FAQ

The Office of the Registrar provides a range of services to alumni, including assistance with transcripts, certification of enrollment and degree verification, loan deferments, replacement diplomas, and notarized documents. Visit our Documentation Requests page for more information.

The Office of Career Advancement (OCA) serves as a hub for career and professional resources. Talk with an OCA career coach, polish up your resume and interview skills, and build your network. Find more information on our Career Resources page.

Post an opportunity through the employer portal in our Jobs and Careers for the Kennedy School (JACK) database, the Office of Career Advancement's comprehensive job bank and career management system.

Find alumni quickly and easily with the HKS Alumni Directory. You can search the directory by name, program, graduation year, area of expertise, organization, work experience, public service interests, and more.

You can manage your contact information and email preferences by logging in to your profile in the HKS Alumni Directory.

After graduation, the librarians at Harvard Kennedy School Library & Knowledge Services are still here to help. Visit Beyond Harvard: Public Policy Research as HKS Alumni to learn more about assistance for your professional, academic, or personal research.

Visit our HKS alumni events calendar. You can also connect with an HKS regional network in your city or region or Shared Interest Group (SIG) or a Harvard-wide club or SIG.

The John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum at the Institute of Politics regularly hosts heads of state, leaders in politics, government, business, labor and the media. If you're interested in attending a JFK Jr. Forum or watching online, make sure to sign up for the IOP newsletter.

Both Wiener Conference Calls and PolicyCast are great ways to stay informed of policy topics and engage with current HKS faculty members. Various centers around campus also have regular events—you can subscribe to their newsletters individually.

The quickest way to give is via our online giving form: hks.harvard.edu/give. For a full list of ways to make a gift, visit our how to give page.

Unrestricted funds fill urgent, current-use needs that equip students and faculty with resources to fulfill their goals of improving public policy and public leadership across the globe.

Follow the University instructions for Stock and Bond Gifts and reach out to the HKS Fund should you have follow-up questions.

Use the DAF portal on the University website and reach out to the HKS Fund should you have follow-up questions.

If you are interested in making a planned gift or bequest, please contact the HKS Fund.

Anyone who donates a gift of any amount will receive a receipt from Alumni & Development Services. The receipt is generated once the donation has been processed and is mailed to the donor's preferred mail address. If you need a duplicate receipt please email Alumni & Development Services at ads@harvard.edu.

Below are some commonly asked questions about the Alumni-Student Career Shadowing program and the process for alumni and student participants:

How am I matched with an alum or student? For 2024, we are piloting a mentoring software, which will help students connect with alumni who match their professional interests. 

How do I book a session with a mentor?  You can search for a specific mentor or keyword, filter by sector/industry and areas of expertise—or you can just browse all. Once a student (mentee) selects an alum's (mentor's) profile, the mentee can request a one-on-one, 60-minute session, with their mentor in January based on the mentor's availability as shown in in the online portal.

How do I see a mentor's availability to request a session?  If the mentor has availability, those dates will be bolded. If no dates are bolded or the times provided don't work for you, please click 'Suggest another time'. Select your date, your time, and you must include a booking message before confirming your request. The booking message should include why you want to meet with the mentor and mention the topics you wish to discuss—that way your mentor can best prepare for the session.

Can the online software help me find a compatible mentor? Yes. If you are having trouble finding a mentor or need assistance, there is an algorithm that can show compatibility based on your professional interests. Please reach out to alumni@hks.harvard.edu and we can provide suggestions. 

Will I meet with my mentor or mentee in person? No. This is a virtual program that allows students to easily meet with alumni from around the globe.

What is the value in this program—Is it worth my time? This unique opportunity gives students the chance to get to know alumni one-on-one, learn from their experiences, and gain career insights. In the past, some student-alumni matches have led to long-lasting professional relationships and even job opportunities for students.  

Does this last the entire January-term, like an internship? No, the shadowing experience is meant to be a one-on-one connection. Continuing the discussion beyond the 60-minute call or meeting later in person is at the discretion of the mentor and mentee.  

Who are the alumni mentors and where can I learn more about them? Mentors will be visible on the mentoring software, where students can view their profiles and sort by industries. 

Can I be matched with more than one mentor or mentee? Yes, students can book up to two different one-on-one sessions with alumni. Mentors, you can be matched with up to two students.  

When do sign ups begin for students? The registration period for students will begin on November 30, 2023.