Living at Harvard

Office of the Dean of Harvard College Faculty of Arts and Sciences Harvard University Men and women come to Harvard from all fifty states and from around the world; from cities, suburbs, small towns, and farms; from public, private, and parochial schools; from many ethnic and religious backgrounds; and from the full economic spectrum. They have in common significant talent and high ambition, but their interests, experiences, and goals vary widely.

Reflecting that diversity, Harvard’s extracurricular and co-curricular opportunities are virtually unlimited—including more than 450 official student organizations, whose number and nature are always evolving. The College provides considerable support to student organizations and other activities, and both novices and accomplished practitioners find opportunities to participate and explore. Indeed, for many students extracurricular activities provide an important part of their Harvard

Introduction education, as well as ways to contribute to the rich community life of the College. The future careers of many students are influenced by their non-academic commitments, in journalism and literature, music and the arts, public service, religious life, and business, to name just a few.

This booklet offers a sampling of extracurricular and co-curricular activities supported by the College. There are many others, and each year sees the development of new ones. They are all made possible by the prodigious talents and diverse interests of our students and by the College’s broad definition of its educational program. This booklet is intended to facilitate the process of exploration, which lies at the heart of the Harvard experience. Residential Life Residential Life in the Yard and Houses

Office of Student Life Residential life in the Freshman Yard and the twelve upperclass University Hall, Ground Floor North Houses is a fundamental element of a Harvard education—designed to foster intellectual, social, and personal development. All freshmen Phone: (617) 495-1942 live in dormitories in or near historic Harvard Yard, are “deaned” by [email protected] the Freshman Dean’s Office, and are supported by Resident Proctors osl.fas.harvard.edu who are graduate students or administrative staff. Freshmen eat together in Annenberg Hall. As sophomores, students move to one of the twelve upperclass Houses, which are diverse communities of Freshman Dean’s Office 400-500 students led by a faculty House Master. Each House includes 6 Prescott Street advisors such as a Resident Dean, Resident Tutors (graduate students Phone: (617) 495-1574 or professionals), non-resident faculty, and other members of the [email protected] Harvard community. Those few upperclass students who choose not to live in College housing can choose to join the thirteenth House, fdo.fas.harvard.edu which is non-residential.

Each House has its own dining hall, intramural teams, and a wide variety of social, political, and cultural activities. Harvard President A. Lawrence Lowell (1909-1933) described the purpose of the House system thus: “In short, a House with members of the three upper classes living together, gives an opportunity for contact in cultural surroundings of younger and older undergraduates, and of both with the tutors, thus promoting a greater interest in things intellectual, supplementing and enhancing formal instruction.” Gender

Harvard College Women’s Center

The mission of the Harvard College Women’s Center is to promote gender equity by raising awareness of women’s and gender issues, developing women’s leadership, and celebrating women who challenge, motivate, and inspire. In alignment with these goals, we centralize resources and offer student-focused programming to strengthen individuals and student organizations.

The Women’s Center offers diverse programs and events related to our mission, as well as use of our lounge, kitchen, and conference room for students and student organizations. We provide free coffee, tea, and hot chocolate to visitors, free safer sex supplies, and low-cost printing, copying, and fax with free use of our computer workstations. The Women’s Center makes available grant funding through the Ann Radcliffe Trust/Women’s Center Community Fund for student initiatives related to women’s issues and visibility. We are also home a year-long mentorship program: the WISTEM (Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) Mentorship Program, which matches undergraduate women with graduate student women mentors studying science, technology, engineering, and math at Harvard. All students are welcome to drop in to the Women’s Center to relax, study and meet with friends.

Harvard College Women’s Center Canaday Hall B Entry, Basement Level, Harvard Yard Phone: (617) 495-4292 [email protected] hcwc.fas.harvard.edu BGLTQ Community

The Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning Student Life

The Harvard College Office of BGLTQ Student Life provides support, resources, and leadership development for bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender, queer, and questioning students. Through collaboration with students and student organizations, the Office creates opportunities for fellowship, thoughtful dialogue, and the pursuit of knowledge. We seek to foster a safer, more diverse, and inclusive campus by educating and engaging the Harvard community about the multiplicity of sexual and gender identities. We encourage students to stop by the office to meet the staff, study, ask questions, and get resources.

Office of BGLTQ Student Life Boylston Hall Basement Level, Harvard Yard Phone (617) 496-5716 [email protected] bgltq.fas.harvard.edu

Arts

Art-Making Opportunities

Office for the Arts at Harvard Approximately half of Harvard undergraduates participate in the creation of art each 74 Mount Auburn Street year. There are abundant opportunities for creative expression, with hundreds of student Phone: (617) 495-8676 organizations and dozens of resources dedicated to theater, dance, music, and literary arts, as well as visual, ceramic, digital, and multidisciplinary arts. With its mission of integrating the arts [email protected] into University life, the Office for the Arts at Harvard (OFA) sponsors instructional and visit- ofa.fas.harvard.edu ing artist programs; grants and fellowships; venues, ticketing and technical support for performances; and opportunities for students to connect with professional artists in all disciplines. The OFA also sponsors ARTS FIRST, an annual spring festival showcasing work by undergraduate performers in dance, music, and theater in addition to filmmakers and other visual artists.

