A Conversation with Harvard College Commencement Undergraduate Speaker Noah Eckstein
Trading Senior Class Committee events and final exams for a different kind of cumulative project, the 2026 English Undergraduate Oration Speaker has had a distinct senior week experience from their peers. Noah Eckstein ’26 will deliver one of three orations by memory on Thursday, May 28, 2026, during the College’s 375th commencement exercises, along with […]
Money Up, Admissions Down: Harvard’s Endowment Management Amidst Crisis
In 2025, Harvard University had to completely reevaluate the way its endowment is used. Harvard’s endowment has historically sought high-return investments in order to sustain annual withdrawals for University operations. In 2025, however, shifts in the national policy landscape—namely, higher tax rates and the Trump administration’s attempt to freeze federal funding—have forced Harvard’s endowment to […]
Dr. Jason Furman Becomes Director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government
On April 30, 2026, Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy Jason Furman ’92 was announced as the next co-director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, previously held by former Charles W. Eliot University Professor and Harvard University President Emeritus Larry Summers ’82, who resigned from the University following the release of […]
Looking Ahead: What the Newly Elected HUA Co-Presidents Have in Store for Harvard Undergraduates
After a week of campaigning and outreach across Harvard’s campus, Zach Berg ’28 and Daniel Zhao ’28 were elected the Harvard Undergraduate Association Student Body co-presidents on April 18. They will serve during the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year. As they step into this role, Berg and Zhao have plans to increase funding to student clubs, […]
Graduate Student Union Strike Continues Through Visitas Weekend
The Harvard Graduate Students Union–United Auto Workers picketed in Harvard Yard on April 26 and 27 in the midst of Harvard College’s Visitas weekend, shifting the College’s atmosphere for prospective students and families. Some strikers circled outside the Science Center with signs and megaphones while other union members offered informational flyers to passers-by, urging admitted […]
Visitas Welcomes Class of 2030 Admitted Students to Harvard Campus
On Sunday, April 26, Harvard College welcomed over 1,300 admitted students and their family members to campus for two days of the annual Visitas admitted-students weekend. Programming gave prospective undergraduates insight into life at the College through the Visitas Academic Fair, club and departmental info sessions, overnight stays with current students, and attending classes for […]
The Slow Dismantling of the Department of Education
On April 22, Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics’ John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum hosted a conversation between Margaret Spellings, the U.S. Secretary of Education under President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2009, and John King ’96, the U.S. Secretary of Education from 2016 to 2017. The forum was moderated by Virginia Secretary of […]
“Energy, Climate, and the Environment”: Expanding Climate Education at Harvard
On April 7, Harvard announced the launch of a new concentration, “Energy, Climate, and the Environment,” set to be offered in the 2026-27 academic year. The decision came after Harvard faculty members overwhelmingly approved the interdisciplinary program in a 215-3 vote. ENCE is Harvard College’s first new field of study since 2018. The ENCE concentration […]
The “Elixir of Freedom”: Mitt Romney Weighs In on Trump’s Second Term
On April 13, the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School hosted a conversation between Mitt Romney—former U.S. Senator from Utah, governor of Massachusetts, and presidential candidate—and Jill Lepore, the David Woods Kemper Professor of American History at Harvard College. The event marked the second installment in “America at 250 and Beyond,” a series […]
Harvard’s Gabriel Kreiman Thinks Artificial Intelligence Can Fix What the Brain Gets Wrong
A Harvard Medical School neuroscientist left one of the most prestigious posts in academic medicine last year to chase the bold claim that artificial intelligence can give people what the human brain cannot: perfect, searchable, infinite memory. Gabriel Kreiman, whose lab has spent 20 years mapping how the brain consolidates experience, launched Engramme last year […]
The Harvard Graduate Student Union Strikes For Increased Pay and Protections
On Tuesday, April 21, members of the Harvard Graduate Students Union-United Auto Workers went on strike against the Harvard administration after 14 months of bargaining for a new contract. For the past 72 hours, union members—which include graduate and undergraduate student workers at Harvard, such as Teaching Fellows, Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, and Course Assistants—have […]
“Canna-Curious”: Legalization and Medical Marijuana
Despite Massachusetts legalizing marijuana more than a decade ago, it remains prohibited on Harvard’s campus, highlighting a disconnect between state law and university policy as national attitudes become increasingly positive. An addiction specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Peter Grinspoon has used medical cannabis in treating […]
Holding Time in Harvard Square
For over a century, Leavitt & Peirce has served Harvard Square patrons on Massachusetts Avenue. Above its entrance, three simple words announce what it sells: gifts, tobacco, games. But inside, there is nothing simple about it. The store is densely packed, stocked with everything from flavored tobacco and pipes to chess sets, Go boards, knives, […]
A Move Away From “Western History?”
