Bringing People Together
Laura König, Visiting Fellow
Laura König is a visiting fellow carrying out her PhD research project at the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS). At the same time, she serves as president of the School’s Student Council (GSC). König discusses how she came to serve on the GSC, balancing her research and work on the council, and why she believes student government is a rewarding experience for anyone who chooses to be involved.
A Sense of Community, A Way to Connect
While I had been involved in the Graduate Student Council for some time—I was a member of the events committee for a semester and afterward, a member of the Student Spotlight, Mendelsohn Award, and Commencement Marshals Selection committees for a full year—it wasn’t until the student leadership banquet last spring that I started to think about taking on a larger role. Former Dean of Students Bill Stackman gave a speech about being a student leader and participating in student government. He talked about how it gives you a sense of community and a way to connect with the School and your peers in a way that extends beyond going to class. The council was specifically calling for someone to run for president of the GSC. This piqued my interest, but at first, I was hesitant—I had a little bit of imposter syndrome—but I talked to previous leaders and all the doubt melted away; I knew I was cut out for the job. I put myself forward and took the position.
I love teamwork and consider myself a good leader. For example, in my free time, I play volleyball and I’m the captain of several teams. I want to create opportunities for people to come together. That’s what I enjoy most about my role at the GSC; we work to build community.
As president, I help amplify the voices of the larger graduate student body and work with administrators to organize events and discuss concerns. It’s very rewarding when, after a high-pressure meeting with the deans or a conference with student representatives, someone comes up, thanks me for organizing the meeting, and says that the work we do is helpful.
Student Center Support
I’m a PhD student in neuroscience, and I’m in the visiting fellows program at Harvard Griffin GSAS. I do research on neurodegenerative diseases with a focus on Alzheimer’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the context of neuroinflammation. This involves a lot of drug screening and working with cell models for these diseases.
While I’m a student first and foremost, a lot of my free time is dedicated to the GSC. I spend time on my council responsibilities during the evening and on weekends, and I’ve had to cut back on participation in volleyball and my passion for long-distance running. Balancing my work in the lab with my work on the council was one of the things that made me hesitate at first to join, but the support I’ve gotten from the staff at the Student Center at Harvard Griffin GSAS has made it possible. In particular, the Student Center Squad has been incredibly kind and committed to helping us as student leaders to carry out our tasks and responsibilities, which I appreciate so much.
Crossing Paths
Graduate students have busy schedules, so I understand completely why many hesitate to participate in the GSC. What I would like students to know is that any kind of involvement matters, even if you just show up to one meeting or give a little bit of feedback. The members of the GSC appreciate any kind of contribution or commentary because it helps us make informed decisions.
Another truly amazing thing that has come from my participation in the GSC was the chance to meet people from different programs and disciplines. It has brought me even closer to Harvard, as an institution, especially as a student who spends a lot of time at the Longwood Medical Area. I used to only know people in the medical field, and I had no idea what people in other divisions even did. Being part of the GSC and coming to the main campus made me understand that PhD projects can be very different across disciplines.
Some people can go through their entire PhD experience without ever crossing paths with someone in another field. I’m so glad my work on the GSC has brought me face-to-face with students from all kinds of academic backgrounds!
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