Global Health & Leadership Conference

Create Community Interventions, Learn to Research an Issue, Write a Report, and Become Civically Minded Leaders!

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Harvard College

Global Health and Leadership Conference

Founded in 2017 by Harvard alumnus Paul Lewis, the Global Health and Leadership Conference at Harvard promotes student engagement with global health topics by bringing together Harvard faculty, students, and guests to educate and mentor high school students. The conference encourages students to tackle issues in their local community by conducting evidence-based, cost-effective interventions that are impactful, sustainable, and reproducible initiatives. The conference hopes to help students make a difference and grow as civically minded leaders for the future.

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Conference Highlights

Harvard Global Health Institute

The Harvard Global Health Institute is an invaluable sponsor of the conference.

Speakers

Hear from leaders such as Harvard professors, CEOs, and physicians talk about global health topics.

Harvard's campus

Enjoy a weekend on Harvard's beautiful campus. See famous sites including the John Harvard Statue, Widener Library, and the Charles River.

Community Projects

Students lead an evidence-based intervention, write a report published in our booklet, and present their work at the conference.

Case Study Competition

Students work as a team to write a report evaluating a global health issue and give a presentation at the conference.

Narrative Presentations

A new addition for 2021 that expands to the medical humanities to understand and share the stories of others in a medical context. Students can compete in 2 categories: Writing and Video.

Research Projects

A new addition for 2021 that extends to the data aspect of global health to expand on our understanding of health in different contexts. Students can compete in 2 categories: Comparative Analysis and Literature Review.

Conference Exam

A new addition for 2021 that extends to the academic aspect of global heatlh. Available for grades 9, 10,& 11 students.

Network

Make lasting friendships and connections: meet diverse students from around the world, collaborate with others, and have a Harvard student mentor for your community project.

Learn About Global Health

Through the GHLC, you will have the opportunity to learn from Harvard affiliates about many areas of global health.

Impact Communities

Students are paired with a Harvard student mentor to help guide students in creating evidence-based and cost-effective community interventions.

Grow as a Leader

Our students engage with projects that help them develop the confidence and skills that are necessary to be a successful leader.

“Not only was I inspired by all the speakers and stimulated by the peers who attended the conference, but I was also able to make friends and get to know all the great people!” (Asuka Sakagami, Japan) “It is a globally illuminating experience, and a chance to learn so much from some of the brightest minds out there. I wouldn't miss it for the world!”(Isabella Carlo, Connecticut) “I feel so encouraged to do more now, I feel inspired from the project that my peers conduct and also what they can become and form into. I feel like I have a huge support, all the speakers were so open to communication and I feel like that is the same in the field.”(Philippa Schunk, Germany)

Our students impact their communities in various ways

Testimonials

"It taught me so many things about global health. I realized that although global health is very complicated, by persevering and working with a team, great things can be..."

Yiming Fang

Michigan

“I began to really see the impact of mental health. This conference did a wonderful job of talking about less talked about aspects of global health. We can talk about AIDs...”

Caitlin Paquette

California

“It was interesting focusing on mental health services and the overall inequalities in communities and countries in basic services like water and severe poverty...”

Tha Dah Say

Japan

“Not only was I inspired by all the speakers and stimulated by the peers who attended the conference, but I was also able to make friends and get to know all the great people!”

Asuka Sakagami

Illinois

“I am in awe how others put so much time and effort to into their projects and presentations. I liked how there was a wide variety of topics that my peers chose.”

Gerard Pena

Connecticut

“It is a globally illuminating experience, and a chance to learn so much from some of the brightest minds out there. I wouldn't miss it for the world!”

Isabella Carlo

Canada

“I was delighted to meet outstanding doctors, Harvard undergraduates, and most importantly, other ambitious high school students interested in global health."

Sameena Shariff

Massachusetts

“I sincerely appreciate the effort this program puts towards helping students who are passionate about global health. The conference opened many doors for individuals all around the world...”

Ashani Kurukulasuriya

Germany

“I feel so encouraged to do more now, I feel inspired from the project that my peers conduct and also what they can become and form into. I feel like I have a huge support,...”

Philippa Schunk

Missouri

“There is nothing but benefits for someone who attends this conference. Personally, it really opened my eyes and inspired me to start making my own impact.”

Olivia Stapf

China

“Even though I was only at the conference for a short time, I totally enjoyed it! I also felt the conference is diverse in terms of the different aspects of global health...”

Tianqi Feng

Kentucky

“Communication is a key aspect of Global health, both when a contagion is spreading and when messages about the latest findings on chronic disease or how to live a healthy...”

Pranav Kanmadikar

Maryland

“It is a rare opportunity to see what amazing things are possible in the realm of Global Health and that it is truly inspirational to see so many people motivated to do good...”

Iris Berendes-Dean

Global Health and Leadership Conference:

Join a Tranformative Experience

Conduct Projects, Give Presentations, Impact Communities, and Make Friends around the World!

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Become a Vision Global Health Scholar

Engage with global health in a deeper way.

Students interested in continuing the work developed in the Global Health and Leadership Conference may apply to be a Vision Global Health Scholar. Selected Fellows work closely with the Vision team to improve on annual programming. They improve the original project design, receive special training in the topic of interest, collect data, discuss findings, and prepare a presentation for the annual Global Health and Leadership Conference hosted at Columbia, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins.

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Donate to Support our Program

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