The folowing list of organizations were active during the 2019-2020 Academic Year. More inforamtion about the reactivation process is forthcoming. If you are interested in learning more about any of these organizations, please contact Kevin Boehm at boehmke1@gse.harvard.edu.
Alliance of Aspiring White Anti-Racist Educators (AWARE)
AWARE is intended to build our capacity as white allies of People of Color within the HGSE community to explore how they might better engage in the journey of striving towards anti-racist practices. The goal of the group is to use written texts, media and dialogue to engage in self-reflection and to expand our knowledge of racist systems to ultimately work better in community & coalition with People of Color in combating White supremacy. This group honors that it is not on People of Color to educate white people about privilege, racism and other dynamics of power & oppression. We aim to combat racism in white spaces while also holding that space accountable to different Communities of Color on campus. We will connect with different affinity groups, and any feedback, involvement and/or resource suggestions from the Communities of Color at HGSE will be taken very seriously as key elements that guide our work.
We commit to continuing our work towards anti-racist practices after we leave HGSE and continue our careers and educators.
For more information, contact Kristen Robinson.
Black Graduate Ministries
Black Graduate Ministries (BGM) is a curated, culture-affirming space for Black students to experience the presence and love of God in community--all while navigating the triumphs and challenges of life in graduate school. We purpose to see a generation of scholars from the African diaspora being transformed by Christ, being renewed in their academic pursuits and/or professional lives, and becoming agents of transformation within the Black community, the church, and the world.
Black Student Union (BSU)
The mission of the Black Student Union is to be a positive and productive representation of the Black student community on and off the Harvard Graduate School of Education campus. We promote proactive leadership, scholarship, community outreach, and student empowerment. We embrace our cultural heritage, unity, and the appreciation of diversity within and beyond the African Diaspora.
Brew and Whiskey Club
Our mission is to develop and cultivate a community of beer and whiskey lovers that appreciates the culture around craft beers and fine spirits, and to foster bonds and connections through brewery and distillery tours, education, social gatherings.
For more information, contact Duna Tatour.
Community Bridges Project at HGSE
We envision community organizations and HGSE students working in partnership to deepen mutual understandings and advance socially just action. We aim to collaborate and partner with community organizations that promote educational equity and advocate for the needs of the Greater Boston community. Our primary goal is to learn with and from these organizations about community-responsive and community-driven action. To achieve this goal, we seek to establish balanced partnerships supported by community organizations’ firsthand knowledge of equity work in the field as well as the institutional resources of Harvard. Recognizing the challenges posed by a nine-month program, we also strive to build sustainable relationships that outlast individual students’ time at HGSE. While our primary aim is to support socially just action in the community in which we are studying, we also aim to build awareness in HGSE students about socially just action happening in Greater Boston and to promote learning by doing and learning from organizations working in the field.
For more information, contact Matt Clements.
Comunidad Latinx
Culturally, intellectually, and emotionally engaging members of the HGSE Latinx Community by providing a safe and inclusive space that serves as the central point for elevating the assets and concerns impacting our community.
Confident Vulnerability
This group was created to provide a safe and open space for students to connect and improve mental wellbeing by sharing their vulnerability as a human side and to learn and discuss the strength of vulnerability for future applications in personal, communal, or educational settings.
For more information, contact Mengfan Zhai.
The Crimson Meeples
The Crimson Meeples —Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Gaming Society— seeks to build a community around tabletop gaming. We will host weekly gaming sessions featuring strategy and party boardgames, collectible card games, tabletop role-playing and war games, as well as other events related to game design and game based learning. In all of our activities, we hope to embody the core values of gaming: inclusion, sportsmanship and good fun.
Ed Talk
Everyone comes to Harvard with their unique background and experience. We can learn so much from our cohort. Ed Talk's mission is to promote the sharing and learning in the community. We will host talks and roundtables for students to share their expertise, to learn from peers, and to meet people with same passion in an open and supportive environment.
