Beyond Harvard Podcast

In Episode 18 we meet Ram Solanki, a Master's Candidate at Harvard Graduate School of Education, active-duty U.S. Army service member, and art entrepreneur.  Ram sits down with us to explore leadership, personal loss, and the pursuit of purpose across academia, the military, and business. From navigating the demands of military service and graduate school to founding Cambridge Collective, a v...

In Episode 17 we meet Jenna Mu, a third-year student at the Harvard Dental School of Medicine (HSDM).  Jenna graduated from Boston College, where she studied Global Public Health, before spending a year at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Jenna reveals how a plastic toothbrush changed the way she thinks about dentistry, the intersection of oral health and environmental sustainabil...

In Episode 16 we meet Sam Magee, Director of the Lemann Program for Creativity and Entrepreneurship at Harvard College. Previously, he was the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Harvard University's Operation Impact and an Arts Administrator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Sam shares his journey from the arts and education into entrepreneurship and academia. He discusses the connecti...

In Episode 15 we meet Christina Wallace, an MBA Graduate of Harvard Business School (HBS). Christina is Harvard Business School professor, Tony nominated Broadway Producer, and the Author of the Portfolio Life. Christina shares her journey from entrepreneurship to academia and discusses what it means to build a career and life that goes beyond a traditional, linear path. Her book explores how we c...

In Episode 14 we meet Ignacio Rodriguez, a Master’s Candidate in Education Policy Analysis at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE).  From a rural town in Colombia, Ignacio shares his journey as a first-generation college student. He began learning English at the age of 16, went on to become a Fulbright Scholar, and most recently delivered the HGSE Student Commencement Speech. In this co...

In Episode 13 we meet Alanis Carmona, a PhD Candidate at Harvard Chan School of Public Health.  Born and raised in Chicago, Alanis developed an early passion for medicine. She attended Bates College, where she majored in biochemistry, minored in Chinese, and completed the pre-med track. After several years conducting biomedical research, she joined Harvard University, where she earned her PhD in C...

In Episode 12 we meet Joshua Andrews, a first-year student at Harvard College studying Applied Mathematics. Born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa, Joshua shares what it was like applying to Harvard as an international student and reflects on his first year navigating life, academics, and community in the United States. In this episode, we discuss:  • Joshua's journey from South Africa to...

In Episode 11, we meet Madison Marsh: a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Miss America 2024, and a Master of Public Policy candidate at Harvard Kennedy School. Madison shares her journey from military service to the Miss America stage and reflects on how losing her mother to pancreatic cancer inspired her to found the Whitney Marsh Foundation - an organization dedicated to supportin...

In Episode 10, we meet Alex Dong, an MD/MBA Candidate at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Harvard Business School (HBS). Originally from Canada, Alex attended a high school with few resources to support students applying to universities in the United States. Alex shares his journey from his hometown to Yale College and now Harvard University. He discusses his upbringing, liberal arts education, wo...

In Episode 9, we meet Chandra Sahu, an MBA Candidate at Harvard Business School (HBS). From growing up in Michigan to launching her career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs, Chandra shares all that she's learned along the way - opening up about her identity as a queer Black woman navigating corporate America and business school. Beyond Harvard is a platform sharing the stories of student...

In Episode 8, we meet Abhi Gunasekar, an MS/MBA Candidate at Harvard Business School (HBS) and  School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). Abhi shares his journey studying computer science at Purdue University, to working as a Software Engineer at Amazon, and now pursuing a dual degree graduate program at Harvard University. 

In Episode 7, we meet Steffek Rainey, a Master’s Candidate in Design Engineering (MDE) at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). Steffek shares his journey into design, his decision to pursue the MDE program, and what he’s building with Evera Bottle to address the plastic pollution crisis. Support the show

In Episode 6, we meet Tyler Vandenberg, a Master of Public Policy Candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). Prior to grad school, Tyler was in the U.S. Marine Corps for seven years, and is a 2x Jeopardy Champion. Now, as he wraps up his final year at HKS, Tyler is campaigning for Congressman in California's Sixth District. Tyler shares his journey pursuing a career rooted in service, imp...

In Episode 4, we meet Wyatt Roy, a Master’s Candidate in Design Studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Wyatt studied Psychology at Stanford University, and has a background working with emerging technologies as a Narrative Technologist. In this conversation, Wyatt shares ideas, lessons, and frameworks, he's picked up through design. Beyond Harvard is a platform that highlights the...

In Episode 5, we meet Nidhi Nair, a Master of Public Policy candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) and Schwarzman Scholar with a background in Economics and Statistics. Nidhi shares her journey from growing up in Kerala to navigating global education opportunities, reflecting on the moments that shaped her path and how she learned to seize opportunities both inside and outside the classroom...

In Episode 2, we meet Nand Javia, a Master’s Candidate in Education Leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In our conversation, we discussed Nand's journey to Harvard and his experience as an entrepreneur in Education. Beyond Harvard is a platform that highlights the voices, stories, and ideas of the Harvard University community, identifying who they are at Harvard and Beyond...

In Episode 3, we meet Minori Ito, a Master’s Candidate in Human Development and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Minori shares how navigating multiple cultures and working as a fashion model have influenced her sense of self, and how these experiences continue to shape her commitment to education. Beyond Harvard is a platform that highlights the voices, stories, and ideas of...

Beyond Harvard is a platform that highlights the voices, stories, and ideas of the Harvard University community, identifying who they are at Harvard and Beyond. In Episode 1, we meet Salomey Ampadu, a Master’s Candidate in Education Leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Tune in to learn about her background, journey to Harvard, and her non-profit built to improve outcomes for chi...