In December 2025, Professor James Hankins announced his departure from the History department, ending his nearly four-decade tenure at Harvard. He explained his decision to leave Harvard in his viral opinion piece published in the Dec. 29 issue of “Compact,” titled “Why I’m Leaving Harvard,” in which he gave a detailed account of the pedagogical […]
Campus Reactions to Harvard’s Updated Grading Policy Proposal
As students arrive on campus after spring break and dive back into midterm season, the relevance of the newly introduced Proposal for Updating Grading Policy—which suggests changes in grading, including a cap on A grades at “20% +4” of the class size—becomes increasingly salient. Students celebrated the administration’s choice to delay policy implementation to the […]
Harvard University Dining Workers Gear Up for Contract Talks
*Editor’s note: The last names of Harvard University Dining Service workers have been excluded for privacy purposes. As their contract with Harvard University nears its July 2026 expiration, Harvard University Dining Services workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 26, a labor union that represents hospitality workers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, are gearing up for […]
“No Crown for the Orange Clown:” Harvard Affiliates Join 180,000 Protesters in the Boston No Kings Day Protest
On March 28, approximately 180,000 people gathered in the Boston Common, marking the nation’s third No Kings Day protest. Organized by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Indivisible Mass Coalition, and Mass 50501, the demonstration was just one of 3,300 across the country and one of 160 in the state. Boston’s rally experienced a […]
Decisions, Decisions
Riding the high of Harvard College Housing Day, first-year students have quickly been confronted with another pivotal College milestone: course registration. On Wednesday, April 1, the course registration portal opened for first-years, sophomores, and juniors to select their fall 2026 classes. For first-years, these choices carry added weight, with the looming October concentration declaration deadline […]
In Full Bloom
Harvard Square has always been a place of constant motion—students rushing to class, tourists pausing at storefronts, and locals weaving through the familiar maze of brick and cobblestone. Amidst the churn of coffee shops and bookstores, two flower shops have quietly bloomed. Petali Flowers and Brattle Square Florist have each carved out a small, fragrant […]
Undergraduates React to Revisions to Harvard College’s Proposal and Postponement of the “20% +4” A-Grading Cap
On Monday, March 30, in an email to Harvard faculty, Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh announced changes to the grading policy proposal she shared in February. The amendments included factoring in students taking a class pass/fail when calculating the 20% +4 grading cap, adding SAT+ to the existing SAT/UNSAT scale, and waiting to implement […]
The New “Summer Body”: How Weight Loss Drugs Are Reshaping Body Image
As the weather becomes warmer and students swap out their puffer jackets for tank tops, the usual conversations and internal pressures around the “summer body” have reemerged. But this year, the discourse feels different. Instead of the usual diet culture and gym routine talks, a whole new set of tools has entered the conversation: GLP-1 […]
Strategy and Uncertainty: Inside the U.S. Response to Iran
On March 10, the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum at the Harvard Kennedy School hosted a conversation with former Deputy U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus, moderated by Institute of Politics Interim Co-Director Ned Price and Harvard Undergraduate Iranian Association President Bahar Moradi ’27. The discussion centered on the Trump administration’s recent […]
Who Participates in Participatory Budgeting?
