Rosenfield Family Hits Double Digit MIT Degrees

Guest Blogger: Alice Waugh, LGO Communications

Even before Commencement, the Rosenfield family had an impressive collection of MIT degrees—but now they're into double digits.

Todd Rosenfield received two master’s degrees June 6: an SM in mechanical engineering and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He received the simultaneous degrees through the MIT Leaders for Global Operations program (LGO)—which his father, Don Rosenfield '69, EE '71, SM '71 has directed for 26 years.

The tradition started in 1971 when Don received his three MIT degrees in mathematics and in electrical engineering and computer science while his wife, Nancy '71, earned her SB in mathematics. Their children earned their undergraduate degrees from MIT: Jennifer '96 in biology, Todd '01 in mechanical engineering, and a pair for Adam '08—one in mathematics and one in computer science and engineering—bringing the family total to eight.

Todd, who was interested in science and engineering, applied early to MIT. “After I was admitted, I didn't consider any other schools,” he said. Coincidentally, both he and his sister went on to law school, but he was restless in the legal world. “I found that I wanted to work more directly with businesses and help them succeed. LGO gave me the opportunity to change careers to something where I would be able to do that.”

Don Rosenfield, who just retired as LGO’s program director, will stay on as a part-time senior lecturer at MIT Sloan. Hundreds of LGO alumni, faculty, students and friends gave him an affectionate sendoff at last month’s DonFest with a party at Fenway Park and a conference highlighting his contributions to education and research in operations management.

“Everybody is celebrating my dad's legacy as he retires… he's done so much for the program, and I'm confident that what he's built will continue to succeed with a new director,” Todd said. “It's great that he gets to retire, but I'm glad he waited until I was through the program. One of the best parts about attending LGO was that I got to spend so much time with my dad.”