The Harvard Summer School in Greece returned in 2024
Summer 2024 saw the 21st iteration of the Harvard Summer School study-abroad program in Greece, which ran from June 29 to August 4, with the administrative and logistical support of CHS Greece. Two of its weeks were spent in Thessaloniki and three in Nafplio, with intermediate short stays in Ancient Olympia and Athens. Eight intensive, week-long seminars, multiple day trips, visits to sights and museums, daily group meals, and numerous cultural outings intertwined to form a fantastic five-week-long student experience.
The 2024 cohort consisted of 18 undergraduate students: 14 from Harvard, 1 from Cambridge University in the UK, 2 from the University of Patras, and 1 from Fudan University. The latter three students participated as part of over-a-decade-old scholarship schemes developed by the program and CHS in collaboration with the two respective universities in Greece and China. The students came from several different concentrations, mostly in the humanities.
On their journey of researching "Migration and Boundaries—Reconceptualizing Mobility in the Eastern Mediterranean and Beyond," the academic theme of the Harvard Summer School in Greece in recent years, students had the chance to connect with 10 different faculty members, either in class, on the way to sites, or over dinner discussions. In the program's evaluation, many of the students described it as a transformative intellectual and life experience, valuing the opportunity to learn from prominent faculty with diverse teaching styles.
In the same context, students highlighted key aspects of the Harvard Summer School Program in Greece: the strong sense of community among peers and professors, the interdisciplinary nature and variety of seminars, the diversity of the student body, and the wide range of program sites, excursions, and activities. The accessibility to professors and the community spirit built through group activities have been continuous assets of the program, traditionally favored by alumni in their feedback.
Words seem to always fall short of describing the wondrous experience of this study-abroad program. Hoping that images will do more justice, we invite you to have a look on the Harvard Summer School in Greece Facebook album, with pictures from this and past iterations of the program.
We extend our thanks to the 2024 cohort of students and faculty for making possible another successful iteration this summer. Their contributions and praising words are appreciated and keep us motivated as we prepare for next year’s program.