The results are in: when it comes to civic engagement, Cambridge, Massachusetts, residents go above and beyond. The city of Cambridge held its 12th cycle of Participatory Budgeting, in which residents voted on which of 20 project proposals should receive funding from the municipal government, from Mar. 5 to Mar. 15. Out of the 121,186 […]
Students Respond to the “Salient” Revival
“Neo-Nazis at Harvard? Not surprised,” Aaron Thompson ’27 said. “They’re just very ‘red pill,’ irritating men, you know? Just terrible,” an anonymous sophomore in Mather House added. “I think the revamp is a scam,” another sophomore in Cabot House commented. In the wake of a leadership shakeup at the “Salient” due to past publication of […]
Blarney, Block Parties, or Bust
Across college campuses, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in wildly different ways, from 6 a.m. pregames at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to radio silence at Harvard, as the Yard empties each year for spring break. The fifth-century commemoration of Saint Patrick—the man credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland—was historically celebrated as a religious observation. […]
Celebrating Your Roots
Every September, a new class of Harvard students arrives on campus with a beaming smile and an ambitious look in their eyes. Yet between academic pressures and unfamiliar environments, one challenge many students do not realize awaits them: staying connected to their cultural identity when home is now a college dorm. Language, for many students, […]
A New Normal for Taiwan
On Dec. 30, 2025, the People’s Liberation Army launched what it called “Justice Mission 2025”—a two-day operation during which PLA artillery units fired 27 rockets into the waters surrounding Taiwan while Chinese ships and aircraft reportedly practiced repelling an approaching enemy force. The operation marked a sharp escalation in a long-standing trend of aggression from […]
Restrained But Not Restricted: International Students’ Free Speech On Campus
A Harvard College international student—who chose to remain anonymous due to security concerns—was playing frisbee in the Harvard Yard when a man approached her, introducing himself as a reporter for CNN. He asked if she felt scared or threatened. “I didn’t want to just say yes, because of course I’m scared and of course I’m […]
Datamatch Isn’t About Dating Anymore
“Expectations? No. Hopes? Of course,” said an anonymous senior at the College. Datamatch returned this February, inviting Harvard College singles to test their luck ahead of Valentine’s Day 2026. The platform was founded in 1994 by students in the Harvard Computer Society, originally beginning as a paper-based matchmaking survey. Every year, countless undergraduates sign up […]
Harvard University’s Essential Labor Remains Unseen in Blizzard
Chloe Lee ’29 entered the Holworthy basement with her friends at midnight on Feb. 23, at the tail end of the second blizzard Boston has experienced this year. “As I walked in, there was a common room with a bunch of couches, and along the couches was a HUDS worker asleep,” Lee said to the […]
Red and Blue, Back in the Yard
BY: SIMON FARRUQUI ’29 Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg ’04 and former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy will join the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics as Spring 2026 Visiting Fellows, the organization announced on Jan. 21. These fellowships are part of the IOP’s Fellows and Study Groups program, which brings public […]
Q&A with Dr. Robert Waldinger and Dr. Ellen Langer
“How should I lead a happy and fulfilling life?” This question has plagued humanity for centuries, including many of the ambitious students who have called Harvard College home. Luckily for us, prominent figures in psychology have been developing answers to this mystery since the 1930s. To gain some insight, the “Harvard Independent” spoke with two […]
To Sleep or Not to Sleep
As midterm season draws closer, sleep can be the last thing on many students’ minds—except for those taking Gen Ed 1038 “Sleep.” This classic Harvard College course has been running since 2009, reaching around 400 enrollees each semester. Taught by Dr. Charles Czeisler ’74 and Dr. Frank A.J.L. Scheer of the Harvard Medical School Division […]
On the Word “Partner”
“Thank you to my partner of three years. Thank you for our foundation. I love you.” Celebrity Timothée Chalamet captivated the star-studded crowd of the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards with these words on Jan. 4. Accepting the award for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy for his role […]
Harvard Grading Policy Proposal and Students’ Responses
Last Friday, on Feb. 6, Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh shared an email with Harvard College students and faculty titled “Grading Policy Proposal.” In the email, she suggested a new grading policy that will be implemented with the College faculty’s approval. The plan suggests a 20% cap on A-grades given, with the instructor’s discretion […]
How Students Navigate Dating, Commitment, and Ambiguity
The “Harvard Independent” 2026 Love Survey offers insight into the common romantic dynamics, or lack thereof, on Harvard College’s campus. The survey points to a campus that doesn’t reject intimacy, but approaches it cautiously and strategically. Respondent Demographics The “Independent” collected 107 responses across all four undergraduate class years and residential houses. Of all respondents, […]
Harvard’s International Students Navigate Immigration Updates
Harvard College’s 2025-2026 Winter Recess spurred feelings of uncertainty and caution for its international student population. Averaging around 27% of each undergraduate class, the College’s international students had to navigate whether to remain on campus or travel abroad during the four-week intermission between semesters, as the Trump Administration continues to pursue actions directed toward international […]
Winter Blues: Seasonal Depression & Mental Health Challenges
Editor’s Note: Due to the sensitive nature of mental health support programs, some interviewees have requested to remain anonymous. As the spring semester begins in Cambridge, students are navigating seasonal and academic stressors that can affect mental health. Seasonal Affective Disorder, commonly known as seasonal depression, is a subtype of depression that is most commonly […]
Y2Y Expands Shelter Services During Winter Storm Fern
Winter Storm Fern swept across the East Coast from Jan. 25-26, covering Boston in nearly two feet of snow and plunging temperatures into the single digits. Y2Y, Harvard Square’s youth homeless shelter, expanded both its hours of operation and its overnight capacity to ensure unhoused adolescents had a safe, warm place to stay. Undergraduate staff […]
Political Bias In and Out of Harvard Classrooms: A “Systematic” Problem
BY CLAIRE CHUNG ’29 AND JULIA BOUCHUT ’29 On Jan. 19, Harvard College student Tejas Billa ’28 was featured in a Fox News article, where he contributed a video interview, discussing how Harvard professors’ political biases have impacted classroom environments. Billa spoke in response to commentary from University president Alan Garber ’76 on classroom neutrality […]
A Candid Conversation with Dean Deming
Danoff Dean of Harvard College David J. Deming hosted an open student forum on Jan. 27 in the Lowell House Junior Common Room. Approximately 30 attendees guided the conversation around subjects including recent funding cuts to college student services as a result of Harvard’s endowment tax, the College’s push for grade deflation, Deming’s perspective on […]
“What Would Brooke Davis Do?”
