New Student Orientation

The experience is designed to provide students with an understanding of the Harris School curriculum, academic support resources, Harris student life opportunities, campus systems, the city of Chicago, and University resources.

However, the most important element of the new student orientation experience is fostering a sense of community amongst our diverse student body.

Prepare to be Inspired

During orientation students are introduced to essential conversations about diversity and inclusion, leadership and personal development, career development. Students will also have the opportunity to hear from faculty and Harris leadership about the philosophical basis of the Harris academic experience and hear from key policy leaders and practitioners about the impact policy can mean for the world. 

Welcome Address

The Welcome Address kicks-off the new student orientation experience. This annual address is not only a chance for you to engage with other incoming students, but also to learn more about the impact of public policy and the academic journey you are about to embark on. last year's program featured an opening keynote by Kevin Hartman, MPP/MBA '98, former chief analytics strategist at Google and author of "Digital Marketing Analytics: In Theory And In Practice." Hartman is a devoted and artistic practitioner of data. He believes data must do more than simply supply insights that motivate creative thought. Rather, data must express insights in ways that are just as creative as the ideas they inspire.

Aims of Public Policy

The Aims of Public Policy provides a collective moment for students entering Harris during which they can think about the broader aspects of their education before becoming fully immersed in the data-driven Harris approach to policy analysis. Last year's address was given by Damon Jones, Ph.D., Associate Professor Professor at Harris. Jones conducts research at the intersection of three fields: public finance, household finance, and labor economics. 

Common Read

The Common Read is part of Harris’ commitment to diversity and inclusion and Harris’ shared belief that it is essential that future policymakers be given the opportunity to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of people who have been marginalized. The 2023 Harris Common Read was Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success, was striking storytelling with innovative data analysis to reimagine the histories—and futures—of immigration in the United States. Authors Ran Abramitzky and Leah Boustan offer readers a critical framework in interpreting how the “golden era” of immigration compares to current times, and how immigrant success continues to shape the lives of U.S. born citizens for the better.  

Closing Keynote Address

The closing keynote address will challenge you to contemplate your role in complex global and social issues and craft a vision for the future of policy leadership and social change. Last year's keynote address was given by Xavier Ramey, CEO of Justice Informed. Xavier brings a wealth of experience and network to clients seeking catalyzed strategies for inclusion, philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, and community engagement. He is a founding member of the #LetUsBreathe Collective, an artist-activist organization that addresses police violence against people of color. 

Schedule 

Orientation programming will take place throughout the weeks leading up the start of the autumn academic quarter.  In addition to orientation specific programs, there will also be other programming hosted by Harris Student Organizations (HSOs) or other Harris units and departments. A detailed overview schedule will be released during summer 2024.  Please register for programming through the Event Digest and HarrisHub. As a reminder, all incoming Harris master's students with the exception of those in the MACRM program will take the mandatory math exam on September 20, 2024.