Education for Sustainable Earth
Education for a Sustainable Earth (ESE) aims to explore ways education can aid sustainable development more effectively. Education is an essential element of the global response to climate change. It helps people understand and address the impact of global warming, increases “climate literacy” among young people, encourages changes in their attitudes and behaviour, and helps them adapt to climate change-related trends. We host conferences, conduct research, connect policymakers and practitioners to encourage the dialogue on how to use the power of education to urge actions in mitigating climate change on policy, program and curriculum level.
Education India Initiative
Education India Initiative (EII) aims to bring together people who care to improve the education landscape in India. This community will brainstorm on current issues, policies, possible interventions and solutions to tackle deep-rooted problems in India. This platform aspires to leverage the passion, learning and expertise at Harvard to address the challenges and needs of people back in India.
Finance Education for Educators (FEE)
Educators generally don’t enter the profession for the money. This club recognizes that educators can be on a tight personal budget and want to understand their options for wisely managing their finances. Gaining comfort with personal finance and how to achieve financial stability can help educators manage stress and bring their “best self” to the communities they serve. This club will discuss emergency savings, retirement funds, credit cards, types of saving vehicles, and other topics relevant to personal finance and budgeting. It will discuss challenges unique to educators. This is not an investment group or course, but rather a forum to discuss options and tips.
For more information, contact Izzy Rubin.
Global Café
The Global Café initiative intends to bring the students of HGSE together to learn from one another's culture, values, beliefs and identity by exchanging dialogue on a number of relevant of topics.
For more information, contact Sarvazad Katouzian.
Global Educators Learning Together (GELT)
Coming together to learn from each other to improve education around the world.
Graduate Indian Student Association (GISA)
The Graduate Indian Students Association (GISA) is for all graduate students at HGSE for whom India matters and for those who wish to matter to India.
We aspire to engage the curiosities and callings of all students about the Indian culture, politics and people while leveraging the passion and intellectual capital of the students at Harvard towards bettering the lives of the people of India.
HGSE AR/VR in Education Club
The HGSE AR/VR in Education Club provides a community for students across the university who are interested in mixed reality (MR) technologies in education. The Club will provide learning opportunities and hands-on experiences relating to MR in education. This includes but is not limited to providing space for guest speakers, skills-based workshops, and outings to showcase local talent. The Club is geared towards educators interested in AR/VR, and does not require any technical background, although one would be helpful.
For more information, contact Liana Bishop.
HGSE Brain Association
The HGSE Brain Club is a student organization that aims to improve the state of education worldwide by advancing researches and practices in cognitive neuroscience and human development, ranging from research on neuroscience to classroom technology integration. We plan to accomplish this task by hosting domestic and international academic seminars and social events. We will invite leading scientists and entrepreneurs of the industry to discuss on-trend issues and possible solutions. Our target audience will be anyone interested in the field of educational research and practices, passionate towards exploring the potential of the brain and incorporating latest findings to educational implementations. We seek to provide the best practices accessible to students and scholars at HGSE as well as educators around the world and shape the future through the transformative power of education empowered by brain science.
For more information, contact Sapphire Hou.
HGSE Chinese Educator Alliance
The primary goal of this organization is to provide Chinese students in HGSE and Chinese students from any other schools affiliated to Harvard University who are also interested in topics about education both in China and around the world with a platform to discuss and study trending topics in education, academic performances and challenges, and students lives here at Harvard. According to the data given during the International Students Orientation, Chinese students are the biggest international student group that HGSE is having. Other than sharing our perspectives, culture, and value with the rest of the world, we find it also beneficial to introspect within the group of Chinese students, as sometimes it’s easier for us to relate to and resonate with each other’s ideas and concerns. That’s why I believe this organization is very necessary for all the Chinese students. That said, we will also welcome students who are not Chinese, but have experience or interests in education in China. Events that we now have in mind to hold include group meetings and seminars, guest speeches by Chinese scholars and alumni, and dinners for members and alumni. The purpose of these events are also to give students a chance to discuss over topics that interest them with people who are also interested in these topics, and other people who are already in the field and may have job and internship opportunities for current students.
For more information, contact Molin Chen.
HGSE Christian Fellowship
The HGSE Christian Fellowship is a community of students who are interested in learning more about Jesus and exploring how faith in him influences our studies. We get together on Thursday nights to eat food, share openly about our lives, pray for each other, and study the Bible. Wherever you are on your faith journey, you are welcome to join us!
