Alumni Impact - PBHA

PBHA’s Unique Model

PBHA Admin — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 17:46:54 +0000

Analysis of survey results demonstrated that PBHA’s unique model for impact on student volunteers comprises three primary components

Meaningful service

PBHA provides students with unique, year-round service and social action opportunities that are deeply grounded in community, involve real-life responsibilities, and center opportunities for leadership and innovation unique among Harvard experiences.

Community of practice

PBHA’s student-led community volunteers, leads, and reflects with each other, facilitating mutual learning, relationship development, and a supportive, inclusive environment.

Intentional leadership development

PBHA’s staff coaching, alumni mentorship, and intentional training and reflection, which have substantially increased in the last 20 years, provides the scaffolding for transformative student leadership development, the impact of which lasts long after graduation.

Five Ways PBHA Advances Harvard College’s Mission to Develop Citizen Leaders

PBHA Admin — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 17:07:41 +0000

PBHA builds the pathways to a lifetime of public purpose, professional and pro bono service.
PBHA inspires a commitment to civic engagement through volunteering, philanthropy, organizing, and advocacy.
PBHA teaches concrete skills that impact professional success long after graduation.
PBHA facilitates a sense of belonging on campus that encourages diverse leadership, especially for first-generation, BIPOC, and low-income students.
PBHA instills empathy and the ability to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds and communities.

Paving Pathways for a Lifetime of Public Service and Purpose

PBHA Admin — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 17:05:52 +0000

For generations, PBHA has inspired and trained tens of thousands of the country’s and the world’s most impactful public service leaders. PBHA alumni report that their PBHA experience nurtured their passion for public service work and strengthened their commitment to addressing social challenges. Through PBHA, alumni developed personal meaning through personal, social, and intellectual transformation that launched a lifetime of public purpose and for many, their public service careers.

In the alumni survey, respondents shared the extent to which participation in PBHA catalyzes involvement in civic and public service volunteer efforts, from voting to continued pro-bono and board service.

In the last two years:

95% of respondents reported voting
93% of alumni respondents reported donating money or goods to a social justice cause
58% of alumni respondents reported volunteering in a political context

Their passion for public service work was nurtured at PBHA
Their PBHA experience strengthened their commitment to addressing social challenges

PBHA inspires a commitment to civic engagement through volunteering, philanthropy, organizing, and advocacy.

out of 1,078 respondents of the PBHA alumni survey...

The 1,078 alumni survey respondents:

Took 962 board seats
Have filled 2671 volunteer or pro bono roles

1196 executive or management roles were filled at public service organizations in:

618 Education

369 Youth Organizations

365 Anti-Poverty

301 Community Organizing

Top fields of professional work:

450 Education

278 Healthcare

216 Business

200 Legal

185 Government

173 Social Services

100 Sciences

92 Technology

Lasting Skills for Lifelong Success

PBHA Admin — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 17:04:06 +0000

PBHA teaches concrete skills that impact professional success long after graduation.

Alumni across the board reported that volunteering at PBHA equipped them with competencies to thrive and make an impact in a wide variety of social impact fields following graduation. Those who participated in summer internships, director and officer roles, and the Chan Stride program reported even higher transformative leadership development. More broadly, these findings suggest that hundreds of PBHA volunteers graduate from Harvard College every year with the competencies and confidence to lead and contribute to global and local social justice initiatives.

Of respondents involved in intensive PBHA programming

79% of respondents reported they developed a deeper belief in their capabilities

More than half of respondents reported PBHA helped them develop:

creative problem solving skills

content-area skills, including teaching, fundraising, budgeting, and legal advocacy
the skills to deliver quality programming that address community need

88% reported learning effective leadership and management skills, including strategic planning, meeting facilitation, decision making, and supervising

91% came to think of themselves as a leader due to their PBHA involvement

PBHA facilitates a sense of belonging on campus that encourages diverse leadership, especially for first-generation, BIPOC, and low-income students.

In the alumni survey, low-income, first-generation, and BIPOC alumni credited PBHA’s programs and supports, especially PBHA’s community, culture, values, and staff, with providing a deep sense of belonging at Harvard.

In the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s recent decision regarding affirmative action, the importance of PBHA as a place of belonging for BIPOC students is even more critical.

PBHA instills empathy and the ability to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds and communities.

Alumni shared that they left PBHA better able to work effectively across difference and with more empathy for others’ lived experiences. PBHA volunteers reported developing a connection to the communities they worked in while at PBHA. Additionally, more affluent students reported learning about equity and anti-racism through PBHA’s programming

Reported that PBHA helped them work effectively with people of different backgrounds to achieve common goals
Felt that they developed a connection to the communities they worked with while at PBHA
Reported that PBHA influenced their sense of the importance of having empathy for others’ lived experiences