August 1, 2014

Dear Harvard College parents,

I am writing to introduce myself as dean of Harvard College and to connect us all as new and existing members of the Harvard community. As dean, I have the good fortune of working with hundreds of deeply committed faculty members, administrators, staff, and student leaders to shape the undergraduate academic and residential experience. As we prepare to welcome the Class of 2018 to campus in a few weeks, I want to share with you some of my thoughts about the education Harvard offers and the ways we can work together to support your children throughout their college experience.

My priority as dean is to serve Harvard College's mission of providing a transformative experience – intellectually, socially and personally – for all students through a liberal arts and sciences education. The transformative potential of a Harvard education depends in large part on conditions the institution creates and supports–our faculty and the courses they offer, our unique residential system, our advising and fellowship programs, and the wide variety of student activities on campus.

But the quality of a Harvard education also depends on how each student approaches the many opportunities available here. Based on my many conversations with current students, alumni, faculty and staff, I believe that if they are going to make the most of a Harvard education, students should be encouraged to stretch beyond their comfort zones and to seek out experiences that both challenge and excite them. Some of the best opportunities for students to hone their ideas, to examine notions of right and wrong, to explore intellectual curiosity, and to figure out what kind of people they want to become will occur when they stretch beyond their immediate comfort zones—when they sign up for a small seminar even if the material seems unfamiliar, when they visit a professor’s office hours, when they linger in the dining hall to have a conversation with someone who comes from a different background and holds different views. It is our hope that by taking advantage of these rich experiences, our students will develop a commitment toward lifelong learning and service.

As you prepare to send your children off to campus, I imagine many of you are also thinking about how your role as a parent is transforming. I myself am experiencing a roller coaster of emotions as my daughter, who is now exploring colleges, is beginning her own journey into adulthood. But my years as a professor and House Master here at Harvard have given me great confidence that our students will flourish in this community. As parents, I think the best we can do for them is to encourage them to be open to new experiences, to make connections with new people, and to embrace new challenges. At the same time, we all understand going beyond one’s comfort zone can be challenging. That is why there are many people on campus ready to support your children, and we hope you will encourage them to seek out the numerous advising and academic resources of the College. We want them to know that they don’t need to earn the right to ask for help.

There have been many important issues about higher education in the news recently, and I hope to stay in touch with you about matters of interest in the coming months. This fall, I plan to share scenes from campus and document my interactions with members of our community through my Instagram profile, and I invite you to follow along. We are lucky to have an incredible, multi-generational community of learners here at Harvard. As parents, you are also a part of our community and I am delighted to join you as the new dean.

Sincerely,
Rakesh Khurana
Dean of Harvard College