Cambridge, Mass. – Today, in honor of a $10 million gift from Vincent (Vin) Ryan, Harvard Kennedy School proudly announced the new name of its human rights policy and research hub: the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights. This rededication honors the enduring commitment, vision, and generosity of Vin Ryan and the Schooner Foundation, whose support has played a foundational role in shaping the Center's legacy and future.
Since its founding in 1999, the Center—previously known as the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy— has been a leading force in addressing some of the most intractable and urgent challenges of our time, including genocide, counter-insurgency, technology and human rights, torture, violence against women, racial justice, global LGBTQI+ rights, human trafficking, and more. The Center's work across the human rights space is carried out through the teaching and research of faculty and fellows, as well as engagement with leaders across the world.
“The promotion and protection of human rights could not be a more relevant and vital policy priority in both the United States and world today,” said Jeremy Weinstein, dean of Harvard Kennedy School and Don K. Price Professor of Public Policy. “We are deeply grateful to Vin Ryan for his generous support, which ensures that the Center will continue to lead in helping the world understand human rights policy and practice—while driving change that makes the world a better place.”
Vin Ryan, a founding supporter and Chair Emeritus of the Center's Advisory Board, reflected on his early inspiration: "When I was a child, my father—a doctor, the son of immigrants, and the only one in his family to receive a higher education—would take me along on his rounds. He treated patients regardless of their means, offering care freely to those in need. From him, I learned that concern for the well-being of others—especially the most vulnerable—is a responsibility we all share.”
The Carr-Ryan Center embraces a dual mission: to educate students and the next generation of leaders from around the world in human rights policy and practice; and to convene and provide policy-relevant knowledge to international organizations, governments, policymakers, and businesses. Vin Ryan’s continuing support will empower the Center to continue to fulfill these missions—and change lives—for generations to come.
“I am grateful that my friend Greg Carr introduced me to the Center many years ago, and I follow his human rights work in Africa now,” Vin Ryan added. “The Center's mission is not only relevant—it is indispensable."
“Every day, we are working to build a more just and peaceful future through human rights research, teaching, and collaboration,” said Mathias Risse, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy and Director of the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights at Harvard University. “Vin Ryan’s support will help us not only continue but expand these efforts—at a time when they have never been more necessary.”
A graduate of Boston University, Vin Ryan is the founder and chairman of Schooner Capital, LLC—a venture capital firm that he has managed for four decades—and has built several companies in the information management, communications, and alternative energy industries. He has also served on a number of philanthropic boards and is chairman of the Schooner Foundation, which supports domestic and international organizations in the fields of human rights, social justice, global health equity, education, and conservation.
The Carr-Ryan Center has been a leader in human rights policy and practice for . The Center is led by Director Mathias Risse, a globally recognized philosopher and scholar of international affairs focused on global justice and the ethics of technology, and Executive Director Maggie Gates, an experienced social justice practitioner. Together, they are cultivating a new generation of ethical leaders who combine analytical rigor with moral purpose.
For more information, visit the Carr-Ryan Center website.