Harvard Summer School

✈️From Alabama to Boston, my journey has been rich with lessons, but stepping into the role of Residential Dean at Harvard University with Harvard Summer School and Harvard Division of Continuing Education has been pivotal in shaping my leadership style. This summer has been a transformative experience, thanks to the kindness and expertise of my colleagues. Our time together was marked by surprise birthday celebrations, an endless diet of pizza and ice cream, comical misadventures around campus, and a plethora of selfies to last me a lifetime. 🎥 What I’ve learned is that leadership thrives on collaboration and authenticity. It’s necessary to laugh, to be playful, and embrace honesty. The most impactful moments came not from formality, but from our genuine interactions. My sixteen proctors, who swiftly became like family, taught me more than I could have ever anticipated. Being true to ourselves allowed each of us to complement one another perfectly. Developing a deep personal connection with the practice of self care summarizes my leadership. The care that shapes our identities, crafts our personal narratives and refines our self perceptions allow each of us to foster strong and meaningful connections with others. Hince the saying you can’t pour from an empty cup. Inspired by United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and his advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community, Investing into the personal goals, commitments, and interest of my team through the familiarity of friendship created an environment for advanced learning and wellbeing. 🧠✨

This summer, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the 4-week Secondary School program at Harvard University. My class, Social Change and Social Medicine in Boston, was incredibly rewarding. Through discussions, readings, and ethnographic research we explored how structures in society create inequities in both health and access to quality care. For example, we discussed Paul Farmer’s concept of accompaniment, which emphasizes spending time and listening to what people need rather than making assumptions. We then applied these learned frameworks when volunteering and talking to people in the community. The most gratifying part of my experience was the final project. Our group designed and organized a donation drive to help people in need, especially the large homeless population living in the Harvard Square area. It felt great to not just be learning about something in the classroom, but also to be making change in the real world. Beyond academics, I enjoyed spending time with new friends from all over the world. From dining hall Uno games to rainy evenings to Sunday Sundaes, I made so many memories over these four weeks. I am incredibly grateful to my professor, Jason Silverstein, for facilitating insightful discussions and broadening my perspective in ways I never imagined. I would also like to thank the Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair and Harvard Summer School for providing me with this life-changing opportunity. Harvard Summer School was an experience I will treasure forever from the classroom to new friendships!

I have just completed the 7-week Summer School Program at Harvard University! It was a great experience to study Evolutionary Genetics in Epidemiology and Precision Medicine, and Public Speaking instructed by my two amazing professors: Diddahally Govindaraju and Remo Airaldi! I am proud that I managed a strong academic performance with A/A- grades in the courses. During my stay on the Harvard campus I made life-long friends from many different places around the globe. We spent a lot of time together, like discussing all kinds of topics late at night in Wigglesworth G12 or going on trips in the Greater Boston area. I especially enjoyed our weekend visit to New York City and the Patriots football game at the Gillette Stadium. This summer was life-changing for me and I will always remember the amazing experiences at this prestigious university! Many thanks to team of the Harvard Summer School! #HSS #HarvardSummerSchool

Over the past seven weeks, I have had the privilege of engaging in a transformative academic experience at Harvard University guided by the mentorship of esteemed Harvard faculty members. During my Harvard Summer School Program, I completed a total of eight college credit courses that significantly shaped my academic, professional, and personal development. The 'Journalism in the Digital Age' course not only emphasized the importance of accuracy and objectivity but also the need for engaging storytelling in an age where digital media dominates. This comprehensive approach not only refined my journalistic techniques but also enhanced my ability to connect with readers through impactful narratives. Under the guidance of Professor Austin Bogues, I refined my ability to craft compelling news reports, including articles on Boston’s diverse culinary scene and the challenges faced by immigrants as they adapt to new environments. Additionally, my 'Public Speaking' class with Professor Remo Airaldi and teaching assistant, Rebecca Curran, proved to be an invaluable experience. This course significantly enhanced my communication skills, which are challenging to quantify. Through intensive practice and constructive feedback, this course not only improved my ability to articulate ideas effectively but also equipped me with strategies to engage and persuade diverse audiences. These skills will undoubtedly serve me well in both academic and professional contexts. I extend my deepest gratitude to Dean Benjamin Porteous and Proctors, Charlie and Chris, as well as my classmates, for their continuous support and collaboration. A special thank you goes to the Harvard Secondary School Program for facilitating this enriching opportunity. Beyond the academic rigor, I fully embraced the many offerings of the Harvard Secondary School Program, including extracurricular activities, webinars from admissions officers of top universities (Harvard among them), and late-night conversations with peers by the stairs at Widener Library. This holistic experience has been truly enriching and inspiring, and I eagerly anticipate future opportunities to build on what I have learned.