On Dec. 3, American actress, activist, and podcast host Sophia Bush took the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum stage for the final panel of the year. Titled “Activism and Entertainment,” the talk was moderated by JFK Jr. Forum Director Aaron Goldman. Bush is known for her starring roles on television and film, including Brooke Davis […]
End of Semester Updates in Harvard and Cambridge
As of Dec. 9, President Donald Trump has signed 218 executive orders, issued 112 proclamations, and declared 55 memoranda throughout his second term in the White House. 14 executive orders have explicitly related to American education, and six of these focused on the post-secondary landscape—targeting elite institutions including Harvard University. On campus, this political upheaval […]
Mail-in Ballots: National Change and Political Controversies
In the years following the turbulent 2020 election, characterized by election fraud allegations and the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, absentee voting policies shifted across American states. This year, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Utah all passed measures in their state legislatures to reduce existing grace periods for voting by mail, or to eliminate […]
Journey to Oxford: Harvard’s 2026 Rhodes Scholars
On Nov. 15, eight Harvard undergraduates were awarded the 2026 Rhodes Scholarship and will head to Oxford in Fall 2027. Five recipients are from international constituencies—Sazi Bongwe ’26, Je Qin “Jay” Choi ’26, Will Flintloft ’26, Hairong “Helen” He ’26, and Fajr Khan ’26—and three from the American constituency—Anil Cacodcar ’26, Yael Goldstein ’26, and […]
Trump 2.0 and the Future of the GOP
On Nov. 17, Harvard Kennedy School’s John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum hosted a conversation between Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the 55th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Graham Alison ’68, the Douglas Dillon Professor of Government and former Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School. Together, they examined how Donald Trump’s political tenure has reshaped […]
Latkes, Dreidels, and Mystery Maccabee: Harvard Hillel’s Hanukkah Celebrations
For many Jewish students on campus, this time of the year—as classes begin winding down and students get ready for break—also means preparing for the much-anticipated holiday of Hanukkah. Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish Holiday also known as the “Festival of Lights,” will take place this year from nightfall on Sunday, Dec. 14, to Monday, Dec. […]
Harvard Students React to Larry Summers’s Campus Presence and New Epstein Records
The United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released more than 33,000 pages of Epstein-related records obtained from the Department of Justice from Sept. 1 to Nov. 12. Although much of the material reiterated information already made public in Jan. 2024, the timing and volume of the release reignited campus debate over how […]
Setting the Scene for the Winning Team: Harvard Stadium or Yale Bowl?
