The Harvard Kennedy School community is deeply saddened and shocked by two shootings of alumni in separate incidents this month, both presumed victims of politically motivated violence.
On June 14, Melissa Hortman MC/MPA 2018, a Minnesota state representative, and her husband, Mark Hortman, were tragically assassinated in their home by a suspect who had also attacked other Minnesota lawmakers. Just a week earlier, on June 7, Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay MC/MPA 2022 was shot in the head while addressing crowds at a presidential campaign event in Bogotá, Colombia. He remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Kennedy School friends, classmates, faculty and staff—stunned by the attacks on Hortman and Uribe—have responded with an outpouring of tributes. You can read their powerful words below.
Melissa Hortman MC/MPA 2018
A native Minnesotan, Hortman was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004 as a member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL). She would eventually serve as minority leader and then as speaker. In the latter role, from 2019 to earlier this year, Hortman navigated her share of political challenges—from negotiating police reform after the George Floyd murder to addressing the challenges of COVID-19.
A committed public servant, Hortman said in a 2020 Harvard Kennedy School article, “In politics, often the easiest thing for anyone to do is run to a microphone, sharpen their dagger, and see who has the best press conference. But what's excruciatingly difficult in all this high emotion is to get people to the table and to slog through the work that has to happen.”
Classmates and faculty members paid tribute to Hortman in a this weekend. Others shared reflections in . Richard Parker, a former lecturer at vlog and a senior fellow at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, said, “Melissa was one of those students who made me proud to teach at the Kennedy School. She was smart, experienced—and most important of all, devoted to the calling of public service. There’s too much derision of that kind of service nowadays—with critics claiming it’s ‘bureaucratic,’ it’s working for ‘lousy pay,’ it’s shoring up ‘governments that don’t work.’” Parker said, “Those sorts of judgments represent a cancer that is ravaging our democracy—because without good government, strong government, government that cares for its citizens and protects its reputation for decency, we’re at risk of losing what matters most about America. Melissa knew that—and the students who knew Melissa drew strength and inspiration from her.”
Tim McCarthy, faculty chair of the Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Program at the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights Policy, said, “She was a great human being, a public servant of the highest order, and she was brave.”
Meghan O’Sullivan, the Kirkpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs and director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, wrote, “I remember Melissa as a thoughtful and committed student—someone deeply interested in public service and unafraid to expand beyond her comfort zone into complex fields like geopolitics and energy.”
Robert Livingston, a lecturer in public policy, said, “I will always remember Melissa as someone with an unshakeable sense of integrity and tireless dedication to public service. She was a brilliant, kind, and courageous soul who was deeply committed to improving the lives of everyone in our community. We must vehemently condemn such heinous and senseless acts of political violence, while also working to ensure that her service and sacrifice have not been in vain. Although she will be deeply missed, her spirit of benevolence and the positive impact of her work will eternally elevate and inspire us.”
Deborah Hughes Hallett, adjunct professor of public policy, writes, “Melissa was a source of quiet strength. She had principles, but she got along with everyone, whether they agreed with her or not. She was a shining example of that rare kind of leadership that connects and inspires.”
Natalie Kostich MC/MPA 2017 writes, “Melissa was one-of-a-kind. So humble, so genuine, such a truly good person. You just felt welcome in her presence, like you belonged. She embodied so much of what makes America great, of what the country is supposed to be—or hopefully become.”
Morgan Brown MC/MPA 2018 wrote, “Melissa Hortman was the best of us. She was a public servant with a relentless determination to help others and an extraordinary generosity of time and spirit. She enriched every environment she entered and we, her classmates and members of the vlog community, were enriched by her presence.”
Herbie Ziskend MPA 2017 wrote, “Melissa was always warm, thoughtful, and curious about others. Her infectious personality drew people in. I will miss Melissa dearly, and I feel grateful I got to know her during our time at vlog. May her memory be a blessing to all.”
Francesco Galtieri MC/MPA 2017 writes, “I would like to join all those witnessing Melissa’s humanity, her strong values deeply rooted in her community, and her effective way of navigating politics, being firm in her objectives but committed to build bridges. She genuinely believed in listening, always putting public common interest in front of partisan agendas. And she did so with sharpness and a witty sense of humor. But what I will always bring with me and cherish is the fact that politics did not change the person she was. She remained true to herself, to the personal journey that led her to politics.”
U.S Representative Dan Crenshaw MC/MPA 2017, wrote of Hortman on X/Twitter, “I knew her to be a pure public servant, doing the job for all the right reasons. She wasn’t afraid of taking tough positions or tough compromises. Political violence has no place in America.”
