During their time at the GSD, students have the opportunity to take part in a range of extracurricular activities, both at the GSD and across the University. Making the commitment to explore events, places, and groups that align with their academic and personal interests, students find engagement and connections that enliven their experiences and extend beyond and across the classroom and studio.
Student organizations are an essential part of life at the GSD. Each year, newly formed organizations join long-standing organizations in contributing to the academic and social discourse of the school. There are more than 60 student organizations at the GSD, and they’re not easily categorized. Cultural and social organizations spark rigorous academic discussions, advocacy and academic organizations know how to have fun, and a publication or exhibition can do both in an instant.
The GSD produces several publications on various themes, including Harvard Design Magazine, Incidents & A – Z; publications under the Harvard Design Press; and several student-produced publications, including New Geographies, Pairs, & Open Letters.
Student groups sponsor a variety of academic and social events throughout the year. Popular social gatherings include Beer n’ Dogs, the Halloween Party, a Thanksgiving celebration, and the GSD’s lively semi-formal dance, the Beaux Arts Ball.
The Office for the Arts at Harvard offers several programs available to GSD students, like Learning from Performers, Arts First, and the Public Art Program. Other programs center around jazz, dance, and ceramics.
In addition to Museums around the city, Harvard’s museums include The Harvard Art Museums, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard Museum of Natural History, The Harvard Semitic Museum, The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, and the Harvard Film Archive.
Within MDE, I can bring in skills that are creative, critical, analytical, technical, and non-technical, and this gives me the freedom and flexibility to wear different hats and enter career paths as a designer who has the ability to understand problems and people.
Graduate studies have expanded my own conception of what architecture is, what architecture can be, and what architecture can do. And I think that that's pretty powerful.
Everyone at the GSD is like a drop of water converging into Gund Hall, which is like an ocean generously absorbing provocative thoughts, debates, and even conflicts. I would like to be that drop of water pushing forward the waves of landscape architecture.
The Harvard International Office can help decipher the complexities of immigration, working in the US, and adjusting to living as an international student. In addition to a two-part Virtual Group Orientation, the HIO offers an Advisor-on-Call each day to answer entry-level inquiries. Since 1962, a Host Program has provided an opportunity for connection and friendship between Harvard international graduate students who are new to the United States and residents who live in the Boston area.
Through playgroups, outings, and potluck dinners, many families have found the Harvard Students Spouses and Partners Association (HSSPA) to be a resource for building a community. Visit the HSSPA website for more information.
The Harvard Chaplains are a professional community of more than forty chaplains, representing many of the world’s religious, spiritual, and ethical traditions, who share a collective commitment to serving the spiritual needs of the students, faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and staff of Harvard University. Morning prayers are held in the Appleton Chapel at Memorial Church. Harvard Divinity School, just a few minutes from the GSD, is a nonsectarian school of religious and theological studies. HDS organizes a variety of religious and spiritual activities for the Harvard community, including hosting speakers and services from various religious traditions, holding occasional retreats, and offering quiet spaces.
Graduate school is an intense and rigorous experience that can be stressful or overwhelming at times. The GSD strives to provide students with support and services conducive to a welcoming and accessible learning environment. OSA, the GSD’s Office of Student Affairs, provides students with support for a range of circumstances. University-wide resources also are available to students, including Counseling and Mental Health Services, Wellness and Health Promotion, and Harvard Recreation, where students can enroll in a Harvard gym membership or join a graduate club sports team. Yoga sessions are offered at the GSD as well as the ever-popular “de-stressing with dogs.”
There are many ways to earn money as a student. From teaching and research roles, to other on-campus job opportunities, take some time to explore your options. The GSD Office of Career Services manages CREATE, the GSD job and internship database that is accessible to students.
GSD students tend to live as close to the GSD as possible. With late nights, early mornings, and winter weather, nearby apartments mean students can stop at home for a quick meal, shower, or nap. Finding a place within a 15-minute walk of Gund is best. A small number of Harvard dorm rooms are available to GSD students but renting provides the greatest variety of options in terms of location, price, roommates, and pets. Students search online or try to find a room from or with another GSD student. A “Harvard GSD Housing” group on Facebook offers a place to post and search for housing.
The MBTA is Boston area’s public transportation system – the subway and bus are the easiest way to get around the city year-round. Biking is another great option, just be sure to gear up. While there are a number of advantages to owning a car, parking can be a challenge. Harvard Transportation is free to students, offering shuttle and van services throughout the Cambridge and Allston campuses. Otherwise, Uber, Lyft, Zipcar, and taxis are all widely available in the area.
Equal parts Cambridge and Somerville, Davis Square is a bit far from Gund, but students living here make it work by cycling and taking the T. A mix of trendy new restaurants and working-class diners surround the historic Somerville Theatre.
Commute:
Walking: 35 min
Bike: 12 min
Train: 13 min
Photo Credit: “Somerville Theater” by Steven Isaacson is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Another great option for GSD students. It’s a five-to-ten-minute bike ride away or one T stop outbound from Harvard Square. What it lacks in charm, it makes up for in a convenient grocery store, hardware store, gyms, etc. — and the fantastic Japanese food at the Shops at Porter.
Commute:
Walking: 20 min
Bike: 7 min
Train: 10 min
Just up from Kirkland/Washington Street. It’s not on the T, but buses and bicycles make the commute quite quick. It’s got a good selection of music venues, restaurants, and specialty grocery stores.
Commute:
Walking: 20 min
Bike: 8 min
Photo Credit: “Union Square Farmer’s Market” by Todd Van Hoosear is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Home to a number of bars and restaurants that are worth the short walk from Gund. Inman’s diverse resident population of locals, families, and students lends it a neighborhood feel.
Commute:
Walking: 15 min
Bike: 7 min
Photo Credit: “Cambridge – Inman Square” by Niklas Tenhaef is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Very close to the GSD, but its proximity to campus also makes for a high cost of living. Restaurants, bars, chain stores, and local boutiques fill the square’s commercial spaces. Students make up the majority of the surrounding neighborhood’s inhabitants, while tourists usually populate the square itself.
Commute:
Walking: 5 min
Bike: 2 min
Train: 0 min
Lies one T stop inbound from Harvard Square and anchors a cluster of live venues that host dance parties and rock shows, not to mention a plethora of bars, eateries, and clubs.
Commute:
Walking: 20 min
Bike: 8 min
Train: 10 min
Photo Credit: “Central Square from above” by Eric Kilby is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
At the intersection of Kirkland/Washington Street and Beacon Street. It’s densely populated with GSD students due to its relative affordability and proximity to the GSD.
Commute:
Walking: 8 min
Bike: 3 min
This is MIT turf, but a number of GSD students live around there, too. For the past decade, MIT and the City of Cambridge have invested heavily in making this area a destination.
Commute:
Walking: 35 min
Bike: 12 min
Train: 17 min
