked with leaders and policy makers worldwide. She was the first woman to serve as the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance, receiving the Distinguished Service Award in 2009. She has also worked in the State Department and served as director of the United States Mint, a job she said was among her favorites.
Immediately prior to her appointment with UNICEF, Fore was the CEO of Holsman International, a manufacturing and investment company. She has served on numerous corporate and academic boards.
The Cronshaw Family Distinguished Alumni Award is named in honor of former Crane teachers Peter and Margery, who taught in the 1950s and ’60s, and exemplified the school’s tradition of hands-on, experiential learning. The award was created three years ago by their sons Paul, David and Ian. Both Paul and David were present to honor Fore.
David said it was almost like a spiritual connection that led them to select Fore. “If you visited my dad’s classroom back in the day, he had UNICEF posters on his wall,” he said.
“Our dad had students fabricate old milk cartons into collection boxes ,and he’d send them out into the community to collect donations for UNICEF,” said Paul. “It feels like this award has come full circle and Henrietta deserves the honor for her exceptional leadership and ability to provide humanitarian and developmental assistance to children around the globe.”
He added that Fore represents Crane School values of honoring a commitment to sustaining a diverse and inclusive community where each student is respected and valued.
Fore said there was one thing that has not changed since her days at Crane. Asked about her world travels and her favorite food, Fore said she still loves ice-cream sundaes, just as she had when she was a student on Crane’s fields.
The Cronshaw Family Distinguished Alumni Award is an annual award given to an alumnus or alumna who has made a significant accomplishment in the field of their endeavor, to include career, special interest, community leadership, or volunteer service. To learn more, visit https://www.craneschool.org.