Harvard College

In the Spring 2026 semester, the Intellectual Vitality Student Advisory Board and Lamont Library collaborated on an informational exhibit about Harvard’s Intellectual Vitality Initiative.

Dear Harvard College Students, I am writing today to share my heartfelt congratulations to you for reaching the end of the academic year. As we mark the end of the semester, I want to tell you about some conversations that I have had this spring with a...

On Wednesday, February 7, 2024, students, administrators, and faculty involved with Intellectual Vitality were invited for dinner and dialogue at the home of Dean of Students, Tom Dunne. The focus of the dinner was to discuss the growth of Intellectual...

On Thursday, February 22, 2024, Harvard College Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology Steven Pinker, and Harvard Kennedy School Frank Stanton Professor of the First Amendment (and Pforzheimer House Faculty Dean), Erica Chenoweth kicked off the first of...

On January 24, 2024, as part of the Intellectual Vitality Initiatives, Harvard College welcomed guest speakers from PEN America for a special professional development event for College staff and administrators. The day-long summit comprised of three...

The Council for Academic Freedom catalyzed a broad re-examination of assumptions dominating campus culture for over a decade. Among them was whether Harvard University administration should adopt institutional neutrality. On Monday, April 8, 2024, James...

On Sunday, April 28, actor Paul Giamatti and author and philosopher Stephen Asma recorded a live episode of their award-winning podcast, Chinwag, in Sanders Theater. The show’s focus is anything and everything – offering the podcasters the opportunity to...

As we welcome the class of 2028, what do we know about handling difficult conversations and connecting with people with whom we might disagree? The College’s Intellectual Vitality initiatives guide us. Read more on the Harvard College News website.

Why do people fight along ethnic lines? How do scholars explain and study ethnic conflict? As the world continues to be shaken by ongoing ethnic conflicts, the College’s Intellectual Vitality Initiative brought students together for the fourth Books Open...