Lydia Kennard

Lydia earned a bachelor’s in urban planning and management from Stanford University in 1975, a degree from Harvard Law School in 1979, and a master’s in city planning from MIT in 1979. She is CEO of KDG Construction Consulting, which provides project and construction management services. Previously, she was executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, the second-largest system of airports in the United States, which includes Los Angeles International Airport. She most enjoys spending time with family and friends.

“My parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents believed that education is the great equalizer. They felt that with a strong education, one could be successful in America regardless of one’s racial, religious, or ethnic background. I am grateful for the rich academic experience I had as an MIT graduate student. Today, my daughter is an MIT sophomore and is also experiencing the great educational, social, and extracurricular opportunities that the Institute provides. I feel fortunate that my parents could finance my education and that I can do the same for my daughter. We created the Kennard Reeves Scholarship Fund for African-American students of U.S. citizenship, which is reflective of our background and will serve as an enduring legacy to my family’s commitment to higher education. I am privileged to help students who need additional financial assistance. My hope for the future is that students aided by this scholarship will one day also give back, allowing someone in the next generation the same opportunity to attend MIT—this special, exceptional institution.”

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For information, contact David Woodruff: 617-253-3990; daw@mit.edu. Or visit giving.mit.edu.