Meeting the Moment Together
2025 Alumni and Donor Impact Report
What a year it’s been—one that will be remembered by the extraordinary way our community came together.
When federal funding cuts became reality and challenged our community, you responded with historic generosity, reaffirming your shared commitment to Harvard Chan School’s excellence in research, education, and real-world impact that advances health and saves lives.
You showed up in every way possible. Whether through gifts, amplifying our message on social media, or expressing solidarity with faculty and students, you united with purpose and determination. This groundswell—from longtime champions to first-time donors—positioned the School not just to weather the moment, but to emerge more focused and resilient.
Thanks to your generous support, the School moves forward with renewed energy, deeper connections, and a focused foundation for the next decade of public health leadership. You turned a challenging moment into a testament to community—one that sustained our mission when we needed it most.
The impact of giving
You stepped up
When challenges arose, you responded. Philanthropic giving grew 149% over last year. Each gift—whether someone’s first or their latest—represents a choice to stand with us. Your support kept our researchers discovering, our students learning, and our mission strong.
$34.7M
Total raised in fiscal year 2025
Every gift matters
The power of standing together
$11M
Total given by Harvard alumni
$1M
Areas of greatest need
937
Gifts from Harvard Chan Alumni
547
First-time donor households
These gifts, collectively, form the critical foundation that keeps Harvard Chan running and thriving. Unrestricted gifts (areas of greatest need) give leadership the flexibility to seize opportunities and address challenges as they arise. Financial aid gifts ensure brilliant students can attend Harvard Chan regardless of their financial circumstances.
Together, these contributions support everything that happens at the School—from powering our labs to maintaining facilities and enabling groundbreaking research.
Behind every number is a story of connection—alumni who remember a transformative professor, a life-changing research opportunity, or classmates who became lifelong colleagues. Your participation, at any level, signals that you value what Harvard Chan does, and want to ensure it continues for future generations.
The future leaders you’re supporting
Building leaders for the future
When you support financial aid, you’re not just funding education—you unleash the potential of someone who will go on to save lives and transform communities.
Harvard Chan students are studying chronic disease, investigating health disparities, and preparing to lead the next generation of public health innovation. Because of you, financial aid empowers these future leaders to answer the call to serve.
$5M
to financial aid
Financial Aid
Financial aid enables students to focus on study and research while here. Your support often makes the difference between a talented student saying yes or no to their Harvard Chan admission.
47%
of students receive financial aid
I keep going because I have a dream of changing the narrative in my family, the financial status of my family.
Frank Addae, PhD ’27
It’s an incredibly rare gift that not many people have, to be ambitious and think that you’re going to be able to achieve something bigger than what you could think, and that’s what Harvard Chan has given me.
Rajeshwari Subramanian, MPH ’26
I am forever grateful for the help I have been given to attend. Without the support and financial aid gifted to me, I would not be able to pursue my goals in public health.
Gene Pozas, SM ’26
Fellowships
Field education and hands-on practice are fundamental. Opportunities like those made possible through the Rose Service Learning Fellowship allow students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings. Recent fellows share what they learned:
The vivid tones and emotions of these conversations brought me back to the heart of the issue—the people.
Zhengyuan Wang, SM ’25, on studying Chinese food systems in Qigou Village. A local oyster farmer Wang met is pictured above.
I believe my path forward in public health will be paved with humility, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to empowering those I aim to serve.
Michelle Shah, MPH ’25, on developing U.S. school health platforms
It’s important to recognize how our own background and experiences can shape our perspectives.
Lexi Farina, MPH ’25, on researching nutrition in Tanzania
Faculty excellence
Powering breakthrough research
Our faculty have transformed how the world understands public health—leading the fight against malaria, researching the dangers of ultra-processed foods, and producing vital insights on climate change and health. As the funding landscape shifts dramatically, your support ensures our most talented researchers can focus on breakthrough science and training the next generation of public health leaders.
$22M
for faculty support, teaching, and research
Alberto Ascherio, professor of epidemiology and nutrition, recipient of the 2025 Breakthrough Prize
Ascherio pursues breakthroughs for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease. “Over the past 25 years, we have built the neuroepidemiology equivalent of the Webb Space Telescope.”
Flaminia Catteruccia, Irene Heinz Given Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Catteruccia’s lab recently announced groundbreaking discoveries that open the door to far more effective ways to halt parasite development and prevent malaria transmission. “Malaria control desperately needs innovation. This is a momentous step forward.”
