Menu

Mary Cipperman

About Mary Cipperman

Articles written by Mary Cipperman:

Seven First-Years You Need to Meet

Boasting education activists, acclaimed artists, and Air Force veterans, the Class of 2026 is more interesting than ever.

and ,

On August 25th, 1,950 first-years began to burst through Johnston Gate. They represent a record-low number of admitted students—3.13 percent of all applicants—featuring record-high numbers of women, Asian Americans, and first-generation college students. After facing a series of disruptions to the college application process, including Harvard’s decision to make standardized test scores optional, “the Class […]

first_last impression

First and Last Impressions

Reflections from pre-freshmen and departing seniors

,

Harvard is still alphabet soup to them. Comp, Tasty Basty, Expos, Securitas, Quaded, Blockmate, Berg, Veritaffle — not to mention CBE, RVH, PAF, UC, HUA, HUCP, HUFPI, JCR, and a host of other elusive acronyms. From April 24th to 25th, Visitas commenced in-person for the first time in two years, inviting the Class of 2026 […]

seattle visual

From Military Drafts to Rough Drafts

On the three percent that serve

,

Harvard students are no strangers to challenge, but military rigor is unlike the usual academic, social, and physical tests required for admission to the college. Three percent of Harvard’s student body either served in the military prior to attendance or enrolled as part of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. Yet the experiences of […]

You’re the President – for Half of America

You’re the President – for Half of America

Who is responsible for electoral distrust, and how do partisans assign responsibility?

Former governor of New Jersey Chris Christie (R) visited the Harvard Kennedy School’s John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum last week, where he opined on why and how voters have declared their elected president illegitimate. Christie reflected on Trump’s presidency and concluded that electoral distrust, or Americans’ unwillingness to accept election results, is the greatest challenge […]

MMinow

How to Trust the News

What’s wrong with the news media, and how can we fix it?

,

Do you trust the news?  In an era of post-truth politics and partisan polarization, only 7% of American adults say they have “a great deal” of confidence in newspapers, television, and radio news reporting. Trust in the media reached record lows in 2016. Americans consume more news than ever before, just in different forums and […]