NORWALK, Conn. – Keith Rodgerson, the Democratic candidate challenging Republican incumbent Gail Lavielle for the 143rd District seat in the state General Assembly, fired back at Wilton Republican Town Committee Chairman Al Alper Monday night after Alper made disparaging remarks about Rodgerson’s work and education history.
In an email to NancyOnNorwalk responding to Wilton Democratic Town Committee Chairman Tom Dec’s attack on Lavielle’s endorsement by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), Alper wrote, “Perhaps he’s just trying to hide the fact that his candidate, Keith Rodgerson, has barely worked a day in his life – at least in the real world where you have to perform to keep your job. Or that Mr. Rodgerson’s claims of a Harvard education really is nothing more than a night school certificate.”
NoN did not publish the claims about Rodgerson’s education until we could ask Rodgerson about them. His campaign website reads, “He was a summa cum laude graduate of Harvard University where he began his career in finance and real estate. His undergraduate BA was in the humanities. His graduate studies were in urban planning and public administration. Keith is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional.”
Rodgerson said he does, in fact, have a degree from Harvard, but was not a traditional full-time, four-year student.
“I earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Harvard University in 2001, completing all of the requirements for a bachelor’s degree as set by Harvard University,” he wrote. “The credit requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Harvard are consistent for all students.
“I was nontraditional. Older, working full-time at Bank of America and a transfer student. Part of my requirements were fulfilled through transfer credits from previous coursework at the University of Arizona, credits which were vetted and accepted by Harvard University and some of which were discarded. Graduation requirements were also fulfilled by credits at the beginning at the Harvard Extension School, Harvard College, the Harvard Summer School and ending with the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, in that order best as I can recollect starting some 18 years ago.
“I am an alumni of the Harvard Extension School, Harvard College, and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. I am a graduate of Harvard University.”
Rodgerson said he did become a full-time student after a layoff from a private-sector job.
“I believe I migrated to full-time status after the Nationsbank merger in which myself and 35,000 other good people lost their jobs at Bank of America Mortgage. My full degree title is “Bachelor of Liberal Arts Extension Studies, Harvard University.” I don’t recall what my GPA was, but it was either cum laude or summa cum laude. The degree says ‘cum laude.’”
“The only certification that I can imagine Mr. Alper might be referencing is my certification by the National Development Council as an Economic Development Finance Professional. My re-certification is every three years.”
Rodgerson said Alper’s attempts to denigrate his degree is an attempt to “rake up muck.”
“Mr. Alper is insinuating that working professionals, parents and anyone else who is an nontraditional student somehow is below those or less credentialed than those who can afford to study full time.”
Rodgerson also addressed claims about his work resume.
“We can start with Bank of America Mortgage, Digitas, First American, Prudential … go backward to my stripping paint off of cars at my family’s auto body shop when I was 8 and go forward to my small business now (the non-profit Neighborhood District Economic Development Corporation). Government aside (to which Mr. Alper has clearly has no conception) he would realize very quickly that I may quite possibly have at 39 much more private experience in the American economy than my 57 year old opponent.
“Regardless, most of my government work was helping small businesses and developers. The rest of it was helping the people in Connecticut’s largest city (Bridgeport) that Mr. Alper so disparages. I have, like many in the 143rd, donated considerable time to helping Connecticut’s largest city and its people and am proud of my service. I am also proud of my current service as a Wilton Economic Development Commissioner.”
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