Gary Adamkiewicz, associate professor of environmental health and exposure disparities
Adamkiewicz investigates why place matters for health, examining how housing and neighborhoods create environmental exposures that disproportionately burden low-income communities. His research identifies pathways linking poor housing to health disparities and develops evidence-based interventions to reduce environmental health inequities
Gifts that catalyze change
When generosity meets opportunity
Some gifts transform what’s possible. This year, visionary donors made gifts that will reshape fields of study and create lasting impact. These leadership-level gifts recognize that the most pressing public health challenges require bold, sustained investment in solutions that go beyond traditional approaches.
A gift from the Spiegel Family Fund enables researchers across multiple institutions—led by Harvard Chan School—to investigate the effects of wildfires on human health. Spiegel funded the study in the hope that it would inspire others.
Support from Diana Barrett, MBA ’74, DBA ’79, is helping the Initiative on Health and Homelessness develop lasting solutions to America’s homelessness crisis.
Several generous gifts to fund financial aid for DrPH students will significantly reduce financial barriers to the program.
Corporate and foundation support
Institutional funding for greater good
Our faculty’s groundbreaking research attracts grants from leading foundations and organizations that share our vision for evidence-based solutions to pressing health challenges. These relationships enable ambitious research while building the diversified funding base that strengthens our institution’s resilience and impact.
Building Flexibility for the Future
The Dean’s Leadership Fund in action
Together, we enhanced the Dean’s Leadership Fund, providing Dean Andrea Baccarelli crucial flexibility to pursue strategic opportunities as they emerge. This fund paves the way forward, enabling smart investments in both education and research that position Harvard Chan School as a model of excellence and innovation.
Legacy in Action
Legacy gifts that last generations
Through planned gifts and bequests, donors ensure Harvard Chan School will continue its mission for generations. Every planned gift represents a personal decision to make public health part of one’s legacy. These gifts provide the stable support that enables ambitious research, attracts top faculty, and helps students who might not otherwise be able to attend Harvard Chan School.
I decided to give because I realized that there were some people who have this beautiful dream to make the world a better and healthier place. They’re passionate about it, but they don’t have the funds. I wanted to make sure that Harvard Chan School had enough funds to do the best they could to attract these people.
Steve Shama MD, MPH ’74
Building community
Community in action
Your generosity is just one way you are showing up for Harvard Chan School. Every time you share our research, attend events, or advocate for evidence-based health policy, you strengthen our community and extend our impact far beyond campus.
This year, we brought our community together in events across the country and worldwide. Our programming featured many remarkable faculty members. From intimate receptions highlighting cutting-edge allergies research to panels addressing urgent climate and health challenges, these gatherings demonstrate the power of connection in advancing the public’s health.
23
Events for alumni and friends, drawing 1,296 attendees
5K+
Members strong in our LinkedIn community
867
Alumni in our book club
32
Office of Career Development events drawing 135 alumni attendees
179
Alumni volunteers gave their time because they believe in our mission
Alumni Weekend 2024
200 community members came together to focus on public health solutions for climate resilience and to honor six outstanding alumni including three Alumni Award of Merit winners—the alumni body’s highest honor.
Ananda S. Bandyopadhyay, MPH ’10, Karim Manji, MPH ’03, and Yutaka Niihara, MPH ’06, were each awarded the Alumni Award of Merit.
Public Health is Personal Events
Faculty connected with civic leaders to share the human stories behind their research, demonstrating how scientific discoveries translate into real-world impact on our daily lives. These intimate gatherings, including a World Mental Health Day event in NYC and a February panel in Los Angeles addressing the health impacts of wildfires, made cutting-edge public health research accessible and personal, showing how academic work directly touches the lives of families and communities facing urgent health challenges.
Harvard Chan Anniversary Symposium
The symposium was held in honor of the 10th anniversary of the transformational gift from Ronnie Chan, Gerald L. Chan, SM ’75, SD ’79, and The Morningside Foundation, and the School’s renaming in memory of their father, Mr. T.H. Chan. Faculty, alumni, tech entrepreneurs, and business leaders gathered to explore the next decade in public health, while discussions addressed funding challenges and collaborative solutions.
Public Health Champions
The impact of Harvard Chan alumni extends around the world, where they’re leading public health initiatives and solving critical challenges.
Looking forward
From meeting the moment to launching the future
Together, we enhanced the Dean’s Leadership Fund that is now supporting the strategic priorities outlined in our Harvard Chan 2030 vision: diversifying funding sources, expanding educational offerings, and maintaining research excellence.
What began as weathering challenges has become strategic planning for transformation. Your support is helping build the agile, accessible, and accountable School Dean Baccarelli envisions—one positioned to lead through diverse partnerships and sustainable funding strategies.
You helped us meet the moment when we needed it most. Now that same spirit is supporting our vision for the future—positioning Harvard Chan School as a model of excellence, resilience, and real-world impact for the next decade of public health leadership.
Together, we’ve shown that when public health faces its greatest tests, the Harvard Chan community doesn’t just respond—we lead.
