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Home > Degree Programs > Office of Career Advancement > Students and Alumni > Connect > Professional Interest Council Activities
Professional Interest Council Activities
Getting involved with a PIC is a great way to learn about your areas of interest and make connections in the field.
PICs are student organizations whose primary programming centers around career development. PICs are officially recognized through the Kennedy School Student Government (KSSG).
OCA Partnership
OCA strongly encourages all PICs to partner with us. OCA supports PICs as they design career-related programming, assists in coordination, publicity, administrative issues, and in creating systems to maintain institutional memory from year to year. OCA also facilitates collaboration among PIC leadership to share best practices and to have a forum to coordinate ideas and share resources.
List of PIC’s
Business and Government
Corporate Responsibility
Crime and Criminal Justice
Education
Elective Politics
Energy and Environment
Health Policy
Human Rights
Humanitarian Practitioners
International Affairs
International Development and Gender
International Security and Politics
Media and Communications
Microfinance
Public Diplomacy
Religion, Ethics, and Public Life
United Nations
Urban Policy
Professional Development Fund for PIC activities
The purpose of the Professional Development Fund (PDF) is to provide funding (up to $500 per event) for activities that foster professional development and increased awareness of career options. These may include workshops and seminars with career professionals, networking and mentoring activities, and employer outreach, among other activities.
The PDF fund is established each year by the Senior Associate Dean and Director of Degree Programs, and is administered by OCA in partnership with KSSG. PDF funds are available to officially recognized PICs for programming undertaken in partnership with the OCA. Additional KSSG-recognized student organizations interested in career-related activities should explore partnering with an established PIC. No one group may apply for more than a total of $1000 in any given academic year.
Successful proposals might include expenses associated with:
- career-related events
- alumni/employer outreach and engagement
- website development
- design of systems to establish institutional memory
PIC Proposal Process
All proposals for PDF funding will be received by both OCA and the KSSG's Finance Committee. Final decisions on PDF funding are made by the OCA and delivered via email from our office.
PICs apply for PDF funding through the official KSSG funding application form and process. The application should clearly state how much PDF funding you are requesting, indicate other funding sources (KSSG funds, research center funds, outside funds - both proposed and confirmed) and should be submitted directly to the KSSG Finance Committee. The Finance Committee will then work with OCA on the PDF portion of the proposal.
We ask that PICs submit requests for PDF funding on the established quarterly deadline schedule created by KSSG.
PDF funding is limited. Once PDF funding has been exhausted, OCA will discontinue considering requests.
No funds can be paid out in advance of an event or before work has been completed. All monies will be disbursed as reimbursement only upon delivery of the Universal Expense Form (Link to PDF) and original receipts. The Foreign National Information Form (Link to PDF) is required by Harvard to process reimbursements to non-US citizens. Additional forms may be required in certain circumstances.
Please contact us with any questions.
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