The 50-member strong GSD Alumni Council represents a multigenerational, diverse community of graduates who work to connect and engage GSD alumni, current students, and the larger Harvard community. Â
In this year marked by extraordinary challenges, the GSD Alumni Council remains committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and excellence through special programs, events, and partnerships.
Learn more about last year’s initiatives and the opportunities that lie ahead.
In this newsletter:
News and Announcements
GSD Alumni Features
Upcoming Events
More Opportunities to Connect!
News & Announcements
Alumni Council Member Transitions 
Please join us in welcoming the newest cohort of Alumni Council members, who started their term on July 1, 2025:
- Hugh Clark (MDes ’12)
- Isabella Frontado (MLA/MDes ’20)
- Christopher Gaylord (MArch ’88)
- Edward Lamson (MUP ’18)
- Austin Lu (MLA ’22)
- Samuel Maddox (MDes ’19)
- Tosin Odugbemi Hoskins (MArch ’24)
- Stephanie Rae Lloyd (MArch ’22)
- Kamala Subbarayan (MDes ’04)
We would also like to thank these departing members for their service: 
- Anna Cawrse (MLA ’12)
- Edith Hsu-Chen (MUP ’97)
- Courtney Jacobovits (MUP ’16)
- Thomas Luebke (MArch ’91)
- Ryley Poblete (MArch ’14)
- Beth Roloff (MArch ’14)
- David Rubin (MLA ’90)
- Fallon Samuels Aidoo (PhD ’17)
- Kristina Yu (MArch ’95)
We are accepting new member nominations for the July 2026–June 2029 term. Learn more about our member expectations and apply by November 30, 2025 .
2025 Unsung Heroes 
In March, the Alumni Council and the GSD’s Frances Loeb Library honored three students who act in selfless ways to make the GSD a better place. The 2025 Unsung Hero Book Prize honorees are Navya Raju (MDes ’25), Miriam Hernandez Medina (MLA ’26), and Allen Wang (MDes ’25).
Read the Full Announcement
Design Impact
Design Impact is a global design leadership speaker series hosted by the GSD Alumni Council. These virtual events bring together outstanding global leaders; create a forum for sharing past work and visions for the future; and challenge us as a global community to use design as a tool for actionable, transformative change and healing.
GSD Class Day
Nina Chase (MLA ’12) addressed our newest alumni during the 2025 Class Day celebration, emphasizing the value of connection and community as graduates prepared to wave goodbye to Gund Hall for now.
The alumni network is 15,000 people strong, across the globe, and includes leaders and the most talented designers in all major cities, in so many design firms, government agencies, academic institutions, non-profits. Think of all of us as your future friends. We share an education. It’s what connects us, this place connects us, and we are here for you.
Nina Chase, 2025 Class Day Address
2025 GSD Alumni Award
We are pleased to announce Brenda Levin (MArch ’76), Peter Coombe (MArch ’88), and Wannaporn Phornprapha (MLA ’95) as the winners of the fifth annual Harvard GSD Alumni Award. A celebration of the winners will take place during the next GSD Comeback in Fall 2026.
Read the Full Announcement
Nominations for the 2026 GSD Alumni Award are open now. Learn more.
GSD Alumni Features
Upcoming Events
J-Term Regional Gatherings 
The Alumni Council will host regional events during J-Term, January 5–16, 2026, for current students and local alumni. Stay tuned for more details!
Students and alumni gather at the 2025 J-Term Gatherings.
GSD Comeback: Alumni & Friends Celebration 2026
Mark your calendars! The GSD Comeback: An Alumni & Friends Celebration returns to campus on September 25–26, 2026. Enjoy a weekend of conversation and connection here in Cambridge. Official registration will open by June 2026.
Professional Association Annual Meetings 
The Alumni Council Ambassadorship Committee, in partnership with the GSD Office of Development and Alumni Relations, organizes an alumni reception in conjunction with each professional association meeting; these annual events are one of the best ways to connect in-person with alumni nationally.
- APA | Detroit, MI | April 25–28, 2026 
- ULI Spring | Nashville, TN | May 5–7, 2026
- AIA | San Diego, CA | June 10–13, 2026
- ASLA | Los Angeles, CA | September 16–18, 2026
Refer to GSD Alumni & Friends Events for the latest information about GSD gatherings near you. If you’re interested in helping coordinate an alumni reception around a professional association meeting or want to host a gathering in your city, contact us.
More Opportunities to Connect
Update Your Contact Information
Don’t miss out on important news, updates, and regional event invitations from the GSD. To update your preferred email and mailing address, complete this form or email [email protected].
Refer a Student
As a GSD alum, you may have a knack for identifying potential applicants who would thrive in the GSD community. Many of our students have shared that it was conversations with alumni that inspired them to apply to the GSD.
Do you know someone interested in applying? Fill out the Alumni Referral Form . Once GSD Admissions receives your referral, they will reach out to the prospective applicant and invite them to chat about the GSD, providing them with an opportunity to learn about our degree programs and how their interests might align with what the GSD has to offer.
Stay in Touch
We invite you to connect, engage, and join us in creating opportunities to positively impact places, people, the environment, and the design industry.
Follow the GSD Alumni Council on Instagram and LinkedIn to stay informed about alumni events and engagement opportunities.
Questions on how to get involved? Contact us.
Once GSD, always GSD!
