A message from Dean Jeremy M. Weinstein
Dear Harvard Kennedy School Community,
Today, I am delighted to rejoin the Kennedy School community, returning home more than twenty years after my graduation. I first arrived here in 1997 as a PhD student, with an aspiration to combine rigorous scholarship and public leadership. At the time, I didn’t know what kind of career I would ultimately pursue. I couldn’t have imagined a path from Cambridge to Africa and Latin America, from Stanford to Washington, DC, and the United Nations, or from Silicon Valley back to Harvard.
My years at the Kennedy School were powerfully formative, shaping every step of my journey as a scholar, public servant, and academic leader. I loved the place as a student, and everything I have done since has been influenced by the lessons I learned here and the people I met—faculty, staff, and students. It is a great honor to return and serve as dean.
This is a moment of transition not only for me personally, but also for the School. A transition presents a new beginning—an opportunity to take stock of where we are, to assess the changing landscape, to think about the challenges we confront, and to imagine what we can and want to do together in the years ahead. I approach this transition filled with curiosity and excitement. I am energized by the chance to get to know each of you, to understand what you hope to accomplish, and to hear about your biggest aspirations for what this institution can contribute to the world.
In the coming months, I’ll be meeting with faculty and staff, visiting centers and programs, engaging alumni and other external stakeholders, and interacting with students as they come back to campus. Our mission is more important than ever, and HKS has opportunities to lead in new and innovative ways. I look forward to listening, learning from your experiences, and partnering with you to shape this great institution’s next decade.
Best,
Jeremy
Jeremy M. Weinstein
Dean and Don K. Price Professor of Public Policy