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Nonprofit-Related Activities

Harvard Kennedy School of Government Activities

Social Enterprise in Action (SEIA) - A professional interest council at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, SEIA aims to build awareness around social enterprise and provide students with the skills needed to lead socially responsible ventures by putting on lectures, workshops and networking events. SEIA seeks to help for-profit organizations think about ways to be socially responsible in their business practices, both philanthropically and operationally, and help non-profits organizations adopt best practice principles to help their organizations become sustainable. In addition, SEIA looks to the public sector to devise innovative incentives and strategies to encourage public/private partnerships and increase cross-sector collaboration.

Website: www.hks.harvard.edu/kssgorg/SEIA
Email: seia@ksg.harvard.edu

The Saguaro Seminar: Civic Engagement in America - The Saguaro Seminar develops tools and strategies for increased civic engagement in America. After three years of periodic meetings among a diverse group of leaders that included government workers, religious leaders, labor union activists, high-tech and business executives, elected officials and street workers, the Seminar published “Better Together” in 2000, highlighting promising strategies for civic re-engagement (www.bettertogether.org). The Saguaro Seminar has been developing metrics for social capital measurement, beginning with the Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey, in which 30,000 Americans were polled on their levels of civic engagement(see www.ksg.harvard.edu/saguaro/communitysurvey). From the Benchmark Survey, the Seminar undertook follow-up research on the connection between diversity and social capital.

Website: www.hks.harvard.edu/saguaro
Email: saguaro@ksg.harvard.edu
Phone: (617) 495-1148

Harvard Business School Activities

Business and Environment Club - The mission of the Business and Environment Club is to educate future business leaders on the important relationship between business and the environment through exposure to careers, industries, organizations, leaders, and business models. Our members view the environment as a key element of current business operations and future business growth. The Business and Environment Club is ideally positioned to serve as a vehicle for identifying, understanding, and promoting innovative sustainability practices and environmental market opportunities within the business community.

Website: http://www.studentclubs.hbs.edu/benv/index.htm

HBS Volunteers - The mission of the Volunteers is to inspire, organize, and facilitate community volunteer programs for members of the Harvard Business School community.

Website: www.hbs.edu/mba/studentlife/clubs/volunteers.html

International Business and Development Club - The International Business and Development Club aims to advance the understanding of international business and development issues and to promote international career opportunities among members of the HBS community. The Club works with for-profit and nonprofit organizations with a mandate for international development. Upcoming activities include regular debate forums, talks by prominent speakers in politics and business, and treks to visit key development institutions. The Club also organizes regular socials with the Kennedy School of Government, Tufts: Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Harvard Law School, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Website: www.hbs.edu/mba/studentlife/clubs/internationalbusinessanddevt.html

Social Enterprise Board Fellows - The Board Fellows Program matches Harvard MBA candidates with the boards of directors of nonprofit organizations for eight month engagements. Fellows attend board sessions and relevant committee meetings while completing a strategic project for the board under the mentorship of the executive director or a current board member. Board Fellows work with the board to refine and develop the project scope, target key deliverables, conduct necessary analysis, and ultimately prepare recommendations for review.

Website: www.socialenterpriseclub.com/boardfellows

Social Enterprise Club - The Social Enterprise Club (SEC) at Harvard Business School is a forum to develop and support career social entrepreneurs and public servants as well as socially responsible business professionals. Throughout the year, the group organizes many opportunities for students to meet and create connections with organizational leaders, other students, alumni, faculty, and administration engaged in social enterprise. It sponsors an annual Social Enterprise Conference, speaker engagements, a social enterprise business plan contest, alumni and nonprofit networking events, and other activities to educate and inform students of career options in social enterprise. The club also operates active affinity groups across a variety of issue areas and social impact practice areas--e.g. Education, Public Health, International Development, Arts Management, Corporate Social Responsibility, nonprofit Board engagement, and Effective Philanthropy. The club works with the Social Enterprise Initiative to support outreach to admitted students from social enterprise backgrounds and students pursuing careers and summer jobs in the social sector. With over 350 student members, the Social Enterprise Club is one of the largest and most active clubs on campus.

Website: www.socialenterpriseclub.com

Volunteer Consulting Organization (VCO) - A student-run club which organizes and trains teams of students interested in offering consulting services to area nonprofit organizations. Interested nonprofits apply for assistance with specific projects and students bid on projects in which they are interested. Local consulting firms offer training and the VCO Team Excellence Award is given at the end of the year to the team exemplifying the club’s mission and who offer true value through their consulting assignments, helping our non-profit partners to better fulfill their own missions. Most participants are first-year HBS students; although, other Harvard graduate students can participate as well.

Website: www.hbs.edu/mba/studentlife/clubs/volunteerconsulting.html

Harvard Law School Activities

Advocates for Human Rights - For six years, the HLS Advocates have been working closely with the Harvard Human Rights Program in order to engage Harvard students directly in concrete advocacy projects both abroad and at home. As first-year students, it is often difficult to find meaningful, hands-on experience before your first summer internship. The amazing clinical opportunities that the Human Rights Program offers, unfortunately, are only available to second and third-year students. However, as members of the HLS Advocates for Human Rights, you can begin working with Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) partners and community organizations your first semester no matter what level of previous experience you possess! Hands-on experience is not all that the HLS Advocates has to offer. We are at the heart of a growing and vibrant human rights community together with the Human Rights Program and the Harvard Human Rights Journal.

Website: www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/advocates
E-Mail: hlsadvoc@law.harvard.edu

Child and Youth Advocates - Child and Youth Advocates (CYA) brings together students interested in a wide variety of children's issues, including child welfare, juvenile justice, and education. They aim to heighten awareness and encourage discussion of these issues at HLS, facilitate student involvement with children and youth in Cambridge and Boston, and advocate for children's rights in various contexts. CYA organizes and coordinates volunteer activities with several children's organizations in the Boston area. Volunteers may help with one-time events or get involved on an ongoing basis. Through the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, students advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children involved in juvenile court proceedings. Serving as an educational advocate, tutoring a child in Cambridge public schools, or participating in conferences, panels or brown-bag lunch discussions with faculty are other ways in which students can become involved. CYA also works closely with HLS's Child Advocacy Program, which provides even more opportunities for students to engage in children's issues. In addition, students may find support to start their own projects.

Website: www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/cya

Student Public Interest Network - The Student Public Interest Network helps students connect with each other and with faculty and alumni who work in public interest. Public interest is defined broadly to include traditional nonprofits as well as government and international work. SPIN holds regular events focusing on community building and informal peer advising. SPIN also provides support for students who choose not to work at firms with our fly-out week parties, L-STAR funding program, and summer email lists.

Website: www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/spin