Why has HARVARD SPAIN been created?

There have been a few important motivations and factors addressing the interest of creating Harvard Spain: the increasing presence of Spanish students at Harvard; the need for breaking the disciplinary boxes of Spanish students that restricts interaction only within schools; and, finally, the need to complement current associations in Cambridge that share a common interest in the attraction, promotion and diffusion of different aspects of the Spanish culture both from the student level and with a Harvard-wide ambition and scope.

Serving as a missing point of connection for the Spanish students community in campus, Harvard Spain will facilitate, on the one hand, networking opportunities between individuals pursuing similar goals from different disciplinary fields and amplifies, on the other, the traction and visibility of initiatives promoted by Spanish students across campus. Harvard Spain will play also an ambassador role to tighten connections between Harvard University and Spanish talent, widening and deepening the scope of reach of Harvard University within the student community in academic excellence circles in Spain, and facilitating Spanish Harvard graduates access into quality positions in the Spanish job market. Moreover, it will act as an umbrella institution for the promotion of student events oriented to the diffusion of Spanish culture in Harvard, through the organization, coordination and sponsoring of cultural or academic gatherings and events.

Any Spanish student, partner, fellow, researcher, alumni or faculty at Harvard, in any of its schools, is eligible to become part of Harvard Spain. The association is actively involved in organizing events that have the goals of strengthening the experience of Spanish students in Harvard at many levels. These events range from social to business oriented ones, covering a wide spectrum but always trying to complement current initiatives from other Spanish institutions on campus.

Furthermore, Harvard Spain serves as convergence platform not only for current students but also for prospective ones and recent graduates from Harvard University. The role of Harvard Spain aims to be central for prospective students in offering information sessions, class visits or lunch with students in order to complement those specificities that general admission procedures cannot cover. It helps students with applications to Harvard through mentorship programs and, ultimately, provides personal, administrative and institutional support specifically targeted for Spanish prospective students. For recent grads, the association will direct efforts toward enhancing career development for Spanish students and recent graduates at Harvard. There is an important cohort of institutions, companies and universities willing to have a direct connection to establish professional relations with Spanish students and recent graduates at Harvard that Harvard Spain enhances, acting as a launching career supporting platform.