By Daniel B. Totten

Born and raised in Columbia Point and Codman Square, later residing in the Neponset area and now in Hingham, Kevin McCluskey has traveled an interesting and winding road in the years since he was the second-youngest ever to hold a seat on the Boston School Committee and youngest president in the history of the committee.

McCluskey served from 1980 through 1987 and was president in 1983 and 1984.

McCluskey earned his seat when he was first runner up in the 1979 School Committee election, after then sitting committeeman Gerald O'Leary was convicted of extortion. McCluskey was sworn in on October 14, 1980 and turned 26 the very next day.

At his formal swearing in, McCluskey ever the quick wit and aiming to disarm his detractors, uttered a memorable line: "I've got a bib on, so I don't spill food on me." His youthful looks belied the trademark humor, passion and intelligence that became much-needed staples during his years in public service.

Those traits were meshed with a street-smart savvy that a child of the city learns early on in life. Kevin McCluskey's interest in public service was inspired at a young age by his parents John and Pat, a taxi driver and homemaker respectively; both were ardent community activists and engaged in the Boston politics of the 1960s. Kevin grew up among his three brothers and three sisters, acquiring not only an appreciation of, but also a love for, education, public service, and athletics, particularly basketball.

This love of education and hoops was honed at Boston Latin School. This is where the 6'3" redhead captained a basketball team that included the likes of future Boston Pols, John Nucci (another former school committeeman), James Byrne (former city councillor), Tom King (aide to Mayor Kevin White), and Mel King, Jr., offspring of one time mayoral hopeful, Mel King.

Although sports were highly important, they were secondary to his studies. McCluskey excelled in the classroom as well, becoming senior class president at Boston Latin, while also holding the prestigious position of student representative on the Boston School Committee. That post, while carrying no voting power on the issues, allowed McCluskey a front-row seat and significant hands-on learning experience, which he applied to his career just about eight quick years later during his efforts and campaigns for a school committee seat.

Kevin McCluskey walked Harvard Yard as an undergraduate and, since 1989, he's been back amongst the ivy, serving Harvard's director of community relations. True to his roots Kevin's been playing some community relations point guard as Harvard's lead man on the Allston campus expansion planning and development. His rich and varied resume is of help with the daily demands of his post at Harvard.

Within that resume were positions as youth counselor for the Boys' Club of Boston, program director for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce' anti-litter program named "People Power," substitute teacher in the Boston school system, and just prior to his tenure at Harvard was a position as development director at Emerson College in Boston.

The only seeming setback of McCluskey's public service years was a devastating loss in his bid for a City Council seat in 1987. Although that loss was surely a bitter pill, he took it with his usual grace and humor, always able to see the big picture and somehow interject that trademark wit. At the time, McCluskey said of the loss, "It was a surprise. But I found the culprit. I looked in the mirror and there he was." Today, he writes, in an e-mail interview, "I simply did not run a good campaign for the Council, but I think things have turned out for the best."

In every loss there is opportunity for those who have the ability to see it. McCluskey had that vision and used his post public service years/spare time to continue to give back to his community, through involvement in programs such the "After School For All" educational program. He is a licensed basketball referee, calling 'em like he sees 'em in high school, AAU, men's leagues, and community leagues, and the communication skills from his day job haven't necessarily translated into excellence with the whistle.

"It may be the other way around," McCluskey writes.

"And anyone who has played in a game that I've reffed also knows that I have pretty good room for improvement there as well."

Kevin McCluskey has blended his vast experience dealing with items ranging from school budgets in the $250 million range to presiding over a school committee in a city with a student base of approximately 60,000 pupils, to go right along with his wit and wisdom to succeed at Harvard. In 2001, he was an unofficial short-list consideration for the Washington D.C.-based position of Harvard's vice president of government and public affairs. McCluskey humbly passed on the position, citing his inexperience in the capital, as well as the demands of a family that includes his wife, Maureen, a son, and two daughters.

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