Since 2014, the Harvard and Warrior-Scholar Project partnership has prepared military veterans and active-duty service members for success in higher education. 

Through WSP’s College Readiness Bootcamp, participants arrive on Harvard’s campus each summer for a week of seminars, writing workshops, study groups, and success courses that ready them for the demanding expectations of college academics. Students attend full days of classes, complete homework, and turn in assignments at a quick, comprehensive pace that simulates a college final examination period.

After participating in WSP in 2023, Navy veteran Alexandria Durrant ‘28 felt empowered to pursue Harvard. “It put a lot of confidence in me that my military experience, and gap in schooling, didn’t diminish me and what I would be able to do in school,” she said. 

“It really solidified that I could go to these prestigious institutions, and that being a vet isn’t a weakness; there are so many skills that can transfer.” 

Twelve participants from various military branches joined Harvard’s 2026 bootcamp and had the opportunity to learn from Harvard-affiliated instructors, including two volunteer Harvard professors.

Eric Beerbohm, Quincy House Faculty Dean and Alfred and Rebecca Lin Professor of Government at Harvard University, led The Constitutional Framework Unit 2 Seminar. As Beerbohm guided the class through their James Madison readings and examined the principles of the Constitution, he asked them to reflect on how a group becomes defined as “we”. “Are we free as a collective, or individuals?”, he challenged the room, using an interactive group exercise to drive home the lesson. 

Alexandra Natapoff, Lee S. Kreindler Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, led the Contemporary Democratic Citizenship Unit 5 Seminar. As the last unit seminar of bootcamp, Natapoff used recent Supreme Court decisions to build upon the week’s lessons, highlighting the role of the judicial branch and prompting students to engage with citizens’ responsibilities in preserving democracy. After class, Natapoff joined participants for lunch and gave each of them a copy of America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance, a book by Harvard Law School faculty.

“I definitely expected a high level of rigor, especially coming to such an iconic institution like Harvard,” 2026 participant Keenen Clerkley, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2013 to 2019, said. “The program has definitely superseded my expectations. I’m really grateful that I was accepted to WSP, and it’s been preparing me to see what the classroom environment could look like at an institution of this caliber.” 

Active-duty service member Max Canales was inspired by seeing his fellow cohort studying late into the night after the bootcamp classes. “Throughout my five years [in the military], I’ve gained this love for higher education,” he noted. “[The bootcamp has] been an awesome experience. The ability to be on a campus like this, around people that come from the same background as me, and getting pushed academically, turned a leaf in me that it is possible. It’s going to be hard work, but definitely doable.” 

Cesar Cruz participated in Warrior-Scholar Project as he transitioned out of the Army and was unsure of his next steps. After attending the 2025 bootcamp, he returned as a 2026 Fellow to give back. “My favorite part is that a-ha moment you see a lot of the participants have, where you see their face literally light up with excitement because a concept has clicked with them, or an idea is sparked,” he shared. “That’s when you know that a life-changing impact has been made.”

Durrant credits WSP for helping her successfully navigate her Harvard courseload, and encourages military members aspiring to attend college to look into a WSP bootcamp. “It was one of the best experiences I had,” she said. “Be scared and do it anyway. It's supposed to push your boundaries of what you think you can do.”