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Home > Degree Programs > Office of Career Advancement > Students and Alumni > Connect > Professional Interest Councils (PICs)
Professional Interest Councils (PICs)
Getting involved with a Student Professional Interest Council (PIC) is a great way to learn about your areas of interest and make connections in the field.
PICs are student organizations officially recognized by the Kennedy School Student Government (KSSG) in the fall of the academic year and whose primary programming centers around career development. OCA strongly encourages all PICs to partner with us. OCA supports PICs as they design career-related programming, assists in coordination, publicity, administrative issues, and in creating systems for the groups to maintain institutional memory from year to year. OCA also facilitates collaboration among PIC leadership to share best practices and to have a forum to coordinate ideas and share resources.
List of PICs
Offical 2008-2009 PICs focused on the following policy areas:
- Business and Government
- Communications and Media
- Crime and Criminal Justice (CCJPIC)
- Crisis Management
- Education (EdPIC)
- Electoral Politics Professional Interest Club (EPPIC)
- Energy and Environment Professional Interest Council (EEPIC)
- Food Policy and Agricultural Development
- Govt 2.0
- Health Policy
- Human Rights
- International Development and Gender (IDG)
- International Security Policy (ISPPIC)
- International Trade and Finance
- Microfinance
- Public Diplomacy
- United Nations
- Urban Policy
Professional Development Fund for PIC activities
The purpose of the Professional Development Fund (PDF) is to provide funding (up to $500 per event) for PIC activities that foster professional development and increased awareness of career options. These may include workshops and seminars with career professionals, networking and mentoring activities, and employer outreach, among other activities.
The PDF fund is established each year by the Senior Associate Dean and Director of Degree Programs, and is administered by OCA. PDF funds are available to officially recognized PICs for programming undertaken in partnership with the OCA. Additional KSSG-recognized student organizations interested in career-related fudning should explore partnering with an established PIC. There is a cap of $1,000 of PDF funding per PIC per academic year.
Successful proposals might include expenses associated with:
- career-related events
- alumni/employer outreach and engagement
- website development
- design of systems to establish institutional memory
PDF Proposal Process
All proposals for PDF funding should be submitted to OCA. Final decisions on PDF funding are made by the OCA and delivered via email from our office.
The PDF application (link to PDF) should provide details of the event/programming, should clearly state the amount of PDF funding you are requesting, and should indicate other funding sources (KSSG funds, research center funds, outside funds - both proposed and confirmed).
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. PDF funding is limited. Once PDF funding has been exhausted, OCA will discontinue considering requests.
No funds can be paid out in advance of an event or before work has been completed. All monies will be disbursed as reimbursement only upon delivery of the Universal Expense Form (link to PDF) and original receipts. The Foreign National Information Form (link to PDF) is required by Harvard to process reimbursements to non-US citizens. Additional forms may be required in certain circumstances.
Please contact us with any questions.
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