By Anna Bartoux MPP 2027
One of the greatest perks of being a Harvard Kennedy School student is the incredible wealth of backgrounds, experiences, and interests my peers bring to this institution. I believe that student organizations are the best way to explore Harvard’s diversity.
The student organizations here are so much more than just extracurricular activities: they create spaces where people from different programs—and sometimes different schools—can gather to connect over issues and communities they care about, to build on existing skills or explore new interests, and most importantly, to create camaraderie.
Getting involved in student organizations has been one of the most rewarding parts of my experience at HKS. Here are a few of the ways I’ve engaged with the community here.
Organizing the European Conference
One of the highlights of my time at HKS has been helping to organize the European Conference, one of the largest student-led conferences at Harvard.
As a French-American student working on European defense and security issues, the conference immediately appealed to me. I wanted to contribute to conversations about Europe, and organizing a major event like a conference struck me as a great way to build the leadership and organizational skills I sought while working on issues I cared about.
But organizing an event of this scale is no small feat. Over the course of six months, I worked closely with a team of 60 students from Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Tufts University. We had countless meetings involving reaching out to speakers, planning logistics, and making conference badges while singing Italian tunes.
In the end, the conference was a great success. We hosted more than 700 attendees and 50 speakers, including current and former heads of state and many other leading voices in European politics and policy. Afterward, we enjoyed our traditional closing gala at the Harvard Art Museums—which are a must-see, if you ask me.
The people I worked with on the conference have become some of my closest friends at HKS. So, if Europe interests you, I highly recommend you get involved. There are many ways you can participate, including:
- Joining the organizing team
- Leading a panel
- Helping with speaker and embassy outreach
- Volunteering during the event
All of these are great ways to experience the behind-the-scenes work that makes these events possible—and if Europe isn’t your focus, don't worry! HKS hosts dozens of incredible student-led events each year.
“The student organizations here are so much more than just extracurricular activities: they create spaces where people from different programs—and sometimes different schools—can gather to connect over issues and communities they care about.”
Connecting with the Francophone Community at HKS
Student organizations are also a great way to stay connected with your culture or to explore others you know little about. For me, that meant becoming the co-chair of the French Caucus, a club that brings together French and Francophone students across HKS.
Some of our events are for socializing around delicious food—we pride ourselves on an abundance of croissants and pains au chocolat at our breakfast sessions, or relaxed evening apéros where we gather to discuss Macron’s latest speech or an eventful soccer match.
But we also organize more formal conversations with French-speaking professionals working in fields such as:
- The French military and defense ecosystem
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Business and entrepreneurship in the United States
These events create a space where students can practice their French, meet interesting people, and connect their academic interests with post-graduation career plans. The French Caucus is just one example of a student organization you can, and you’ll soon discover that HKS has a wide variety of cultural and regional caucuses. And, if you don’t find one that represents you, you can always create your own! That’s the beauty of HKS.
Why you should get involved
If there’s one piece of advice I’d give incoming students, it’s that you should get involved in student organizations early. It may feel like there so many opportunities to get involved with that you’ll get decision paralysis—I know, I’ve been there myself. But the secret is to pick one or two where you feel like you can make a meaningful contribution and get deeply involved with them, rather than risking over-extending yourself by trying to get involved everywhere.
Before getting involved, you should think about what you want you take out of this experience, whether that’s building leadership and professional skills, expanding your policy interests, expanding your network, or something else entirely! And chances are, you’ll discover passions, opportunities, and communities you didn’t even know you were looking for.
