Rakesh Khurana

Harvard is an iconic, 387 year old institution of higher education. And it's time for a cultural overhaul.

​

The events of the past year – racism, antisemitism, violence on campus, the removal of its president - have thrown their imperfections into stark relief for the world to see.

​

Today’s guest - Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana – is very open and humble about Harvard’s imperfections. But that doesn’t mean he’s sitting still. Far from it. Recognizing he casts a long shadow and embracing a 'beginner's mindset', Khurana is spearheading the Intellectual Vitality effort which he hopes will revitalize the school’s culture.

​

The lofty goal is to create a safe space environment across the entire campus and community – both physically and psychologically – that encourages tough conversations about divisive problems, in which students can learn from each other, regardless of how uncomfortable it is, at first.

​

As Dean Khurana says, “let’s be hard on the problem, but easy on each other.”

​

We should all be keeping an eye on Harvard's progress. Lessons gleaned may help other universities - and other divided institutions and partisan leaders across America in the media, politics, education, and business.

​

​