THOUSANDS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS decommissioned. Global cooperation on climate change. Decreased homelessness in Detroit. Fewer homicides in Boston. The end to a 50-year civil conflict in Colombia.
While each of these life-changing outcomes is the product of the dedicated work of thousands, these developments have important roots in the contributions of people at Harvard Kennedy School. This school’s impact is felt in many ways, and in many places—through our teaching, research, and direct engagement with policymakers. This issue of Harvard Kennedy School Magazine captures that impact from across our history.
Read about the big, paradigm-shifting ideas born here—from “soft power” to “social capital”—that have influenced world leaders and policy debates. Explore how HKS has taken on the world’s most existential issues, from nuclear deterrence to climate change to artificial intelligence. Learn about the difference HKS makes by training public servants to address challenges in their communities, from boosting student attendance to tackling mental health crises to improving policing. And discover how HKS provides leaders with the tools they need to be effective, from negotiation skills to decision science insights. In each story and statistic that you will read in this issue of the magazine, you will find great work that started here on campus and ended in real, lasting positive change.
As both the dean and an alumnus of the Kennedy School, I am proud of and inspired by our community’s legacy of translating insight into impact, work that we continue to advance today. These stories aren’t just our history—they are a call to action for our future.
Best,
Jeremy
Dean Jeremy M. Weinstein
Don K. Price Professor of Public Policy
October 2025
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Portrait by Martha Stewart