We always hear about Harvard's prestigious alumni network. Who are some of the most famous people to graduate from there, and how have they impacted their fields? Just curious about the kind of legacy Harvard alums have.
Harvard boasts an impressive roster of alumni who have gone on to achieve remarkable success in various fields. Here are a few notable examples:
1. Barack Obama: Harvard Law School alum Barack Obama served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017. His election was historic, as he was the first African American to hold the office. He reshaped healthcare with the Affordable Care Act and navigated the U.S. through the 2008 financial crisis.
2. Mark Zuckerberg: While he famously dropped out, Zuckerberg was a Harvard undergraduate who went onto create Facebook, one of the most significant social media platforms globally. His impact on the tech and social networking industry is undeniable.
3. Natalie Portman: An actress and filmmaker, Portman received her bachelor's degree in Psychology from Harvard in 2003. She's a two-time Academy Award winner and uses her platform for advocacy in areas like animal rights and gender equality.
4. Bill Gates: Gates is another famous dropout who attended Harvard for two years before leaving to co-found Microsoft. His enormous impact on technology and philanthropy is clear, with his company changing the face of the technology industry and his charitable work reaching all corners of the globe via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
5. T. S. Eliot: A poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, and literary critic, Eliot is one of the most significant poets in the 20th century. He attended Harvard for his undergraduate and master's degrees. His work reshaped literature, with poems like "The Waste Land" remaining highly influential.
6. Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Although she didn't receive her law degree from Harvard (she transferred to and graduated from Columbia Law School), Ginsburg was one of the few women in her class when she attended Harvard Law School. She served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020. Her legal career was dedicated to advocating for gender equality and women's rights.
It's clear that Harvard's network of alumni has made significant impacts in a host of domains, including politics, technology, entertainment, literature, and law. Their accomplishments highlight the diverse paths that Harvard graduates can take.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.