Starting on Nov. 21, Harvard undergraduates will head to New Haven, CT, for the 141st annual football matchup between Harvard and Yale. As one of the oldest rivalries in American college sports, it has been dubbed “The Game.” Held this year at the Yale Bowl, the event typically draws thousands of students, alumni, and other […]
The Psychology of Knowing: Professor Steven Pinker on Common Knowledge and the Power of Shared Awareness
On Nov. 12, Harvard Kennedy School’s John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum hosted a conversation featuring Professors Steven Pinker and Jennifer Lerner. The event centered on Pinker’s latest book, “When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life,” which explores how shared awareness—mutual understanding of what others know—shapes […]
A Conversation with Dean Deming
Harvard College Danoff Dean David Deming hosted an open forum in the Winthrop House Junior Common Room on Nov. 12, inviting undergraduates to discuss the updates on institutional policies, culture, student engagement, and more. Approximately 20 students attended, ready to ask questions ranging from increases in the student activity fund, free laundry, and an initiative […]
Student-Founded Apparel Brand Crew Dog Arrives at Harvard
Crew Dog, a student-founded collegiate apparel company known for its minimalist mascot designs, is beginning to make its way into Harvard’s merchandise sales. As the brand prepares for its first retail appearance in the COOP starting Nov. 24, its founders say their goal is simple: to offer college students apparel that feels intentionally designed rather […]
Harvard Custodians Call Out the University Amid Ongoing Wage Negotiations
“Harvard, escucha, estamos en la lucha!” “Harvard, escucha, estamos en la lucha!” By mid-morning on Nov. 17, loud chants, translating to “Harvard, listen, we’re in this fight!” filled Harvard Yard. Hundreds of custodians represented by the Service Employees International Union 32BJ began a two-day strike in demand of fair wages, a new union contract, and […]
Student Organization Profile: Harvard Undergraduate Sports Lab
“The first of its kind at Harvard.” The Harvard Undergraduate Sports Lab proudly displays this slogan on its homepage. Co-founded in 2022 by Tai Tatum ’24 and Ayah Al-Zubi ’23, HUSL provides students passionate about sports business a space to connect with industry leaders and one another. At an institution with limited offerings for students […]
The Harvard Independent’s Annual Sex Survey Reveals Shifts in Campus Attitudes Toward Intimacy and Identity
Released every year to demystify intimate topics, the Independent’s 2025 Sex Survey revealed a campus increasingly nuanced in its views regarding relationships, gender, and sexuality. With 545 responses across all four undergraduate years, this year’s results peel back the curtain on norms surrounding dating, sex, and self-expression. Respondent Demographics Survey engagement was balanced across all […]
Veritas and Vulnerability: Sexual Wellness in the Square
Deep in Harvard Square, amidst the many coffee shops, bagel stops, and bookstores, stands “Good Vibrations,” a nationally known chain of sex-toy stores. Less than a mile apart from Good Vibrations is Hubba Hubba, another renowned BDSM-centric business. For some Harvard College students, these sexual wellness stores serve as an essential resource for exploring intimacy […]
All Checked Out: Male and Female Personal Health Clinics in Cambridge
Following the closure of Harvard University’s Women’s Center and Office of BGLTQ Student Life this past summer, many undergraduates have been left with limited options for personal health services. Considering the importance of medical care in the areas of reproductive health, hormone imbalances, nutrition, and mental health, students must now turn to other resources to […]
Desire Meets Discourse: Harvard College’s Sex Week
Every year since 2012, Harvard eschews its Puritan roots and shines a spotlight on a topic often deemed taboo in higher education: sex. Between Nov. 2 and Nov. 9, the campus organization Sex Education by Harvard College Students puts on its annual Sex Week. The week offers informational seminars on topics such as sexually transmitted […]
The Institute of Politics Announces its 2026 Student Executive Board
On Monday, Nov. 10, the Institute of Politics announced its 2026 Executive Board: Lorenzo Ruiz ’27 will serve as President, Will Smialek ’27 as Vice President, Jack Tueting ’27 as Treasurer, and Dhara Patel ’27 as Communications Director. Arriving in these new roles amidst IOP Director Setti Warren’s unexpected passing and a tumultuous political year, […]
Harvard College Admissions Prohibits Race Disclosures in Interviews
Harvard College is navigating a series of changes for its 2025-2026 application cycle. Following a new policy that bans alumni interviewers from writing about applicants’ race, ethnicity, or cultural affiliations, the College is faced with further tightening of race-conscious admissions—spearheaded by the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. Restrictive Early […]
“You Admitted Us Because We Had Straight A’s”
On Oct. 31, undergraduate students assembled in front of Harvard’s University Hall, voicing frustration and concern. Some engaged in tense discussion, while others called out, “You admitted us because we had straight A’s,” and “We’re already dealing with so much stress.” Their words were prompted by an email sent on Oct. 27 from Dean of […]
Conservatives and Controversy: On Recent Tensions Within the Harvard Salient
The Harvard Salient’s Board of Directors announced on Oct. 25 that the conservative student publication would suspend operations pending an internal investigation, citing “reprehensible, abusive, and demeaning material” in recent articles and “deeply disturbing and credible complaints about the broader culture of the organization.” Days later, Editor-in-Chief Richard Rodgers ’28 denounced the board’s statement as […]
How Much Do Harvard Students Sleep?
