Despite Rain, Harvard Admits Enjoy Visitas Weekend

BY MICHELLE N. AMPONSAH AND EMMA H. HAIDAR CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

Newly admitted students did not let rain showers dampen their spirits for Harvard College’s Visitas weekend.

Current students opened their doors to prospective members of the Class of 2027 during the twoday event, the second in-person Visitas after two years of virtual programming.

Prospective enrollees could attend an academic fair, an extracurricular fair, a campus jogging tour, and mixers with several student organizations. Admitted students also attended classes with current students and faculty on Monday.

Rush X. Bogin, an admitted student from Colorado interested in Economics and theater, said he reached out to other admitted students prior to Visitas on Crimson Connect, a platform where incoming students can talk with other incoming and current stu- dents about life at Harvard.

“I’ve met some people previously, but then showing up just at the check in, everybody’s been super friendly,” he said. “I’ve met like 50 people.”

E. Elson Bankoff, who plans to study Government and Environmental Science and Public Policy, said she has been connecting with other admitted students through social media. “I already made a group of Bojack Horseman fans, like a little group chat and stuff. So I’ve been in touch with a lot of people,” Bankoff said.

Gabrielle M. Greene, a prospective enrollee who is interested in Government and Theater, Dance and Media, said she often found herself talking to people who had impressive achievements.

“You’re talking to someone and you’re having a normal conversation with them, and then you find out they’ve done some amazing thing that changed the world,” Greene said.

Similarly, prospective student

Amelie S. Liu, who wants to study Economics and Government with a citation in Mandarin, said people were “very down to earth” despite having “done such amazing things.” has been in contact with groups like the Black Students Association, Generational African American Students Association, and Harvard Christian Impact. seem like they have some sort of special connection to campus,” Greene added.

“They’re really integral in helping me get acclimated to campus life and learning more about the College,” Greene said.

Bogin said he was excited to join theater groups like Hasty Pudding Theatricals, adding he thought it was “so cool” that the organization recently honored Jennifer Coolidge.

Bankoff said the College’s location was a draw for her in applying.

Juliet Bu, an admit from New Jersey who wants to study Economics and Government, said her favorite Visitas experience was visiting Government 1280: “Government and Politics of China.”

“It was a really nice snapshot of what a day in the life of a class at Harvard looks like,” Bu said.

Bu added that professors helped create a “really welcoming” environment that admits wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise.

Cromwell and Johnson wrote that the groups responded to Bellinger’s email Monday morning, specifically requesting that President-elect Claudine Gay, who is currently dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, be present at the meeting “because Bacow will be leaving the university shortly.”

“As the incoming university president, we believe Gay should be present if there is any chance of future progress regarding the systemic issues on our campus,” the statement reads.

The open letter signed by the student organizations also requested a town hall meeting with Bacow, Gay, and Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana to “discuss Harvard’s handling of issues of racial policing and HUPD protocol.”

In an interview Monday, Bacow defended his decision to not release a University-wide statement about the swatting attack, saying that he decided to remain silent in part because “there were already many people who had spoken out,” pointing toward HUPD Chief Victor A. Clay and Khurana.

“I thought adding my voice again would not contribute much in part because everything that I would have said all had already been said by them,” Bacow said in the interview.

Bacow also refuted the idea that there was not an immediate response from the University, pointing to the Harvard University Police Department’s response to the swatting call and internal Leverett House communications.

“There was an immediate response to the students — literally immediate — by the police who entered the room to explain why they were there,” he said. “There was a response from the faculty deans, there was a response to the house by the College.”

“So it’s not as if there was no response immediately,” he added.

Bacow said another, “more important” consideration behind the University’s response was to prevent the perpetrator of the attack from receiving more attention, advice the University received from federal authorities in law enforcement as well as other institutions which have been “subject to similar kinds of incidents.”

“What they’re seeking more than anything else is publicity. They are seeking to terrorize an entire community,” Bacow said. “If I speak it only gives the perpetrator of this crime more of what they seek.”

“We’re a big, fat target,” he added. “If people think that they can get the president to respond to anything, any act of provocation, it will only encourage more of that.”

“Having a community of peers who are not only supportive, but push me to achieve is going to be really great. So I’m very excited about that,” Liu said. Admitted students are also excited to join extracurricular and affinity groups in the fall. Greene

“I think something I was looking forward to college is proximity to a city, but also kind of that small town feel, which is exactly what Harvard is,” Bankoff said. “And it has a kind of old-fashioned feel to it.”

Greene also said that the weather “seemed gloomy” but that she liked the College’s architecture.

“I really liked the historical aspect of it. All of the buildings

“I think interacting with professors is really the best part, because you hear how passionate they are about things, like how willing they are to engage with you even though you’re literally a prefrosh,” Bu said.

Students admitted to the Class of 2027 have until May 1 to respond to their letter of admission.