Professional Interest Council Activities

Getting involved with a PIC is a great way to learn about your areas of interest and make connections in the field.

PICs are student organizations whose primary programming centers around career development. PICs are officially recognized through the Kennedy School Student Government (KSSG). OCA strongly encourages all PICs to work closely with us. We look forward to assisting PICs with event coordination, publicity, administrative issues and creating systems to maintain institutional memory from year to year.

The 2007-2008 PICs are:

• Business and Government
• Corporate Responsibility
• Crime and Criminal Justice
• Education
• Elective Politics
• Energy and Environment
• Health Policy
• Human Rights
• Humanitarian Practitioners
• International Affairs
• International Development and Gender
• International Security and Politics
• Media and Communications
• Microfinance
• Public Diplomacy
• Religion, Ethics, and Public Life
• United Nations
• Urban Policy

PIC Professional Development Funding

OCA Partnership
OCA invites all PICs to partner with us. OCA supports PICs as they design career-related programming, assists in ensuring institutional memory from year to year, and allows PIC leadership to have a forum to share best practices and collaborate with each other.

Fund Goals
The purpose of the Professional Development Fund (PDF) is to provide funding (up to $500 per event) for 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.

Specifics of PDF Funding
The PDF fund is established each year by the Senior Associate Dean and Director of Degree Programs, and is administered by OCA in partnership with KSSG. 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 activities should explore partnering with an established PIC. No one group may apply for more than a total of $1000 in any given 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

Proposal Process
All proposals for PDF funding will be received by both OCA and the KSSG's Finance Committee. Final decisions on PDF funding are made by the OCA and delivered via email from our office.

PICs apply for PDF funding through the official KSSG funding application form and process. The application should clearly state how much PDF funding you are requesting, indicate other funding sources (KSSG funds, research center funds, outside funds - both proposed and confirmed) and should be submitted directly to the KSSG Finance Committee. The Finance Committee will then work with OCA on the PDF portion of the proposal.

We ask that PICs submit requests for PDF funding on the established quarterly deadline schedule created by KSSG.

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 appropriate forms and original receipts. See the appropriate reimbursement forms along the left bar. The Foreign National Form 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.