Around the country, higher education institutions are teeming with sleep-deprived students. Harvard is no exception: a campus culture of exceeding expectations made insomnia a sort of rite of passage. Students routinely juggle the demands of academics, extracurriculars, and social life, often at the expense of rest. “The status quo is, are you tired and bad […]
End of October in the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum
Writer’s note: As the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum enters another month of inspiring conversations with distinguished leaders and experts, it faces a profound loss. Institute of Politics Director Setti Warren passed away suddenly on November 2, 2025, at the age of 55. Warren dedicated his life to public service, serving in the Navy during […]
The New Economics of National Security: A Conversation with Gina Raimondo
On Oct. 21, Harvard Kennedy School’s John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum hosted a conversation between United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo ’93 and former Treasury Secretary and Harvard professor Lawrence H. Summers. Together, they examined the Biden administration’s approach to industrial policy—particularly its push to rebuild America’s semiconductor and technology sectors—while debating the tension […]
Midterms: How They’re Made and Why They’re Taken
For first-year students, midterms mark one of the first formal assessments of their Harvard College career. “It felt a little bit daunting or scary just because I never took a college—Harvard College—midterm, and I didn’t know what to expect,” Sarah Zhang ’29 told the Independent. The first major round of exams for Harvard College students […]
AI Advancements: Implications for the Human Creative
On Oct. 14, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced on X that the latest version of ChatGPT would be more personable—an artificial intelligence engine capable of responding in a “very human-like way,” or even acting like a friend. This news comes amid rising controversy over how far AI should go in mimicking personal expression and the […]
Generation Z Through the Looking Glass
“No Home, No Retirement, No Kids.” This New York Times headline from June 11 captures the uncertain future awaiting Generation Z. Confronted with an increasingly competitive job market, deep political divisions, and an escalating climate crisis, the world’s second-youngest generation sees a stable future slipping further from reach. While some have called Gen Z’s outlook […]
A Conversation with Harvard Nonprofit Founder Olivia Zhang
Her story started with loss. “My situation specifically was born out of a really difficult time,” nonprofit founder Olivia Zhang ’27 explained. What started as a mere effort to memorialize her mentors—her elementary school teacher and grandfather, who Zhang lost both to cancer within two months of each other—led to the creation of Cancer Kids […]
Finding Home Through Woodbridge International Society
Every year, about 1,000 international students arrive at Harvard College to embark on their undergraduate journey. While this period of transition is filled with excitement, it can also be daunting, especially when home is thousands of miles away. As Harvard’s largest undergraduate student organization, Woodbridge International Society welcomes students from over 100 countries each year, […]
The Harvard Economist Behind the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences
On Oct. 13, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences to Dr. Philippe Aghion, former Robert C. Waggoner Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at Harvard and one of the world’s leading scholars on innovation. Aghion shares one-third of this honor with colleague Professor Peter Howitt of […]
MIT Said No. Will Harvard Do the Same?