HGSE Club Soccer
We want to create a fun and inclusive environment for any and all HGSE students to be able to practice team-building through soccer, participate in some healthy competition with other students in the Cambridge/Boston area, and support each other's physical efforts!
HGSE Creates
HGSE Creates provides a space for students who are passionate about performance to connect and collaborate with other artists. By practicing together, learning from one another at regular meetings, and organizing live performances as well as other public events, HGSE Creates will enrich student life at Harvard. We aim not only to create a platform for artists and different forms of art within the HGSE community, but to serve the vibrant arts community of Boston.
HGSE Muslim Student Group
This initiative is intended to connect HGSE Muslim students across cohorts and tracks to help each other acclimatize to student life at Harvard. It is meant to encourage peer-led support and provide a safe space for discussion and seeking help. We envision getting together informally over mixers and hope to host a few mixers to bring together Muslim graduate students across other schools. We are also in conversation with the JSA and Christian Fellowship to host inter-faith mixers and create a comfort space for connecting with fellow students of different faiths.
HGSE Outdoors Club
The HGSE Outdoors Club is intended to foster community and access to nature for HGSE students. The club will coordinate outdoor activities throughout the year and promote events in the area pertaining to outdoors skills and wilderness education.
HGSE Purpose Lab
The HGSE Purpose Lab empowers students to fulfill their life's purpose by hosting discussions, workshops, and events focused on better understanding the nuances of purpose development.
For more information, contact Matthew Kenny.
HGSE Rural Educators Alliance
We intend to create a space for students interested in rural education to discuss some of the challenges facing rural schools today and how we can utilize the tools provided to us through HGSE to be effective change makers in those spaces. Additionally, we will raise awareness throughout HGSE of the conversations around rural schools in order to ensure that all HGSE students have the knowledge of rural schools necessary in order to bring that into their future work.
HGSE Writers Room
The HGSE Writers Room aims to build a community of writers on campus. It is a space for writers to get creative, try out new forms, hone skills, and share feedback. Opportunities include learning from guest writers and editors, attending author events, and collaborating with other members. Central to our mission are four core principles: Positivity, Self-Expression, Joy, and Snacks.
For more information, contact Sarah Garfinkel.
H.Ed Africa
A community that promotes conversations and actions about education development in the African continent. The organization also seeks to inform and connect students with opportunities in education on the African continent.
For more information, contact Wura Mosuro.
Higher Education Student Association (HESA)
The Higher Education Student Association (HESA) is an organization committed to engaging members in critical review and meaningful discussion of current issues, trends, and challenges in American higher education.
International Higher Education and Disabilities (IHED)
IHED’s mission is to provide a forum for the discussion of disability and disability-related topics for students with disabilities as well as allies.
Learning Design Club
1. Build learning design skills - technical elements e.g. software, processes 2. Hear from industry leaders - provide networking opportunities 3. Help members develop a portfolio piece
For more information, contact Alex Grady.
The Lightbulb Lounge
The Lightbulb Lounge is a community for casual creating. We value the act of creating, and we are looking for ways to include it in our lives more. But, like, actually. Creating can be really hard sometimes -- we’re all about getting past that together and diving headfirst into some fun stuff. Most importantly, this community is focused on progress and play, NOT perfection. Finally completing a poem you started years ago? Did you learn how to play your first song on a harmonica? Trying to do portraits with crayons? We’re all about that. The Lightbulb Lounge is a place to exchange ideas, try new mediums of art and expression, and engage in ZERO-STAKES creating. It can be hard to be gentle and patient with the process of creating. To accept a product that doesn’t match a vision. It can be hard to sit down and just DO things. It can be hard to push or challenge ourselves in healthy ways. In these struggles, we can turn to each other for support, inspiration, and some laughs. We’re aiming for lots of laughs here. The Lightbulb Lounge is looking forward to you being a part of its bright (hehe) future!
For more information, contact Victor Gabriel Woods Lamanuzzi.
