As part of the Culture Lab Innovation Fund’s 2020 cohort, the Next Gen Initiative utilizes technology to align, consolidate, and enhance institutional support and community-building pathways for all Harvard undergraduate and graduate students who are the first in their families to pursue a degree in the U.S and/or are from underresourced or underserved backgrounds.

While there is no universal Next Gen student experience across Harvard, there are shared challenges, needs, and areas of opportunity that can be addressed through the innovative retooling of existing Harvard University resources and services.

The Next Gen Initiative aims to expand institutional change and long-term investment in students who are “firsts” so that they can thrive as Harvard’s “next” generation of leaders.  

Funding for the Next Gen Initiative ended as of December 2022. Please visit individual school websites for information on First Gen programming.