On Oct. 1, the Trump administration sent the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” to nine schools across the country, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After nine days of deliberation, MIT was the first institution to formally reject the deal, which would have granted it preferential access to federal funding. Brown University, the […]
“No Kings” in the Boston Common
“No Kings” protests swept across America on June 18 in opposition to President Donald Trump’s Military Parade celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, which coincided with his own 79th birthday. The summer unrest amassed approximately five million participants across nearly 2,600 rallies—one of the largest single-day rallies in history. Four months later, on Oct. 18, […]
Every Name Represents a Universe: Harvard Affiliates Gather to Honor Gaza’s Victims
On the morning of Oct. 8, Harvard University affiliates gathered with markers in hand and heavy hearts at the Science Center Plaza to fill blank canvases with the names of Palestinian casualties in Gaza from the past two years. The Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee organized this event for the second year in a row, […]
When Being Present Is Not Enough: Harvard Students and the Struggle to Engage
Across Harvard classrooms this fall, a shift is underway. Professors report fewer faces in lecture hall seats, fewer questions being asked, and fewer sparks of intellectual presence, as the nation’s top students navigate Harvard’s campus teeming with opportunity. The trend mirrors national reports: the New York Times recently highlighted a surge in chronic absences among […]
Gold Coast, Re-Gilded: A Look into the Renewed Adams House
After a more than five-year renewal process, Adams House reopened this August, marking a major milestone in the University’s sweeping House Renewal Program. Adams House, one of Harvard College’s 12 residential dormitories, is known for its distinctive architecture and vibrant arts culture. Now, the House blends modernized facilities with historic features that have long defined […]
When Empires Decline: Singapore’s Former Minister George Yeo Reflects on U.S. Power and China’s Rise to Global Influence
On Oct. 8, Harvard Kennedy School’s John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum hosted the 2025 S.T. Lee Lecture featuring George Yeo—Singapore’s former Minister for Information and the Arts, Health, Trade and Industry, and Foreign Affairs—in conversation with moderator Anthony Saich. Drawing on his experience steering Singapore’s foreign policy, Yeo explored the prospect of a U.S. decline […]
The Harvard University Police Reports an Overall Decrease in Campus Crime
The Harvard University Police Department released its “2025 Annual Security Report” on Oct. 1, containing data from 2022, 2023, and 2024. The institution’s Cambridge Campus saw an overall decline across violent and hate-motivated crimes since 2023. “Together, the Department and the community can work to create an environment free from the distraction of criminal activity […]
Live, Laugh, and Limit
In just four months, the American comedy world has been shaken. On Sept. 17, ABC briefly suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, and in July 2025, CBS announced the cancellation of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” These moves sparked concern among comedians worldwide about the narrowing space for political satire and the erosion of free speech. […]
ICE Attacks Sanctuary Policies, Leaving Immigrants Vulnerable
The ground is shifting quickly beneath the feet of immigrants, their families, and the lawyers who represent them. Since Jan. 20, 2025, immigrants in Los Angeles, Boston, and other major United States cities have faced a sharply altered law enforcement landscape as the Trump administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement expand interior operations and […]
Bavaria: Barker-Style
“O’zapft is” echoes out every September as the first beer barrel is tapped at the Schottenhamel Festhalle to open Oktoberfest. Hosted in Munich, Germany, the Oktoberfest dates back to 1810 as a celebration of the nuptials between Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Today, Oktoberfest is a celebration of German and […]
What is it Like to Be a Republican Student at Harvard?
Harvard’s ideological climate faces unprecedented national scrutiny. This summer, the Trump administration claimed that the University was guilty of silencing viewpoints unpopular with the liberal majority while examining on-campus antisemitism. While University President Alan M. Garber ’76 called several federal requests “intrusive and unconstitutional,” he acknowledged parts of the White House’s critique, including concerns that […]
Somerville: A Tale of Two Mayors
Somerville residents headed to the polls on Sept. 16 to vote in the preliminary elections for mayor, councilor at large, school committee member for Ward Three, and councilor for Ward Seven. The city is divided into seven wards, each represented by its own councilor, in addition to the four councilors elected at large. Somerville is […]
Inside Trump’s Hold on Power: A Conversation with Maggie Haberman
Harvard’s John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum welcomed Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maggie Haberman in conversation with moderator Setti Warren on Sept. 25. The discussion traced President Donald Trump’s path from his early tabloid notoriety to his enduring hold over the Republican Party. Over the course of the evening, Haberman unpacked the blend of ambition, grievance, and […]
“Who am I…to Tell You What You Should Put in Your Body?” Harvard’s Flu Vaccine Mandate in Question
On Sept. 22, Harvard students received an email titled “Immunization holds start Sep. 26” from the Harvard Registrar’s office, notifying University affiliates that students who have not received the seasonal influenza vaccine will face holds on their academic accounts. While the vaccine requirement has been standard practice since 2021, this year, such a policy comes […]
Conservatism, Christianity, and Control: Former Vice President Mike Pence at the IOP
