Lorenzo Ruiz

I’m Lorenzo Ruiz, and this year I’m honored to serve as the President of the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School. I’m a Junior (Class of 2027) from San Antonio, Texas, and a resident of Adams House studying Government with a focus on political communications, discourse, and public leadership.

My work as President centers on strengthening the IOP’s institutional foundations, expanding funding for student programs, deepening alumni engagement, building bridges across the University and with external partners, and expanding career and post-graduate pathways into politics and public service.

As the Institute enters our 60th years and prepares for the 2026 midterm election cycle, equipping our students to lead — both Harvard and in their home communities — has never been more vital. Founded as a living memorial to President Kennedy, the IOP has long been a training ground for civic action; this milestone is an opportunity to reflect on our past and purpose, and to build for the future

In 2025, I was elected to the IOP’s Executive Team as Communications Director, where I led the IOP’s public presence and campus-wide communications strategy. While at Harvard, I’ve penned a column on University administration and sat on the Editorial Board of The Harvard Crimson; mentored new students through the Leadership Institute for the First Year Experience (LIFE), and mobilized Harvard students in 2024 GOTV efforts spanning from Maine to Georgia. Beyond campus, I’ve led communications initiatives at the House Ways & Means Committee and Appropriations Committee Democratic staffs, and consult on behavior change and public information campaigns ranging from the Texas Department of Agriculture to Verizon. As a VC Fellow at Xfund, I work on expanding govtech and civic innovation while strengthening cross-campus partnerships in public leadership.

In my time at the IOP, I’ve focused on building a big-tent organization — one that equips students of all backgrounds, concentrations, and political ideologies with the tools and opportunities they need to lead with purpose. I’m working toward an IOP that shows every Harvard student a pathway to public service and uplifts the next generation of engaged citizens and citizen leaders.