Harvard Kennedy School launches $100,000 American Service Fellowship amid Trump administration scrutiny

CAMBRIDGE, MA — July 16, 2025 Harvard Kennedy School on July 17 unveiled the American Service Fellowship, a $100,000 scholarship program for 50 U.S. veterans and full-time civil servants—including teachers, law enforcement officers, and Peace Corps volunteers—with at least seven years of service. Covering tuition, fees, and a stipend for its one-year midcareer master’s program (2026–27), it marks the school's largest single-year scholarship commitment in.

The announcement comes alongside serious financial headwinds: layoffs, paused construction, and budget cuts, partly due to actions by the Trump administration—such as cancelling nearly $3 billion in federal research grants and imposing a new endowment tax—intended to pressure Harvard. A federal judge recently blocked efforts to bar Harvard from enrolling international students, though restrictions remain under legal review.

Dean Jeremy Weinstein described the fellowship as a patriotic investment during a time of political division, designed to nurture the next generation of public leaders from all 50 states. Donations raised specifically for the initiative will fund it, with an eye toward counteracting cuts and sustaining the Kennedy School’s broader mission.

Harvard’s strategy is seen as both a recruitment tool and a buffer: showcasing its dedication to public service while shoring up finances amid federal scrutiny. It arrives amid Trump-era efforts—including subpoenas for international student records, threats to revoke accreditation, and demands for viewpoint audits—all of which Harvard is legally challenging.

The fellowship underscores Harvard’s resilience and intention to reaffirm its public policy leadership, even as it grapples with financial pressure and political contention.

*Sources: *https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/17/us/harvard-american-service-fellowship-trump.html