Kevin Thaddeus Brown, Jr. is a second-year MPP student from

San Francisco, California. Prior to attending HKS, he

spent several years working in education program management and social and

education policy research. He’s interested in making state and local government

processes and services more efficient for internal staff and the public who

rely on these services.

What is your favorite thing about your experience at HKS?

I came to graduate school to learn about new topic areas and

different perspectives. The students and faculty at HKS are from various

backgrounds and have introduced me to new areas of interest and ways of thinking

through coursework, casual conversation, and friendship.

How would you describe your community at HKS?

Encouraging, vibrant, and diverse.

What advice do you have for prospective or admitted students considering HKS?

HKS and the broader Harvard community offer a variety of

experiences that can be overwhelming if you do not plan before starting

classes. Before starting, I would advise

you to research centers, programs, and professional groups of interest to you.

Doing so will better help you navigate your experience at HKS and allow you to

prioritize what’s important to you.

Personally, I have taken advantage of many opportunities at

the Center

for Public Leadership and the Malcolm

Weiner Center for Social Policy. I am also involved with the Black

Student Union (BSU)

and the First-Generation/Low-Income Caucus (FGLI). I became involved in the BSU to uplift and support the work Black

students are passionate about and provide programming that builds community

around shared values. Similarly, the FGLI Caucus brings together students who

share a common understanding coming to HKS as a first-generation graduate

student and/or from a low-income background.

In short, plan ahead and stay open to learning about other

interesting opportunities that come your way.

Quick questions

• Favorite class: DPI-678M: Product Management and Society
• Favorite study

  spot: HKS Library

• Favorite

  restaurant near campus: Nine Tastes

• One bucket list item

  you want to accomplish before graduating: An

  HKS Trek

• Biggest surprise

  at HKS: There are a number of students who

  come from first-generation college and/or low-income backgrounds like myself.

• Favorite guest

  speaker: United States

  Congressman

  Hakeem Jeffries