Mindful Leaders
Pan-Asian Coalition for Education (PACE)
The Pan Asian Coalition for Education (PACE) recognizes the need to address issues of education amongst students of Pan Asian descent. In recognizing a lack of Pan Asian representation and voice in the HGSE community, PACE aims to provide a positive space for Pan Asian professionals and students to come together and work toward the mission of:
1. Building a community and professional network of support and solidarity amongst Pan Asian students and alumni
2. Raising awareness of Pan Asian issues within education and social justice to the wider HGSE and Harvard community
3. Standing in solidarity with other communities of color throughout HGSE and beyond. We aim to foster genuine relationships and coalitions to liberate ourselves from white supremacist systems.
Paraguayan Student Organization
The mission of this student organization is to serve as a support for the "Paraguay Conference," a conference organized by the Harvard University Paraguayan Student Association for April, 2020. As a support, we would like to apply for funding that the Student Organization Fund from HGSE has available for events that promote exchange of knowledge and interests between guests, students, and professors.
For more information, contact Selene Rodriguez Alcala.
The Petey Greene Program
The mission of the Petey Greene Program is to supplement education in jails, prisons, and detention centers, by preparing volunteers to provide free, quality tutoring and related programming to support the academic achievement of incarcerated people.
QueerEd
QueerEd's mission is fourfold: 1) to support the study of gender and sexuality by master's and doctoral students during their time at HGSE; 2) to promote awareness of issues at the intersections of sexuality and gender with race, class, ethnicity, immigrant status, ability level, and education; 3) to provide an outlet for the concerns of LGBTQ persons at HGSE 4) to build a welcoming and flourishing community for LGBTQ students and allies at HGSE.
SGI Nichiren Buddhism Campus Club
SGI Nichiren Buddhism Campus Club is assisted by Soka Gakkai International-USA (SGI-USA). It is open to anyone and everyone at Harvard! The purpose of the club is to serve as a community where we can gather and learn how to master the art of living and becoming happy; where we can share our worries and concerns, and learn how Buddhism can be applied and practiced to overcome several challenges we face in life.
SGI-USA is the most diverse Buddhist community in the United States with more than 500 chapters and some 100 centers throughout the country. SGI-USA is part of the larger SGI network, which comprises more than 12 million people in 192 countries and territories around the world. SGI members base their practice on the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Buddhism, which teaches that each person has within the courage, wisdom and compassion to face and surmount any of life’s challenges. Based on core Buddhist principles such as respecting the dignity of human life and the interconnectedness of self and the environment, SGI engages in various peace activities, including human rights education, the movement to abolish nuclear weapons and efforts to promote sustainable development.
The Buddhist club holds bi-weekly meetings in which we will carry out discussions on Buddhist philosophy, chanting a Buddhist mantra, and have an SGI-USA leader answer questions about Buddhism that attendees might have, and deliver an encouragement which can be applied in our lives. (We end each meeting with some interesting food and beverages) There are no expectations from the participants or members. The attendees’ presence is precious, and is always cherished!
For more information, contact Sakshi Khurana.
Social-Emotional Learning Society
The club aims to provide a space and platform for HGSE students interested in Social-Emotional Learning to connect and collaborate. Our club will help students interested in social-emotional learning further develop their knowledge and skills in social emotional learning through workshops, meetings, peer-to-peer sharing, and more.
For more information, contact Antonia Liu.
Social Media Educational Content Creators Club
Social Media Educational Content Creators Club connects current and aspiring creators who produce educational content for YouTube and other social media platforms.
For more information, contact Anastacia Kay.
StarTalking Chinese International Students Mental Health Group
We are a group of students focusing on the mental well-being of Chinese international students in Harvard and the greater Boston area. We hope to raise students' awareness of the importance of mental health, and gather mental health related information on and off campus to help students better cope with their mental health issues. Also, our activities may take the form of support groups, so that our fellow Chinese students with stress and mental health issues can have a place where they feel safe to talk and unload.
For more information, contact Molin Chen.
UndocuAllies
Our mission is to inform educational leaders about the issues undocumented immigrants face, and to prepare them to better meet these challenges upon graduation as they come into contact with students who are undocumented or who belong to a mixed status family.
For more information, contact Cristina Aparicio or Laura Cuellar.