Public Service

• Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship

  The Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship is the hub and department that provides support for all public service efforts at Harvard College. It is home to academic engagement through the Mindich Program in Engaged Scholarship, student leadership development programs, student pathways to practice initiatives, and active citizenship efforts through volunteering in the Greater Boston community. The Center also provides resource management, guidance on residential advising, and strategic planning for college-wide civic engagement efforts, leading collaborative programs such as the Global Day of Service, Public Service Recruiting Day, the Scholarship and Social Justice Conference, and the Public Interested Conference. The Center also supports Phillips Brooks House Association, the largest student-run, community-based, nonprofit public service organization at Harvard College.  Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for updates throughout the school year.

• Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA)

  Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) strives for social justice. As a student-led organization, PBHA mobilizes volunteers in collaboration with Boston and Cambridge partners to address gaps in opportunities and resources. We develop student and community leadership to creatively meet critical needs and advocate for structural change. PBHA seeks to promote social awareness and community involvement at Harvard and beyond.

• Institute of Politics (IOP)

  Institute of Politics’ (IOP) mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a non-partisan basis and to stimulate and nurture their interest in public service and leadership. The Institute strives to promote greater understanding and cooperation between the academic world and the world of politics and public affairs.

• Community Initiatives

  There are many ways Harvard’s faculty, students, and staff contribute to the local community in carrying out the University’s mission of teaching, research, and learning. The diversity of Harvard’s programs, services, and partnerships is the result of years of collaboration between the University and its neighbors. Learn more about how to get involved.