TPF - The Presidents’ Forum
The Presidents’ Forum (TPF) strives to promote collaboration and channels of communication between student leaders on campus.
Harvard has no shortage of leaders amongst its bevy of campus organizations, athletics teams, student businesses, and other entities. Today, there are over 450 student organizations at Harvard College, and leaders of these organizations have not yet found a stable means of communication and collaboration. The Presidents Forum works to fill this gap. Through dinners, social events, and targeted discussion forums these leaders get a chance to step back from their activities and learn from each other for the betterment of themselves, their organizations and the campus at-large.
In 2006, over 200 of Harvard’s student leaders, distinguished faculty, and College Deans came together for the Presidents Forum Banquet. The event, which featured remarks from IBM Professor of Business and Government Roger B. Porter, marked the largest gathering of Harvard student-leaders in school history. In 2007, the second annual Presidents Forum Banquet brought together student leaders and featured remarks from Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic and Professor at the Harvard Business School.
Today, The Presidents’ Forum (TPF) facilitates top-down leadership development by bringing together the presidents, managing editors and captains of Harvard’s student organizations and sports teams. The program organizes regular discussion forums on issues specific to high-level leaders, such as motivating a team, managing organizational priorities, transitions, and building effective team culture. These forums provide an avenue for student leaders to discuss common challenges, share best practices, and develop ways for future collaboration.
The Presidents’ Forum strives to become a resource for student leaders to get support in facing the challenges of running their organization.
A Sample of Past Events
Dinner discussion forum with student leaders on “Women’s’ Leadership” in collaboration with The Women’s Leadership Project.
Dinner discussion forum with student leaders on “Sports Leadership” bringing together club sport captains.
Dinner discussion forum with student leaders on “Mentorship” bringing together a diverse group of student leaders.
Breakfast banquet for a delegation of Chinese University student body Presidents as they made their 2010 Ivy League tour. This event was organized in collaboration with Global China Connection
PRESIDENTS’ DINNER, December 2008
An opportunity for student leaders to enjoy spirited conversation with several distinguished guests. Student came together for an evening of dinner, networking with their counterparts - leaders of other student organizations, and the night culminated with an address and Q&A with Mr. Carl Hobert on the various strategies of conflict resolution. Forty students attended this dinner.
BARBARA KELLERMAN: James McGregor Burns Lecturer in Leadership and past Founding Executive Director, Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School
CARL HOBERT: Founder and Executive Director, Axis of Hope Center for Conflict Resolution and Prevention
LINDSAY HYDE: Founder and Director, Strong Women, Strong Girls and 2006 recipient of the Samuel S. Beard Award for Greatest Public Service by an Individual 35 Years or Under