In the beginning...
"It would be pretentious to claim that we are setting a new standard of objectivity in the field of news coverage, for objectivity is so largely a subjective projection. We will attempt, however, to cover issues with a maximum attention of fairness and clarify -- searching out the viewpoints of all sides."
- Morris Abram, Jr. '71, Co-Founder of the Independent, 1969
Who We Are
As Harvard College's weekly undergraduate newsmagazine, the Harvard Independent provides in-depth, critical coverage of issues and events of interest to the Harvard College community. The Independent has no political affiliation, instead offering diverse commentary on news, arts, sports, and student life.
Join Our Staff
The Harvard Independent has served as an outlet for student-generated ideas since its founding in 1969. Whether your interests lie in writing or business or design, there is a space for you on the paper. We emphasize a writer-driven approach to generating content, strive for an entrepreneurial business environment, and foster creativity of layout and design in each issue we publish.
To join the Harvard Independent, please e-mail join@harvardindependent.com
Our Opportunities
We offer to Harvard undergraduates opportunities in the following areas: News, Forum, Arts, Sports, Business, Design, Graphics, and Technology.
News
The Independent's News section strives to provide in-depth news analysis without distorting the facts. Writers are free to pursue stories on topics ranging from Harvard events to global politics, and have the opportunity to interview the people who make the news both on and off campus. Often the section covers stories that has been missed or underreported by other papers.
Forum
Forum is the least structured of the Independent's sections — it is a space in which writers can express any idea. Content includes opinion pieces, interviews, and soapboxes from other Harvard organizations; articles vary from quite serious to very lighthearted. Any member of the Harvard community is encouraged to submit an article to Forum by e-mailing editor@harvardindependent.com.
Arts
The Arts section is one of the largest of the paper and has a large body of writers from diverse backgrounds. In addition to reviewing arts events on campus, Indy Arts covers a wide range of professional artistic and cultural media, including television, music, film, dance,theater, visual art, food, and fashion. Consistent with the Independent's open philosophy, writers are encouraged to write freely on the topics of their choice. As a result, Indy Arts writers are known for their knowledgeable and impassioned articles on topics from mainstream sitcoms to underground hip-hop.
Sports
The Sports section at the Indy is open to the ideas of its writers. Articles can be written on everything from mainstream sports to squash or pool, and generally have a large dash of humor. Unlike most college publications, the Indy focuses on national sports — but again, our writers decide the topics.
Business
The Business Board of the Harvard Independent is focused on generating revenues for the publication, particularly through soliciting advertisements from corporations, local businesses, national organizations, and student groups. In addition to gaining invaluable sales and marketing experience, joining the business side of the Independent will expose you to various financial transactions and customer interactions, as well as provide you with a comprehensive look at what it takes to run a business. Current and former Independent officers have secured internship and full-time positions at firms such as Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, and McKinsey & Company, among others.
Design
The Harvard Independent Design section uses Adobe InDesign and Photoshop to arrange articles and graphics on the page and create the visual layout of the paper. The Independent has minimal formatting restrictions, which allows designers to exercise creative freedom in creating the look of the paper. No experience with InDesign or Photoshop is necessary to join the Design team; both programs are easy to learn, and we will give you all the training you need to get started.
Graphics
On the Indy Graphics staff, we firmly believe that each picture is worth 1,000 words. The graphics you enjoy each week are inspired by the stories they illustrate, and are drawn/photographed/photoshopped each week by your fellow students. We welcome anyone who wants to participate, regardless of your artistic experience.