OUR STORY

Since its founding in 1636, Harvard College has offered its undergraduate students countless opportunities to get involved in activities in their academic and professional fields of interest. However, a comprehensive mechanism to connect students with these meaningful opportunities has been unmet, especially regarding philanthropy and service career paths. In addition, while Harvard has many service opportunities, an on-campus social community that promotes diversity and involvement in public service remains absent. Hoping to change this, a group of students who wanted to increase inclusivity and the presence of public service on Harvard’s campus, along with inspiring youth to pursue careers in this field, founded SWAN (Service with a Name) in the spring of 2022.

WHAT WE DO

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit and student organization at Harvard, SWAN is dedicated to catalyzing involvement, careers, and therefore lives, in public service for not only the Harvard student body but also for youth around the country, through mentorship, social engagement, and dynamic, outgoing community building.

SWAN is an organization for undergraduate students interested in pursuing opportunities in public service. We stress the importance of community by holding SWAN social events to create a supportive and tight-knit community of public service-minded individuals.

To promote involvement in public service beyond our on-campus community, SWAN partners with local organizations on semester-long service projects to help grow their initiatives and holds an annual public service conference for high schoolers. We believe it is of the utmost importance to provide youth with the resources to begin their journeys in service as early as possible. In doing so, we strive to encourage young people to become the change makers of tomorrow.

FOUNDING MEMBERS

Jaden Bharara

Carly Lehman
Vivian Yee

Lilian Smith

Aaron Bradford
Matthew Anzarouth

Jack Silvers

Cosette Wu

Anoushka Chander
Carolina Vela