Friends, colleagues, and associates say (1)

This is the first in a series of excerpts from emails sent to Linda's children by her friends, colleagues, and associates after her death. There is no rhyme or reason to the order in which the emails were selected. I will post the messages as I come across them in no particular order.

Ragui Assaad was a former co-worker of Linda's in Cairo. Here is some of what he said:

"[Linda Oldham] was not only a top notch social scientist and researcher, but also an incredible coach who nurtured and supported more junior colleagues. She always provided constructive criticism and was tough when she needed to be. Her insistence on quality and clarity in writing left a permanent mark on my subsequent career. She was very supportive when I applied for grad school in 1984, helping me with my personal statement on my applications and drafting a very strong recommendation letter in support of my application. I have since pursued a successful career as a professor of public policy and planning at the University of Minnesota and I am sure I can attribute at least some of this success to the mentoring I received from Linda."

Ragui Assaad is the Population Council's Regional Director for West Asia and North Africa .