How Do We Improve School for Students of Color?
In February of 2023, Harvard Education Press hosted a webinar on this same topic. Join us in revisiting this question, in light of the changes experienced in the field of education over the last three years. Hosted by Rich Milner, we will investigate this changing landscape with Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, president of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; Terah Venzant Chambers of Michigan State University; and Nicole Joseph of Vanderbilt University.
Type of Event: Discussion. Who can attend? Alumni. Faculty. General Public. Harvard Community. Staff. Students. Building/Room: Other. Contact Name: Kelly Fattman. Registration Required: No. Admission Fee: Free. RSVP Required: Yes.
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Online.
For more info visit harvard.zoom.us. The Power of Relationships, Personalization, and Place: An Evidence-Based Approach to Improving Economic Mobility in Cities
What if part of the solution to closing opportunity gaps lies outside of traditional school reform efforts and even beyond the classroom? As communities confront widening inequities, a growing body of research and practice—including first-of-its-kind findings from research co-sponsored by The EdRedesign Lab at Harvard Graduate School of Education and Opportunity Insights at Harvard University—demonstrates the power of personalized, relationship-based supports as a catalyst for neighborhood transformation, improving short-run academic performance and long-run economic earnings.
This event, co-sponsored by the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, EdRedesign, and Opportunity Insights at Harvard University, explores how place-based, personalized supports are reshaping systems to meet the full spectrum of children’s needs—academic, emotional, social, and physical. Grounded in research and real-world implementation, the discussion will review the latest evidence and feature examples from cities acr…
Type of Event: Discussion. Who can attend? Alumni. Faculty. General Public. Harvard Community. Staff. Students. Building/Room: Other. Contact Name: Sarah Grucza. Contact Email: sarah_grucza@gse.harvard.edu. Registration Required: Yes. RSVP Required: Yes.
Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Online and In-Person at the Bloomberg Center for Cities, Taubman Third Floor, Harvard Kennedy School.
For more info visit edredesign.org. College Access Starts at Birth: Lessons from Rural America | Askwith Education Forum
REGISTER
While rural youth graduate from high school at rates above the national average, they are less likely to attain a post-secondary credential and join the labor force and those who do often leave their communities. During this Forum, panelists will discuss how cradle-to-career place-based partnerships are helping to reverse this trend.
Transformational place-making and population-level change requires collaboration among all domains that affect children and youth from cradle to career–domains beyond the education system, such as health, housing, and out-of-school-time.
Higher education institutions, especially in rural settings, can play a vital role in transforming opportunities for rural youth. Partners for Rural Impact, EdRedesign, and Maya Consulting are co-facilitating the newly launched Place-Based Partnership Leader Cohort for Rural Higher Education Leaders. The cohort, which includes Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), four-year coll…
Type of Event: Community Programming. Discussion. Forum. Diversity & Equity. Lecture. Topic: Equity and Access. Higher Education. Leadership. Teaching. Learning. Schools. Program/Department: Askwith Forum. Who can attend? General Public. Alumni. Faculty. Harvard Community. Staff. Students. Building/Room: Askwith Hall. Contact Name: Harvard Graduate School of Education. Contact Email: askwith@gse.harvard.edu. Registration Required: Yes. Admission Fee: Free and open to the public. RSVP Required: Yes. Featured Event: Askwith Education Forums.
Thursday, March 5, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM.
Longfellow Hall, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138.
For more info visit calendar.gse.harvard.edu. 10 Years of the GlobalWE Student Essay Contest: Presented and Celebrated
Alumni Events
Just in time to celebrate International Women’s Day, join us to discover GlobalWE’s flagship essay contest initiative!
Grab your favorite refreshment and learn about the contest’s inspiring journey—its origins, growth, and impact across 20+ countries. Be among the first to explore our exciting new website tool that showcases powerful insights from thousands of student essays collected over the past decade.
You’ll also get a chance to hear directly from past winners, judges, contest managers, and school partners as they share their experiences and the meaningful impact of this initiative.
📅 Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026
🕛 Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET
💻 Location: Online via Zoom
🔗 Join here: https://tinyurl.com/WEessaycontest
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and be inspired!
Type of Event: Academic Schedule. Who can attend? Students. Staff. Harvard Community. General Public. Alumni. Faculty. Building/Room: Other. Contact Name: Ruchi Khanna. Contact Email: ruchibhardwaj18@gmail.com. Contact Phone: 09971794288. Registration Required: Yes. RSVP Required: Yes.
Saturday, March 7, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Via Zoom.
Gutman Library Virtual Book Talk: Getting Real About Sex Ed
In Getting Real About Sex Ed, Shafia Zaloom offers educators, administrators, and caregiving adults concrete language and strategies for integrating sexuality education into daily practice, beginning with students in kindergarten and carrying through to high school graduation. Zaloom advocates Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), a holistic framework for K–12 classrooms that addresses the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical aspects of sexuality. The book highlights how CSE scaffolds the sexual development of students as it gradually layers in age-appropriate information, skills, and positive values to practice and prepare for safe and fulfilling relationships, as well as how students can take responsibility for their own sexual health and well-being.