Miguel Uribe Turbay MC/MPA 2022
Hailing from a family of prominent politicians and journalists in Bogotá—his grandfather had been president of Colombia—Miguel Uribe Turbay MC/MPA 2022 is a conservative politician who became a member of the Senate of Colombia in 2022. Before attending Harvard Kennedy School as a Mason Fellow, he had served on the Bogotá City Council and as secretary of the government of Bogotá. A member of the Democratic Center party, he is now seeking nomination for the 2026 presidential election in Colombia.
Uribe Turbay is not only the only member of his family who has suffered political violence. When he was a child, his journalist mother, Diana Turbay, was kidnapped and killed by a Colombian drug cartel. As Uribe started his presidential campaign, he paid tribute to her by announcing his intention to run in the region where she died, describing it as “a place with deep meaning for me.”
Jeffrey Liebman, the Robert W. Scrivner Professor of Social Policy and director of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government, said, “There are some students who teach us more than we teach them. Miguel was one of those students. His insights about public infrastructure projects and procurement from his experience working with the Bogotá Metro were extraordinary.”
David King, a senior lecturer in public policy, said, “Miguel walked through vlog with open eyes and an open heart. He was profoundly optimistic about Colombia’s future, and Miguel was committed to that future. Today, fighting for his life, the assassination attempt reminds us of Colombia’s violent past, yet Miguel also represents the country’s path forward. He has tragically become a focus for unifying Colombia around a less-polarized future.”
Kessely Hong, a senior lecturer in public policy, wrote, "Miguel and I worked closely together when he was my student in a class on Negotiating Across Differences in the fall of 2021, and we stayed in touch afterward. I was impressed by his deep love for his country, and his generosity in sharing with our class his personal tragedy in losing his mother at a very young age following a kidnapping by a rebel group. This experience helped motivate his commitment to public service. I am praying for Miguel and his family.”
Gordon Hanson, the Peter Wertheim Professor in Urban Policy, wrote, “Miguel was a pleasure to have in class. He brought a deep knowledge of public policy in Colombia and an infectious desire to improve the lives of real people.”
Matt Andrews, the Edward S. Mason Senior Lecturer in International Development, said, “What an inquisitive mind, and giving soul. His spirit raised the room. And it would raise a country. My heart is broken at the fact that some people do not see or appreciate this.”
Classmates have shared tributes as well. Rafi Barbash MC/MPA 2022 wrote, “I’ve had the privilege of knowing Miguel, and his consistent leadership... and his unwavering commitment as a man of his word have always been profoundly inspiring. ... He's not just an exceptional leader; he’s also been a true friend.”
Juan Ignacio Carranza MC/MPA 2022 wrote, “Miguel embodies the very best of what it means to be a Harvard Kennedy School graduate. As a public servant, he approaches politics not with calculation, but with conviction, generosity, and a deep commitment to his country. He is a fundamentally good and decent person—honest, thoughtful, and principled—and a truly good friend. Miguel is driven by a genuine hunger to understand complex issues, find evidence-based solutions, and learn from others. His integrity and courage are an inspiration to all of us.”
Hamza Haroon MC/MPA 2022 wrote, “Miguel is one of the finest human beings I know, a true patriot of Colombia. He invited me to join him in Bogotá during his Senate campaign in the spring of 2022 while we were students at vlog. I witnessed firsthand his extraordinary compassion, love, and dedication to his country. It was challenging to walk on the streets with him, as crowds of people would come running to him for selfies or handshakes. I saw in those interactions how he represented hope for many Colombians. Even with the security threats at that time, he shook every hand, listened deeply to every voice, and ventured into dangerous areas of town where his team would beg him not to go.”
Haroon added, “During his time at vlog, Miguel's heart and mind were occupied with his love for his family and country. Nothing compared to his love for his family; I remember at vlog how he would rush home from events, classes, and study groups to kiss his beloved son, Alejandro, goodnight. You could not convince him to stay! His schedule revolved around him and his family. Miguel is deeply loved and respected by everyone in our class! For me, he is my best friend, mi hermano, and someone whom I greatly admire. We are all praying for him, and he is always in our hearts and minds.”
—
Banner images: Former Minnesota Legislature House Speaker Melissa Hortman speaking at the start of a legislative session at the State Capitol in 2020. Photo by Anthony Souffle/The Minnesota Star Tribune.
Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay (R) reacts after the Senate voted against the government labor reform referendum in Bogota in May 2025. Photo by Raul Arboleda / AFP.
Portrait of Melissa Hortman by Glen Stubbe/The Minnesota Star Tribune; collection of images from Melissa Hortman MC/MPA 2018 courtesy of Francesco Galtieri MC/MPA 2017 and Natalie Kostich MC/MPA 2017.
Portrait of Miguel Uribe Turbay by Sebastian Barros/NurPhot.