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AY Lecture Series: Harvard University by Jennifer Lacano

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Yesterday, students at EC Boston had the pleasure of attending a lecture by EC Boston’s very own Academic Year Coordinator, Jennifer Lacano. The presentation, which was part of EC Boston’s AY Lecture Series, was about Jennifer’s alma mater, Harvard University.

Jennifer presenting about her alma mater, Harvard University

The presentation opened with a brief introduction to Harvard which included basic facts about the school. For example, did you know that it was established in 1636 making it the oldest establishment of higher education in the United States?

Jennifer took the students through the history behind the school’s name, its original purpose as a training school for ministers, and its growing reputation and emphasis on scholarship and research leading to its eventual rise to become one of the most prestigious universities in the world. (To think that for students taking ESL classes in Boston, this historical and prestigious place is practically their next door neighbor!)

A large portion of the presentation focused on student life at Harvard, such as the student demographics, the various housing options that are offered at the school and even how the graduation ceremony is conducted. Jennifer herself was involved in various groups during her studies such as the Kuumba Singers Gospel Choir, Harvard Model Congress, and Harvard Model Congress Europe.

The academics portion was a noteworthy segment of the presentation. Jennifer broke down the semester structure including the approximate number of courses per semester, the number of semesters per year, and the electives offered at Harvard to undergraduates. She also explained Harvard’s well-known, highly selective admissions process, rigorous course structure, and the different types of degrees Harvard offers (Jennifer’s concentration was Social Studies with a focus on Anthropology).

The students also enjoyed hearing about some famous superstitions and interesting stories surrounding Harvard: The Statue of the Three Lies, Widener Library, Johnston Gate, and Primal Scream. (If you missed the lecture, we suggest you research these stories in your free time. The students found them very interesting.)

Jennifer brought the presentation to an end with a history of the architecture of Harvard and an extensive list of famous historical, political, and international alumni as well famous alumni in the sports industry, the entertainment industry, and more. (For example: Ralph Waldo Emerson, US President Barack Obama, Natalie Portman and Jeremy Lin.)

Did you miss last week’s AY Lecture? Good news! There will be another one today, March 31st, by Anaïs Duroy, EC Boston’s Academic Intern. The presentation will begin promptly at 1:30 pm and will be about France, Anaïs’s home country.

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