For more information about the OFA or student arts organizations at Harvard, please call the listed phone number or visit the website. Religious Life Religious

Religious Life, Organizations, Resources, and Events

The Harvard Chaplains are a professional community of more than thirty Baha’i Association InterVarsity Christian Fellowship chaplains, representing many of the world’s religious, spiritual, and ethical Baptist (American) Lutheran Campus Ministry traditions, who share a collective commitment to serving the spiritual needs of the students, faculty, and staff of Harvard University. Many opportunities Baptist (Southern) The Memorial Church exist for worship, spiritual conversation, study, prayer, and service to society. Buddhist Community Mennonite Chaplaincy Visit chaplains.harvard.edu for an overview of the many active traditions Catholic Student Center Orthodox Christian Fellowship serving the campus, including: Chabad House (Jewish) Presbyterian Church in America • Harvard Catholic Student Association: a student-run Christian Science Organization Religious Society of Friends organization at Harvard College, dedicated to fostering a sense of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- (Quakers) Christian community on campus through worship and public service, day Saints in order to broaden the social, spiritual, and intellectual horizons Seventh-day Adventist of its members. Visit catholicatharvard.blogspot.com for more Cru Chaplaincy information. Episcopal Chaplaincy Sikh Community • Harvard Hillel: the catalyst for Jewish life at Harvard, serving Foursquare (Revolution Church) Swedenborgian Chaplaincy the cultural, religious, educational, social, and political needs of Harvard Hindu Fellowship Unitarian Universalist all segments of the undergraduate and graduate Jewish student (Vedanta Society) Chaplaincy communities. Harvard faculty, staff, and the general public are Harvard Hillel (Jewish) United Church of Christ welcome to participate in Hillel’s events and activities. Chaplaincy Harvard Islamic Society hillel.harvard.edu United Methodist Chaplaincy Harvard Korean Mission Church • The Harvard Islamic Society: a student organization dedicated to Zoroastrian Association meeting the social and religious needs of the Muslim community at Humanist Chaplaincy Harvard and promoting an awareness of Islam across the University. harvardislamicsociety.org Harvard Chaplains The University maintains an old tradition of Morning Prayers, Monday The Memorial Church through Saturday during term, 8:45-9:00 a.m. at Appleton Chapel, The Harvard Yard Memorial Church, Harvard Yard. Hear faculty, students, politicians, writers, Phone: (617) 495-5529 and others speak for five minutes on their topic of choice, and listen to [email protected] music performed by students in the renowned Harvard University Choir. memorialchurch.harvard.edu chaplains.harvard.edu Career Services

Career Services and Opportunities

Harvard values learning both inside and outside of the classroom. The Office of Career Services (OCS) helps students reflect on how extracurricular and summer activities build skills and knowledge leading toward future options and potential pathways. The office advises and educates students about jobs and internships, research experiences, international opportunities, fellowships, study abroad, funding, premedical and health careers, and professional and graduate school programs. A team of professionals works in group and one-on-one settings to connect students with opportunities and to help them explore and make effective career decisions.

The office welcomes freshmen with an open house event during the opening days of the fall semester and offers a full range of programs and services, including a special “Freshman Friendly” programming series. Services include daily drop-ins from 1:00-4:00 p.m.; searchable databases for jobs, internships, and funding; individual advising appointments; numerous career fairs; a career resource library; online resources; and close to 350 workshops and programs each semester.

Office of Career Services 54 Dunster Street Phone: (617) 495-2595 ocs.fas.harvard.edu

At the Office of Career Services students explore diverse career areas such as global public health, the environment, energy, film, fashion, education, government, business, and entertainment. Publications & Media

Student-Run Media Organizations and Publications

Harvard is home to numerous student-run Harvard Undergraduate Television, Review of Harvard College has over 35 established media organizations which provide Philosophy, The Asia Pacific Review, Harvard forums to which students can contribute. countless avenues of expression. Notable Radio Broadcasting (WHRB), The Harvard Each organization has a different style, and a examples include the Harvard Independent, Undergraduate Research Journal, and Harvard look at the respective website will reveal its The Harvard Lampoon, The Harvard Crimson, College Economics Review. In addition to these, distinctive character. Harvard Advocate, Yearbook Publications, Government & Politics

Government and Politics

Harvard University’s Institute of Politics (IOP), located at the John F. Kennedy The Institute of Politics School of Government, was established in 1966 as a memorial to President 79 John F. Kennedy Street Kennedy. The IOP’s mission is to unite and engage students (particularly Phone: (617) 495-1360 undergraduates) with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a iop.harvard.edu non-partisan basis to inspire them to consider careers in politics and public service. The Institute oversees the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, one of the world’s premier arenas for political speech, discussion, and debate, and runs a fellowship program offering a unique opportunity for political practitioners with diverse experiences and viewpoints to spend semesters at Harvard.

