Get Involved

Develop personally and professionally. Interview your heroes. Help a new friend become a US citizen. Get a selfie with the vice president. Join one of 16 programs at the Institute of Politics.

Harvard undergraduates can get involved with the IOP by applying to any programs that interest you at the beginning of each semester through the IOP common application. The entire Harvard and extended community is invited to attend JFK Jr. Forums, debates, special events and study groups.

Spotlight on Harvard Political Union

Founded in 1832 as the Harvard Union, the Harvard Political Union (HPU) is the world’s oldest collegiate debate society.  Today, the HPU is the center for political discourse and discussion on Harvard’s campus. 

Women’s Initiative in Leadership Spotlight

The Institute of Politics’ Women’s Initiative in Leadership (WIL) was created to address the interest and importance of women students at Harvard in developing leadership skills.

Politics of Race & Ethnicity Spotlight

The Politics of Race and Ethnicity (PRE) program works to create a sustained, nuanced, welcoming and informed discussion on the intersection of race, ethnicity and politics.

IOP Programs

Campaign & Advocacy Program

The Campaign & Advocacy Program (CAP) was created to address student interest in developing campaign and advocacy skills. CAP members gain a better understanding of campaigns and advocacy through discussions and interactive workshops. 

Citizenship Tutoring

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Citizenship Tutoring is a program which aims to combine public service and policy discussion, specifically with regard to the issue of immigration. Students involved in the program are each matched with one Harvard employee who is applying for US Citizenship. Meeting once a week for one hour sessions, tutors help prepare the employee for the US Citizenship exam. Subjects range from US history to the structure of the American government to recent current events.

Community Action

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The Community Action Committee (CAC) is the entry point for community service and direct action at the IOP. CAC has worked on a variety of projects, including supporting undocumented students at Harvard and campus-wide Census efforts. 

Fellows & Study Groups

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The Fellows program offers a unique opportunity to interact with and get to know one of our Resident Fellows - public figures with exceptional careers and experiences in politics and public service - in an intimate & personal setting. Student liaison teams of six help plan, produce and publicize a study group each week.

Harvard Political Review

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The Harvard Political Review (HPR) is a quarterly, nonpartisan political journal and dynamic online platform produced entirely by undergraduates. ​

Harvard Political Union

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The Harvard Political Union is the premier association for political debate and discussion at Harvard University. ​

Harvard Public Opinion Project

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Members of the Harvard Public Opinion Project brainstorm and draft the questions for the biannual Harvard Youth Poll examining the political opinions and civic engagement of young Americans, analyze the collected data, and present the results to the media and other interested parties.

Harvard Votes Challenge

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The Harvard Votes Challenge is a non-partisan movement to increase voter participation around the university and beyond.

Internships and Career Services Program

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The IOP Internships and Career Services Program offers diverse political and public service opportunities for Harvard undergraduates and recent alumni. ​

John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum

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The John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, Harvard’s premier arena for political speech, discussion, and debate, by helping with event execution, promotion, and outreach.

National Campaign

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The National Campaign committee work with students and administrators from colleges and universities across the country to develop campus programming to share best practices for political involvement and civic engagement on campus.

Politics of Race and Ethnicity

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The Politics of Race and Ethnicity (PRE) program focuses on highlighting and discussing the intersection of race, ethnicity, and politics. ​

STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics

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STEAM program helps students find opportunities to explore the intersection between politics and science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. 

The Civics Program

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The Harvard CIVICS Program places motivated undergraduates in classrooms throughout the Boston area, teaching civics and government classes to inspire students to take an active role in their communities and grow into participants in our democracy. We focus our curriculum on the function of government, the meaning of active citizenship, and avenues of community engagement.

The Policy Program

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The Policy Program develops topical policy recommendations that identify the best solutions to pressing current issues, with an emphasis on research.

Women's Initiative in Leadership

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The Women's Initiative in Leadership (WIL) explores and works to understand leadership for women students through seminars and interactive workshops over the course of a semester.