By Mathias Esmann MC/MPA 2025
Many Harvard Kennedy School students come to Cambridge along with their spouses and children. In the Q&A below, this year’s Kennedy School Student Government (KSSG) Vice President of Families Mathias Esmann MC/MPA 2025 reflects on his experience navigating life as a student and a parent.
What have you enjoyed about being a student parent at HKS?
I’ve enjoyed bringing my family to events! We frequently go to lunch and Quorum Call at HKS, and we are always received so warmly. HKS even organized a Halloween event for children during Quorum Call last fall. Our friends—and strangers—always come over to say hi to our daughter. She is much more popular than us!
Through KSSG, we were able to secure discounted tickets for the Winter Ball to help pay for childcare, and we organized a free trip to the world-leading Boston Children’s Museum.
Public schools in Cambridge are very good, and they are used to children arriving from all over the world. Although our daughter is still too young for school, our friends at HKS have been very satisfied with the schools here.
How is living in Harvard University Housing as a parent?
Cambridge is a great place for children. As a family, we got priority in the Harvard Housing lottery, so we chose a place with good facilities for children. Peabody Terrace has many playgrounds and an indoor playroom, and more importantly, many other families around. There is always someone that we know on the playground, and it’s so easy to invite people over for dinner. We’ve also been to many events in the Peabody Common Room—one of the most convenient places to gather, whether it’s for the Super Bowl or a two-year-old’s birthday party.
Soldiers Field Park across the river also has a great family community. The Graduate Commons Program hosts many family-friendly events, one of them being a brunch for the Head of the Charles Regatta.
How do you balance your time as a student and parent?
Harvard, in general, is a cornucopia of fun and interesting activities. Regardless of whether you have a family, you will not have enough hours in the day to do everything your heart desires. Instead, it’s important to savor the many extraordinary things we get to do every day. Coming home to your family is also a great way to stay grounded as you grow intellectually.
“Coming home to your family is also a great way to stay grounded as you grow intellectually.”
What challenges might student parents encounter while at HKS?
Childcare for the youngest children is very conveniently located but also very expensive. Many people either decide to take care of their kids at home or share babysitters because full-time childcare can be out of reach economically.
What are your plans after graduation?
We are headed back to Copenhagen! I will continue working in international education, and my wife will return to human rights law. We return rich in experiences and new perspectives and, perhaps most importantly, with a new group of friends from across the world.
Mathias Esmann MC/MPA 2025
Originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, Mathias Esmann MC/MPA 2025 arrived at HKS last summer with his wife and their one-year-old daughter. He looked for ways to incorporate his family into his HKS experience, so he ran for Vice President for Families on the Kennedy School Student Government. He is also a John F. Kennedy Fellow.