The IOP also offers the following: paid internships for eight to ten weeks during the summer; Citizenship Tutoring and CIVICS programs to help Harvard employees prepare for the U.S. citizenship exam and to teach middle school students the importance and role of government; a nonpartisan, quarterly journal written and run entirely by undergraduates; a women’s leadership initiative; and a unique, nationwide survey of young adults’ attitudes toward politics and public service, involving Harvard students in all aspects of the project. Stay up-to-date and follow the Institute on social channels @HarvardIOP. The Foundation seeks to improve intercultural and racial understanding, to promote cultural appreciation among students and faculty, and to celebrate the identities and unique cultural inheritances of Harvard students.

Cultural Groups

Cultural Groups and Initiatives

Harvard Foundation In 1981, the president and deans of Harvard University established the Thayer Hall Basement, Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations with the Room 2, Harvard Yard mandate to “improve relations among racial and ethnic groups within the University and to enhance the quality of our common life.” Phone: (617) 495-1527 [email protected] harvardfoundation.fas.harvard.edu In pursuit of this mission, the Foundation seeks to involve students of all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds in the ongoing enterprises of the University. The Foundation sponsors annual programs and activities that are designed to promote interracial and intercultural awareness and understanding in the Harvard community, as well as to highlight the cultural contributions of students from all backgrounds.

The Foundation is guided by a faculty and student advisory committee. Public Service and Social Action

Phillips Brooks House Center for Public Harvard College provides both undergraduates and alumni with an abundance of Service and Engaged Scholarship opportunities to serve others. Over half of Harvard undergraduates are involved in public North Harvard Yard service during their time at Harvard. An overview of all opportunities available to students can Phone: (617) 495-5526 be found at publicservice.fas.harvard.edu.

The Phillips Brooks House Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship (PBH) is the hub and department that provides support for all public service efforts at Harvard College. It is home to the Center for Public Interest Career (CPIC), Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA), and Public Service Network (PSN), and collaborates closely with the Institute of Politics (IOP) and Office of Career Services (OCS) to provide students with a rich variety of volunteer, internship, and postgraduate opportunities in public service. The Phillips Brooks House also provides coordination, funding, and planning for public service, supports public service efforts in the freshman yard and houses, and leads collaborative efforts such as the Public Service first-year Day of Service, Public Service Recruiting Day, and the Public Interested Conference.

Service Founded in 1904, PBHA is a student-led nonprofit that offers substantive service experience and enables students to learn how to operate a nonprofit. PBHA, Harvard’s largest student organization, has 86 social action and social service programs that address various community needs. The Harvard Public Service Network provides guidance to approximately 50 independent student-led programs in areas such as advocacy, health, education, and international development.

Careers The Center for Public Interest Careers collaborates with the Office of Career Services to coordinate professional development opportunities as well as facilitates placement in summer internships and postgraduate fellowships with nonprofit organizations. In addition, the Institute of Politics provides numerous opportunities to engage, in a non-partisan basis, in public policy and government including related summer internships and postgraduate career advising.

Athletics

Athletics

Harvard offers the nation’s most diverse program of athletics from competition at the Division I level to recreational sports.

A philosophy of “Athletics for All Students” has produced excellence—from 141 national championships and 372 Ivy League championships to 52 former athletes winning Rhodes Scholarships and Harvard representation at every modern Olympic Games. Competitive and recreational athletics are an integral part of the educational program. All students have opportunities to participate and compete at levels to suit their own athletic interests and abilities.

Beginning with the nation’s largest Division I athletic program with 42 sports and nearly 1,300 athletes, over 80 percent of our student body participates in athletics and recreation, ranging from varsity and junior varsity competition to club, intramural, and recreational sports. Harvard’s athletic facilities are distinctive and extensive. They include the nation’s oldest football stadium, modern strength and conditioning rooms and aerobic studios, an ice rink and beautiful boat houses—all in constant use.

Many students participate as spectators, cheering on friends and housemates in fan-friendly atmospheres.

Harvard University Athletics 65 North Harvard Street Boston, MA 02163 Phone: (617) 495-3454 gocrimson.com eod the YardBeyond

Boston is America’s great college town, home to 250,000 college and university students, while Cambridge combines the attractions of a cosmopolitan city with the charm of a New England town.

Life in Cambridge and Boston

From Harvard Square, a ten-minute subway ride takes you to downtown Boston, from which an array of sights and activities are easy to reach. In addition to Cambridge’s own treasures, Boston offers great museums (the JFK Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Science, and many others); sites teeming with wildlife (such as the Franklin Park Zoo, the New England Aquarium, and the Public Garden); neighborhoods to explore (like the North End and Beacon Hill); and performances ranging from the Boston Symphony Orchestra to the Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins.

For more information about the Boston area, check out boston.com/thingstodo.