TheNewTopical.com - current events, politics, culture, ethics, economics discussion forum  

Go Back   TheNewTopical.com - current events, politics, culture, ethics, economics discussion forum » Main Forum » General & Current Events

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 20-12-10, 01:38 PM
Zichao's Avatar
Moderator
 

Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 9,037
Default Student who conned his way into Harvard says sorry

Awesome. I'd have let him stay. It's Harvard's own damn fault anyway, they're supposed to check this stuff.

Student who conned his way into Harvard says sorry | World news | The Guardian

Quote:
In the end, Adam Wheeler, a 24-year-old who conned his way into Harvard and benefited from more than $40,000 (£26,000) in grants and prizes, flew too close to the sun. Not content with having bragged his way into one of the world's most prestigious universities, he felt driven to apply – equally fraudulently – for Rhodes and Fulbright scholarships.

The application was a deception too far, and led to the discovery of a string of lies that this week earned Wheeler 10 years on probation and the order to repay Harvard $45,806. He pleaded guilty to all 20 counts against him, including larceny, identity fraud and pretending to hold a degree.

"I'm ashamed and embarrassed by what I've done," he told a Massachusetts court in a voice so quiet it was barely above a whisper. "As much as possible, I want to put this behind me and move forward."

Wheeler's impressive record of deceit began in 2007 when he was expelled from Bowdoin College in Maine for plagiarism. Instead of reflecting on the wrong he had done, he went the other direction, developing a whole new persona and turning lying into an art form.

His successful Harvard application claimed that he had graduated from the elite Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts – in fact he had gone to a state high school in Delaware – and had an impeccable record of academic excellence at MIT. Once having fraudulently gained entry to America's most revered ivory tower, he pursued his fabrications with what prosecutors told the court was compulsive zeal.

As the Harvard Crimson newspaper identified, he created a resume that boasted the authorship of two books and co-authorship of four others, the delivery of lectures in Armenian studies and unblemished grades – all of it hogwash. He also won the $4,000 Hoopes Prize, $2,000 Sargent Prize and an $8,000 Rockefeller research grant, all through plagiarism.

"The history of these offences indicates not only compulsivity, but a lack of moral compass," Judge Diane Kottmyer said.

Wheeler's probation terms forbid him from entering Harvard and ban him from profiting from his escapades.

If he had stuck at that, he might by now have graduated from Harvard and be on the way to building himself a lucrative and desirable career. But he couldn't resist the temptation of pushing it further.

His applications for the Rhodes and Fulbright scholarships were spotted by a Harvard English professor who noticed overlap between his application and the work of a colleague. He was investigated and chose to leave Harvard before he was pushed.

Even then, he couldn't stop. He applied for a transfer to four different universities and was accepted by two before they too cottoned on to his fictitious story.

It appears that Wheeler's addiction to lying has finally been halted. Part of his sentencing terms require him to stay in therapy so that he can come to understand his behaviour.

"The terms of the probation enhance the likelihood that he will in fact move on and lead a law-abiding life," Kottmyer said.

Wheeler is now working in a part-time job, earning the minimum wage, in a charity in Massachusetts.

"He is very interested in non-profit work, he has always been interested in that," his mother Lee Wheeler told the Boston Globe.
__________________
Standard disclaimer: the disgusting statements contained in this post are the views of the poster, and unless specified do not represent the views of the moderators or the site's owners.
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 20-12-10, 02:10 PM
Gilles de Rais's Avatar
Moderator
 

Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,639
Default

"He is very interested in non-profit work, he has always been interested in that"

... Loyal mother, though, that's always nice... And his name is Wheeler? Surely, he should marry a Dealer and adopt the composed name...
__________________
Unless otherwise specified, I am posting as a regular poster. When I will act as a mod, I'll make sure you're in no doubt.
Reply With Quote
Reply


(View-All Members who have read this thread : 3
contracycle, Gilles de Rais, Zichao
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 04:42 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0