Harvard Yard
Central spot on campus, lined with academic buildings and first-year dormitories
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Welcome
Student Support
⭐ Welcome
Welcome to Harvard! On the tour, explore our favorite spots on campus. Learn about the academic curriculum, residential life, and student support and advising systems. Harvard is deeply committed to admitting and welcoming a diverse student body and offers one of the most generous financial aid programs in the world.
Harvard's History
Harvard is located on the ancestral and traditional homelands of the Massachusett tribe. Harvard has evolved alongside the persistence of the Massachusett, Nipmuck, and Wampanoag Nations. By including this land acknowledgement, the Admissions Office commits to continuing to learn about the past and present of Native and Indigenous communities, including those in Massachusetts and New England.
Present-day Matthews Hall, one of the first-year dormitories, was the location of Harvard's first brick building, the Indian College, constructed in 1655. The Indian College was built to carry out Harvard's founding Charter of 1650, which commits the University to "the education of English and Indian youth of this country." A plaque on Matthews Hall honors the Native students who attended Harvard in the 1600s. Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, a Wampanoag man, was the College's first Native American graduate in 1665. In 2010, his portrait was placed in Annenberg Hall, our dining hall for first-year students. Visit the Harvard University Native American Program website to learn more: hunap.harvard.edu/.
On April 26, 2022, Harvard President Larry Bacow released the Report of the Committee on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery, accepted the committee’s recommendations in full, and announced a historic commitment of $100 million to fund their implementation. You can read more on legacyofslavery.harvard.edu.
Harvard College's Mission
Today, the mission of Harvard College is to educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for our society. We do this through our commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education. When you attend Harvard College, you become a part of the rich history of the nation’s oldest institution of higher learning. Founded in 1636, Harvard has changed dramatically over the centuries, but continually strives to be a haven for the world’s most ambitious scholars and leaders.
First-Year Residential Life
All first-year students live in dorms in or adjacent to Harvard Yard and eat the majority of meals in nearby Annenberg Hall. Dorm communities and rooming matches are built intentionally to bring together students with different identities and interests. The First-Year Experience Office is deeply dedicated to providing meaningful support and fun experiences to help students adjust well to college life. Visit the First-Year Experience Office website to learn more.
⭐ Student Support
There are many offices that are based in Harvard Yard that support students and the broader Harvard community.
Harvard Yard Offices
The Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations seeks to increase opportunities for individuals of all races and cultures to participate fully in the life of the College. Through events, activities, and other programming, the Foundation promotes interracial and intercultural awareness and understanding.
The Harvard College Office of BGLTQ Student Life provides support, resources, and leadership development for bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender, queer, and questioning students. The office seeks to create a safe and inclusive space for individuals of all gender and sexual identities.
The Harvard College Women's Center facilitates community-building, sponsors events, and hosts workshops that contribute to the advancement of women.
The Phillips Brooks House (PBHA) is a student-run volunteer and public service organization. Individual students and student organizations can find opportunities through programs and partnerships with the PBHA, such as the Boston Refugee Youth Enrichment programs and the Environmental Action Committee. Working with Phillips Brooks House Association is a great example of how most students on Harvard's campus are very invested in public service and giving back to the community.
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