“Christian, conservative, Republican—in that order.” On Sept. 30, former Vice President Mike Pence described himself with these words as he took the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum stage for a conversation entitled “The Future of Conservatism and American Democracy.” The discussion was moderated by Professor Archon Fung, Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance […]
A Look Into the IOP’s Fall 2025 Application Cycle
The Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics closed its fall 2025 Common Application on Sept. 12. Since then, its 18 student programs and four coalitions have welcomed a new cohort of undergraduates committed to civic engagement. Following a politically turbulent summer, the IOP reported one of its most engaged application periods in a non-election year […]
Laundry, Dining, Printing: Campus Reactions to Service Changes
Campus life at Harvard College has seen a number of fiscal changes in recent months—student services, alongside residential policies, are no exception. Following the removal of Crimson Cash on July 1, the University transitioned to using One Tap Away laundry services, as well as the Touchnet payment system for Crimson Print. House dining halls and […]
Harvard University Affiliates Mourn the Closure of the QuOffice
On Sept. 19, Harvard students and faculty gathered at the Cambridge Commons and held a pride flag at half-staff to hold a funeral for the University’s Office of BGLTQ Student Life, often endearingly called the “QuOffice.” The ceremony was organized by the Harvard Undergraduate Queer Advocates and the Queer Students Association. The QuOffice, alongside the […]
The Harvard College Class of 2026 Elects its Class Marshals
On Sept. 19, the Harvard Alumni Association and the Harvard College Fund announced the first and second marshals, program marshals, and Harvard College Fund Marshals for the Class of 2026. Charisma Chen ’26 and Mohan Hathi ’26 were elected first and second class marshals. The program marshals elected are Toluwaniase Ademola ’26, Kirthi Chigurupati ’26, […]
On Harvard College Students’ Technology Habits
With education becoming increasingly digital and AI slowly impeding university classrooms, the Harvard Independent surveyed Harvard College undergraduates to understand student engagement with and opinions on machines of all kinds for our 2025 issue “Reboot.” Over a three-day period, the Independent received responses across grade levels and concentrations. Note that all questions were anonymous and […]
How to Build a Life, Live
On Sept. 9, Harvard’s John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum opened the fall semester featuring Professor Arthur C. Brooks in conversation with Tarek Masoud. Drawing on his new book, “The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life,” Brooks offered a practical blueprint for contentment, urging his audience to take leisure seriously, embrace calibrated risk, and treat […]
Journalism at Risk in the AI Era
As generative artificial intelligence becomes increasingly central to how people seek information, the journalism industry faces a dilemma. Large language models may not yet be able to break news, but they can synthesize it immediately. With this, what incentivizes readers to visit multiple online publications and sustain civic participation; and if journalism becomes an obsolete […]
Here for You: Mental Health Resources at Harvard
*Due to the sensitivity of mental health work, the majority of representatives the Independent spoke with chose to remain anonymous. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students in the United States. With an average of 24,000 attempts and 1,100 deaths per year, mental health services are starting to be seen as […]
The Next Chapter of Globalization
In recent months, the United States has shifted towards an increasingly isolationist trade stance, imposing wide-ranging tariffs and retreating from its traditional role as a champion of open markets. This change in commercial policy has sparked debates about the future of global economic integration and is raising questions about whether the world is entering a […]
Reconnecting with Nature Through the Harvard Outing Club
The Harvard Outing Club offers students the chance to step outside the University’s urban setting and explore outdoor spaces across New England. Through weekly trips that range from Boston-area outings to weekend hikes, the student-run group aims to make the outdoors more accessible to the Harvard community. “HOC is Harvard’s main outdoor recreation club, but […]
Attention: Harvard ROTC!
Since its founding, Harvard has been renowned for its rich military history—starting with the University’s “Indian College’s” involvement in King Phillip’s War in 1675 and progressing into the modern day with the University’s distinguished Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. The University currently holds the title for the most Medal of Honor recipient alumni out of […]
First-Year Perspectives: Why Harvard
Over the past five months, Harvard University and the Trump administration have clashed in a series of policy disputes. On April 14, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion of federal funding from Harvard; on April 16, the federal government threatened Harvard’s international student enrollment eligibility; and on April 21, Harvard filed suit against the administration. […]
Columbia and Harvard Students Respond to Recent University Settlements
Three weeks ago, Columbia University announced a $221 million settlement with the Trump administration to resolve alleged violations of anti-discrimination laws and restore research funding. The deal followed months of tension between the federal government and higher education institutions—and may suggest that peer institutions are reaching similar agreements. With the fall semester approaching, post-secondary education […]
Elite Universities Weigh the Costs of Settlement With the Trump Administration
After months of resistance against the federal government, Harvard University may soon reach a settlement with the Trump administration. Reports of these deliberations come just weeks after Brown University and Columbia University agreed to settlements to restore withheld federal funding. Persistent funding cuts to post-secondary academic institutions nationwide now total between $6.9 and $8.2 billion. […]