Zaloom draws on the latest research and presents real-world scenarios from classrooms across the country that all educators face in developing students’ personal citizenship. With warmth, empathy, and insight, she guides teachers beyond the classroo…
Type of Event: Discussion. Community Programming. Topic: Equity and Access. Leadership. Policy. Schools. Teaching. Learning. Who can attend? Alumni. Faculty. General Public. Harvard Community. Staff. Students. Building/Room: Other. Contact Name: Myanne Krivoshey. Registration Required: Yes. RSVP Required: Yes. Featured Event: Gutman Library Book Talk.
Friday, March 27, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Zoom.
For more info visit calendar.gse.harvard.edu. Schools and America’s 250th: Patriotism, Pluralism, and Civic Education | Askwith Education Forum
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As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, questions about democracy, belonging, and civic responsibility are taking on renewed urgency. What role should schools play in preparing young people to engage thoughtfully with the nation’s history, its pluralism, and its democratic ideals, especially amid polarization and deep disagreement?
This Askwith Education Forum convenes scholars and practitioners for a timely national conversation on civic education and dialogue across differences, exploring how schools can foster informed patriotism, democratic participation, and mutual understanding in a complex civic landscape.
Moderator: Eric Soto-Shed, Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Speakers include: Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor, Harvard University; Director, Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, Registration is required. Seating is first-come, first-seated. Once Askwith Hall reaches capacity, guests will be redirected to overflow…
Type of Event: Community Programming. Discussion. Forum. Diversity & Equity. Lecture. Topic: Equity and Access. Leadership. Teaching. Learning. Schools. Policy. Program/Department: Askwith Forum. Who can attend? General Public. Alumni. Faculty. Harvard Community. Staff. Students. Building/Room: Askwith Hall. Contact Name: Harvard Graduate School of Education. Contact Email: askwith@gse.harvard.edu. Registration Required: Yes. Admission Fee: Free and open to the public. RSVP Required: Yes. Featured Event: Askwith Education Forums.
Thursday, April 9, 2026, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM.
Longfellow Hall, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138.
For more info visit calendar.gse.harvard.edu. Gutman Library Virtual Book Talk: Race, Class, and Affirmative Action
In Race, Class, and Affirmative Action, Julie J. Park offers deft analysis of the changes to college admissions and campus life since the US Supreme Court ruled to restrict race-conscious policies in two 2023 cases: Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard and SFFA v. the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Park offers clear explanations of the rulings, their historical context, and their implications for higher education policy. She highlights how the Supreme Court still allows campuses to consider the role of race in students’ experiences and that numerous tools to advance diversity in admissions remain.
In this lively, timely work, Park points out the swift and stark post-ruling shifts in campus demographics and grapples with questions of how to push toward a more equitable admissions system. She investigates alternative initiatives, such as test-optional and test-free admissions, percent plans, and others, weighing their merits and drawbacks. She also examines inequality affecting college…
Type of Event: Discussion. Community Programming. Topic: Equity and Access. Leadership. Policy. Schools. Teaching. Higher Education. Who can attend? Alumni. Faculty. General Public. Harvard Community. Staff. Students. Building/Room: Other. Contact Name: Myanne Krivoshey. Registration Required: Yes. RSVP Required: Yes. Featured Event: Gutman Library Book Talk.
Monday, April 13, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Zoom.
For more info visit calendar.gse.harvard.edu. Gutman Library Virtual Book Talk: Mental Health in College
With concerns about student mental health on the rise, Alexis Redding and contributors draw on expertise across disciplines to offer practical strategies and deep insight for those on the front lines: student affairs professionals, faculty, advisors, counseling center staff, and families. This timely book addresses the most pressing mental health issues facing undergraduates, delivering an actionable blueprint to help colleges build caring, inclusive communities where all students can thrive.
Blending compelling student stories, expert analysis, and actionable strategies, Mental Health in College explores the full spectrum of the college experience: from the pressures of admissions and financial stress to challenges faced by student veterans, community college students, and those navigating post-graduate uncertainty. Each chapter features cutting-edge research alongside innovative “Voices from the Field” vignettes focused on experienced practitioners. The book moves beyond a clinical focus, offering instit…
Type of Event: Discussion. Community Programming. Topic: Equity and Access. Leadership. Policy. Schools. Teaching. Higher Education. Who can attend? Alumni. Faculty. General Public. Harvard Community. Staff. Students. Building/Room: Other. Contact Name: Myanne Krivoshey. Registration Required: Yes. RSVP Required: Yes. Featured Event: Gutman Library Book Talk.
Friday, May 8, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Zoom.
For more info visit calendar.gse.harvard.edu.