The Harvard Global Health Institute considers itself a hub for connecting students with international global health and policy internships, fellowships, speaker events, and research showcases. As U.S. healthcare policies shift under the new presidential administration, Harvard students are turning to the HGHI for opportunities to not only educate themselves but also gain real-world experience in the field.
Recognizing the overwhelming breadth of programs at the HGHI, the Independent sat down with both student ambassadors and applicants at Institute programs to better understand its opportunities.
The Institute prides itself on giving Harvard students and affiliates the chance to explore initiatives across six areas of focus: infectious diseases; digital transformation; global health security; climate, environment, and health; global mental health; and health justice. By working with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the HGHI encourages collaboration between experts and students across fields.
“Since Harvard doesn’t have a formal Global Health concentration and GHHP requirements are spread across various departments, I saw this as an opportunity to engage with global health outside the classroom,” Izumi Vázquez ’25, co-president of the HGHI Student Advisory Committee, shared.
Since joining in her sophomore year, Vázquez continues to deepen her involvement with student and professional affiliates of the institute. “I worked closely with HGHI leadership to connect undergraduates with global health professionals, helping showcase the many ways students can get involved,” she said.
“This has taken shape through a variety of programming, including small-group faculty dinners, hands-on workshops, and a big sib/little sib mentorship program,” she continued.
The four options to fulfill the “foundational course” requirement for students pursuing a Global Health and Health Policy (GHHP) secondary were either not offered or canceled this academic year. Passionate about ensuring students had access to global health opportunities, Vázquez and fellow ambassadors spearheaded a litany of events.
Over Wintersession, the Institute hosted a variety of speakers, including Dr. Neal Baer, a producer, physician, author, public health advocate, and lecturer at Harvard Medical School. Another speaker was Richard Preston, a New York Times best-selling author and writer for The New Yorker.
“We also took students on a site visit to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and ran an HGHI Internship cover letter workshop in partnership with the Mignone Center for Career Success,” Vázquez said. “We are hoping this becomes an annual thing.”
Aside from that event, the Institute’s programming has been successful, attracting students to join. “I was really excited by all of the interesting speaker events that they host and by the opportunity to engage with a group of people as passionate about global health as I was,” an anonymous first-year student shared in an interview with the Independent.
Furthermore, in pursuit of its mission to “advance excellence and equity in global health,” the HGHI also offers a range of fellowships and internships that focus on pressing health issues, such as pandemic response, climate change, and health justice.
“HGHI summer internships are a great way to gain hands-on experience—no prior experience needed,” Vázquez said.
One on-campus opportunity she recommends for underclassmen is the Summer Undergraduate Research in Global Health (SURGH) program, offered as a component of the Harvard Summer Undergraduate Research Village. The HGHI also offers fellowships targeted towards upperclassmen.
“The Joey Hanzich Memorial Fellowship and Cordeiro Summer Research Fellowship are especially great opportunities to look into,” Vázquez shared. “HGHI also offers conference funding to help offset travel costs for academic conferences.”
The Joey Hanzich Fellowship is for rising juniors and seniors who find their own summer opportunities, either domestically or abroad and need funding. The Cordeiro Fellowship gives students the chance to get a head start on thesis research in GHHP or related fields the summer before their graduation year.
The HGHI is also a popular way for students to gain experience while studying abroad either over the summer semester or term-time. The HGHI Summer Research and Internships Program is a 10-week initiative that offers returning students paid research opportunities or internships around the world.
The HGHI application process is fairly consistent across these series of programs. “To apply, I submitted a cover letter, a transcript, and a resume,” the anonymous student said. “I also filled out a reference form with recommenders who would be contacted if I were selected as a finalist.”
Due to high demand, the HGHI has implemented a cap of three applications per student across its internships and research programs.
Regardless of these limitations, this applicant encouraged their peers to consider getting involved at the HGHI. “I would absolutely recommend applying for these internships,” they said. “They offer amazing opportunities to conduct research and impact policy-making across the world.”
Beyond internships, the HGHI advises Harvard students on which courses to take to earn credit for the Secondary Field in Global Health and Health Policy. Many of these courses, such as GHHP 99: “Research in Global Health and Health Policy,” include hands-on research opportunities.
Excited about these academic options, Vázquez explored several of these courses. “Some of my personal favorites include PSY 1845: ‘Stigma, Discrimination, and Health’ and GHHP 50: ‘The Quality of Health Care in America,’” she shared.
“I would love to participate in some of the global health courses offered at HSPH and HMS,” the anonymous student added. “As someone who is particularly interested in the economic analysis of healthcare policy, I will definitely be attending future workshops in that area as well.”
While Vázquez expressed that students should browse the course opportunities on their own, she also encouraged them to connect with peers. “I think the best advice comes from students who’ve been there, done that. I would definitely recommend reaching out to the Student Advisory Committee,” she specified.
For students who are interested in conducting further work on research projects they have already done, the HGHI offers funding for independent research initiatives. Students can receive sponsorship for projects that are internship-, volunteer-, or research-based. The application is also available to students who need funding for a thesis project related to global health.
Additionally, to highlight the research done by students at HGHI, the organization is offering a student research showcase at its upcoming annual symposium on April 10–11.
This year’s symposium theme, “Delivering on the Promise of Health Equity,” invites students to apply to present their work by submitting an abstract. This event will bring together speakers, policymakers, and students from across the world to discuss pressing global health issues through panels and discussions. The keynote speaker will be Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, assistant director of the U.N. Pan-American Health Organization.
With a range of opportunities and a growing network, the HGHI serves as a vital resource for students to engage with and discover global health interests. “[HGHI] introduced me to so many topics in global health that I had barely considered before,” the anonymous interviewee shared. “I am excited to explore this field further.”
Olivia Lunseth ’28 (olivialunseth@college.harvard.edu) recommends readers check out the HGHI website if they are interested in public health or exploring other opportunities in the field.