Launched by the Harvard College Writing Program in 2010, the Writing and Public Service Initiative (WPSI) aims to support Harvard first-years through seniors who are interested in deploying their skills as clear and dynamic writers for public service.
Mission
Effective communication is not just a tool for academic and career success. It’s also a tool for social change. That conviction underlies the Writing and Public Service Initiative, which was established in the spirit of Harvard’s commitment to the tradition of serving the public good. It's a commitment that President Lawrence S. Bacow has made essential to his agenda. As he asserted in his 2018 inaugural address,, "We need to ensure that future generations continue to serve the greater good in a variety of ways. It is my hope that every Harvard graduate, in every profession, should be an active, enlightened, and engaged citizen."
Through the WPSI, undergraduates can connect with schools and non-profits that have expressed a need for volunteer writing tutors, writing coaches, writers, and editors. Harvard undergraduates can serve in important ways, from putting sophomores and juniors from Cambridge and Boston public schools on the path toward a high school diploma, to helping high school seniors in underresrouced schools find their voices in the college essay-writing process.