David Martin Graduate Student Leadership Forum

Student founded.
Student lead.
By students, for students.

Our mission is to facilitate peer-led leadership development through experience-based education, unique shared experiences, and the forging of authentic bonds with graduate students across the different Harvard graduate schools, with the greater goal of advancing social impact. This mission is largely based on the practices and fundamentals of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), a global network of young chief executives that has approximately 21,000 members across 125 countries. YPO was founded on the basis that young, successful individuals face a unique set of challenges and experiences. Similarly, graduate students face particular obstacles that necessitate a type of leadership development specific to those unique experiences.

Program Components

The Graduate School Leadership Incubator is comprised of three main components

  • At the beginning of the fall semester.

  • Held during the semester; participating students will do the program experience part of a cohort, and they will also be part of a smaller Forum group within the cohort for more individualized work, learning, sharing, and relationship building.

  • Continued Forum group meetings in the spring semester which will include engagement and mentoring with Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellows. All participants will also co-host one event in the spring to share lessons learned with other students.

Current fellows are required to attend the retreat and all weekly sessions in their entirety. The purpose of the retreat is to set the tone for the rest of the program and begin to forge bonds among the fellows. The weekly sessions build upon the leadership development, discovery, and connections that are initiated on the retreat.

We also invite the current cohort to alumni opportunities and events, including social events, speakers, and trips.

Apply

The application for the 2023-2024
cohort is now accessible by
clicking on this 
link.

The application contains three components:

  • Part 1: Name and basic program information

  • Part 2: Brief application questions

  • Part 3: Email CV/Resume to info@gslforum.com. Please title your resume as LastName_FirstName_Resume.pdf

If you have any problems accessing the application, email Jen Tutak via info@gslforum.com


Application Timeline

Application opens: Thursday, August 31

Application due: Saturday, September 9, at 5:00pm ET

Interviews: Thursday, September 14 through Sunday, September 17

Notification of accept by Thursday, September 21

Requirements

  • Applicants are encouraged to apply earlier in their Harvard tenure to participate longer in the alumni programming that is offered after the cohort semester concludes, as well as contribute to helping support future cohorts given the special nature of this as a student-founded, peer-led initiative.

  • Must be available to attend the full retreat (to occur at a special location in downtown Boston) and all fall Monday night sessions in their entirety (see Required Attendance Dates section below, sessions occur most nights in Harvard Square). Full participation and attendance is crucial to the success of this program and thus we cannot accept individuals who are not able to attend all sessions. As peers, we hold each other accountable to show up for each other throughout the semester–before applying, please reflect on whether this semester is the right time to be present and committed to this program. There can be slight differences across the various Harvard graduate school calendars, so please carefully confirm your academic calendar to the program dates below to make sure that your schedule will allow you to participate in the full retreat and weekly sessions. Otherwise, there are no additional time commitments for the program such as having to do reading, work, etc. outside of the actual retreat and weekly meetings. For Spring 2023 portion of programming, Forums will continue to meet weekly with engagement and mentoring alongside members of the ALI program. Fellows–in small groups by school or across schools–will also be asked to give back by hosting an event to share lessons learned with other students at Harvard; hosting an event will also serve as a leadership opportunity for cohort members. (Planning will be discussed more during the fall semester, but the structure will be creative, flexible, broad, and meaningful.

    Please note that all meals will be provided at the retreat as well as dinner at all of the in-person Monday night sessions. Dinner is typically ready by 6:00pm for Fellows to start gathering.

Required Attendance Dates


Friday, September 29, 6:30pm — 9:30pm &
Saturday, September 30, 9:30am — 6:00pm

  • Session #1: Monday, October 2 (6:30-9:30pm, Harvard Square)

  • Session #2: Monday, October 16 (6:30-9:30pm, Harvard Square)

  • Session #3: Monday, October 23 (6:30-9:30pm, Harvard Square)

  • Session #4: Monday, October 30 (6:30-9:30pm, Harvard Square)

  • Session #5: Monday, November 6 (6:30-9:30pm, Harvard Square)

  • Session #6: Monday, November 13 (6:30-9:30pm, Harvard Square)

Fall programming summary

  • Forum groups will continue to meet throughout the spring semester with engagement and mentoring with members of the Advanced Leadership Initiative

  • Alumni programming will be offered to all past members to join as available

  • Fellows, in small groups by school or across schools, will be asked to give back by hosting an event to share lessons learned with other students at Harvard; this will also serve as a leadership opportunity for cohort 

  • Each Forum will be asked to give back to the cohort by hosting one event for the cohort during the spring semester to further connection, networking, and leadership development