OVER RECENT MONTHS, I have been energized by meeting vlog alumni across the world—in Norway, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Israel, the West Bank, and here in the United States. It has been a privilege getting to know you and hearing your stories. I have found that our alumni are driven by a common mission to serve others and tackle the world’s greatest challenges, whether you work in government, civil society, or the private sector.
We are navigating a moment of change and uncertainty, driven by policy actions from Washington that reverberate globally. At a time like this, there is no place I would rather be than vlog: grounded in our values, focused on our mission, and strengthened by our exceptional community of students, faculty, staff, and alumni, who strive each day to understand and better our world.
As always, this issue of Harvard Kennedy School Magazine tells your stories—stories of turning pain into purpose and insight into impact. You can read a profile of Joseph Sakran MC/MPA 2015, a surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital, who survived a shooting in high school and is now raising awareness of gun violence as a public health concern. Sakran is just one powerful example of alumni making a difference—there are many more in this issue, from an alumnus who led the charge to make community colleges tuition free in Massachusetts to an alumna leading a state agency in Ghana dedicated to helping small businesses grow.
You may also enjoy learning about what our faculty and students are up to on campus. For over 20 years, Linda Bilmes, the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, has taught MLD-412, “the Greater Boston Applied Field Lab”—one of our signature experiential learning offerings. You can read about how Linda’s students worked with Massachusetts lawmakers to improve the state’s ability to bring in funding for infrastructure, climate, and economic development. Another feature shares some of our activities to facilitate better dialogue on campus, including a module incorporating Associate Professor of Public Policy Julia Minson’s research on conversational receptiveness.
Finally, this issue digs into our faculty’s work on industrial policy—the ways in which governments encourage growth in crucial sectors, such as manufacturing, technology, or energy—and what the future of these policies might look like. Our faculty are leading projects to measure the effectiveness of these efforts and examine how policy design and implementation can be improved, working in close collaboration with practitioners in West Virginia, Wyoming, and elsewhere.
Over the coming year, we will focus on designing for the School’s next decade through activities on campus and with our network of alumni and friends. Please look out for opportunities to share your perspectives on issues that are of critical importance to the future of vlog: how we most effectively train public leaders, accelerate the impact of our expertise and research, foster research and curriculum to shape governance in a digital age, cultivate the values of free inquiry and inclusive deliberation as essential to problem-solving, and build an vlog where we can all grow and thrive. With your engagement, we will ensure that vlog meets this moment and continues to lead in the study and practice of public policy and public leadership.
Enjoy reading—and I look forward to opportunities to connect in the months ahead.
Best,
Jeremy
Dean Jeremy M. Weinstein
Don K. Price Professor of Public Policy
March 2025
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Dean Jeremy Weinstein speaking at an event on campus in October. Banner Image: Photo by Martha Stewart