The Summer I Went to Harvard

There is something about a summer internship that feels kind of enigmatic. It gives you the same nervous, excited feeling that you get for the first day at school. It comes with the same unpredictability that comes with getting a promotion at your job or making a shift in your career. You’re thrown into a new city with strangers that turn into coworkers and friends, hole-in-the-wall restaurants that become second homes, and you experience the strange in-between feeling of not being a student but not fully a post-grad employee. I felt a combination of these and so much more this summer. 

I had the privilege of being a 2025 Harvard Du Bois Scholar, spending nine weeks at Harvard in Cambridge, MA joined by 34 other HBCU students researching various topics with Harvard faculty mentors. I worked in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston contributing to one of its new exhibits called Black/Fashion: Color and Culture. I sat in on department meetings, wrote wall texts and object labels, conducted informational interviews, and visited museums and galleries across the cities. Not only did I gain meaningful work and career experiences, but social ones too. I spent all day on and off of the T train exploring the city, trying oysters at a work lunch, and touring the historic town of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard. I expected to be immersed in a completely new environment that would come with some challenges and times of discomfort. I expected to learn a lot about museum curation, Harvard’s campus, and the city of Boston. But, part of me did not expect this summer to be so anthropological. I learned so much about others, but also about myself, and the importance of learning and growing in a supportive work environment. 

For nine weeks, I lived, ate, and fellowshipped with 34 HBCU students from schools across the country. It was as if all of the best parts of a historically Black college were packaged up and placed in our program: the ambition, creativity, community-oriented beliefs, support, networking, and unwavering commitment to leave this world better than we found it. For me, the learning aspect of this program did not end with research skills. The knowledge my cohort members gained from each other was equally as robust. I learned about what life was like in cities like New Orleans, Chicago, and Baltimore and in countries like Panamá and Jamaica. I learned about the different career paths one could take with law, psychology, medicine, and English. I learned about the responsibilities of being on the Royal Court of one’s HBCU, or the Vice President of the student body. 

The Du Bois Program was one of several summer research programs housed at Harvard, yet we had a unique presence, energy, and goal.

It was fascinating, actually. The Du Bois Program was one of several summer research programs housed at Harvard, yet we had a unique presence, energy, and goal. We never let anybody forget we were HBCU educated and extremely proud of it. We never let anybody ignore us or treat us as if we did not deserve to be there. And we saw each of our fellow cohort members for the incredible individual they were.

This summer I understood what it meant to contribute to something larger than myself. I recognized the beauty in community, teamwork, and simply being a part of someone else’s journey. Every time somebody came into my dorm room to catch me up, send me something they thought I would be interested in, or listen to me share my career plans, they impacted me in a way that was subtle but monumental. I was constantly reminded of why I chose to attend an HBCU in the first place. The love and care that was poured into me through my time at Harvard encouraged and energized me to continue the hard work I do at Hampton, and the work I will do beyond my graduation. I know that I will always have 34 voices cheering me on. 

I came into my Harvard summer with excitement and an open mind, and I left with enough support to last a lifetime. The future doctors, lawyers, politicians, professors, and CEOs I spent nine weeks with are not simply just a part of my network; they are a part of my family. 

To anyone stressed about taking a leap to a new city as an intern, trust me when I say the world has so much to offer you if you simply explore it. And to those applying to positions and are only considering your career, I urge you to take advantage of every opportunity the job presents – every challenge, every late night, every friend you’ll make, every restaurant you’ll become a regular at, and every day you are learning and growing. 

It’s one thing to gain a work experience. It’s another to leave it with something meaningful. For me, the latter is always more important.

• college
• internship