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The Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School today announced the appointment of six fellows who will join the Institute virtually this fall semester. The incoming fellows bring diverse experiences in public service and expertise on contemporary issues and challenges in modern civic and political life.
“We are excited to welcome an extraordinary cohort of fellows for the fall semester. They bring their accomplished life experiences in elected office, public service, activism, and journalism and we are grateful for their engagement,” said IOP Director Mark D. Gearan ’78. “The Fellows Program is a pride point for the IOP and by sharing their perspectives with our students, they will inspire Harvard students to lead lives committed to public purpose.”
For more than 50 years the Institute’s Fellows Program has provided Harvard students with the opportunity to learn from prominent public servants, engage in civil discourse, and acquire a more holistic and pragmatic view of our political world.
The fall 2020 fellows are:
- Chasten Buttigieg — Author and LGBTQ+ advocate
- Brittany Packnett Cunningham — Activist and founder of Love & Power Works, and director’s leader fall 2019
- Carol Giacomo — Journalist, member of the editorial board of The New York Times (2007-2020)
- Michael Nutter — 98th Mayor of Philadelphia (2008-2016) and Visiting Fellow fall 2018
- Alice Stewart — Republican communications advisor, CNN political commentator, member of Senator Ted Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign, and Resident Fellow fall 2019
- Jorge Vasquez Jr. — Civil rights advocate and attorney, project director of the Power and Democracy Program at the Advancement Project, and member of the Associate Counsel of Latino Justice (2018-2020)
“A global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and a racial injustice reckoning here in the U.S. have made 2020 nothing short of eventful. This combination of new and familiar fellows will be instrumental in inspiring students to involve themselves in politics and public service at this critical moment,” said Carine Hajjar ’21 and Eric Jjemba ’21, student co-chairs of the fellows and study groups program at the Institute of Politics. “As they reflect upon these recent months and look toward the 2020 election, we look forward to welcoming this cohort virtually this semester and creating community in a time of uncertainty.”
Over the course of their appointment, fellows will continue traditional cornerstones of the fellowship virtually. The Institute will convene virtual study groups, led by fellows, twice a week on pressing topics including the 2020 election, the fight for social and racial justice, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, fellows will immerse themselves in the Harvard community by mentoring a cohort of undergraduate students, holding weekly virtual office hours, and engaging faculty and co-curricular activities.
The Institute’s fall 2020 fellows will appear together in the virtual John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. ET. RSVP to join the conversation.
For more information on the Fellows and their upcoming engagement with the Harvard community, visit iop.harvard.edu/fellows.
