Harvardwood 101

2024 Program Overview

Boot Camp Week (January 2nd-6th, 2024)

An intensive, informational few days in Los Angeles, featuring industry speakers, panels with interactive sessions, student Q&As, social events, and more.

Jan 2nd: Welcome Dinner / Orientation in the evening

Jan 3rd-5th: Full day programming

Jan 6th: Farewell breakfast for all Boot Camp participants; departures from LA (for those not participating in Winternships in LA).

Participating companies in the past 2 years included Netflix, Amazon Video, Spotify, BMG Music Group, Activision, United Masters, Upland Workshop, CAA, Anonymous Content, Westbrook Inc., and more.

Historically, 20-25 students participated in person each year (40-55 students in virtual years).
Past programming has covered Writing, Producing, Agency/Management, TV, Film, Sports, Music, Acting, and more!
Additional networking sessions and social events offered.

Winternships (between Jan. 8th-19th, 2024)

2 weeks in January in which students hold informal positions at entertainment companies or with individual industry professionals in order to gain behind-the-scenes knowledge and perspective on different aspects of the entertainment industry.

Work and communications may take place virtually and/or in-person.
Students who are offered and opt for an in-person Winternship experience will need to do so at their own expense, there will be no University resources available to support travel, accommodations, or other living expenses during the program. There may be a limited number of homestay opportunities available through Harvardwood, typically guest rooms in the homes of alumni
Additional Harvardwood events will be available to Winternship participants during their experience.
May be extended beyond the term of the program upon mutual agreement between Winternship host and student.

Students who have completed the virtual Boot Camp in the past are eligible to participate in the in-person Boot Camp, Winternships, or both this year.

Due to limited space, seniors and juniors are given priority. Applicants who are not accepted into the in-person 101 this cycle will be given preference for the virtual 101 Boot Camp offered in May. Participating in the May virtual 101 won’t negatively affect one’s chances of being accepted into future in-person 101 programs.

Application Information

Eligibility

To apply for Harvardwood 101, you must be:

A current student of Harvard College
In good standing with your Proctor or House Resident Tutor

If accepted into the 101 program, Harvard College students who receive financial aid will be eligible for funding from the Mignone Center for Career Success to cover program fees for Boot Camp and Winternships (if applicable), a one-year Harvardwood membership, and a modest travel stipend. Please keep in mind that this funding is not exhaustive and students are expected to cover other expenses.

Timeline

Applications open Tuesday, September 19th and close Sunday, October 15, 2023 at midnight.

We'll be hosting a virtual info session on Tuesday, October 10 at 4pm ET.

Winternships matches will be announced in November or early December.

If accepted, you must digitally sign our Code of Conduct.

Harvardwoood 101 fees:*

$1200 - Boot Camp Program Fee (includes all programming Tues-Fri, housing for 4 days and nights, orientation dinner Tues. and 3 meals per day Wed-Fri, breakfast Sat., snacks, etc)
$90 - Winternship Program Fee**

*If accepted into the 101 program, Harvard College students who receive financial aid will be eligible for funding from the Mignone Center for Career Success to cover program fees for Boot Camp and Winternships (if applicable), a one-year Harvardwood membership, and a modest travel stipend. Please keep in mind that this funding is not exhaustive and students are expected to cover other expenses.

**The additional fees for Winternships will only be assessed once a student is matched with a company and accepts that match. If a student applies for a Winternship but does not match with a company or declines a match that is offered, they will not need to pay the Winternship fee. For the 2024 program, Harvardwood will waive this fee for students who receive financial aid who successfully complete Boot Camp and remain in good standing with Harvardwood. Note: there is no University funding available to support student travel/housing for in-person Winternships.

History

The annual Harvardwood 101 career exploration program brings approximately two dozen current undergraduates to Los Angeles during the January term and provides a series of career-related activities in order to demystify Hollywood and educate the students about careers in the entertainment industry. Harvardwood founder Mia Riverton Alpert created the program in January 2003, and it has since been cosponsored by Harvard University's Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS).

Though we pivoted to a virtual experience between 2021 and 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are thrilled to bring back the in-person experience in January 2024, as well as to offer an additional virtual Harvardwood 101 Boot Camp option in May 2024!

For Companies

If your company has offices in Los Angeles and you're interested in:

Having Harvardwood 101 students visit your office
Hosting a company informational
Interviewing current Harvard students for summer internship opportunities

Your options are to host a Harvardwood 101 event or host a Harvard Intern in January. Please email us at programs@harvardwood.org to let us know! A Harvardwood 101 program director will get in touch with you promptly to coordinate the details of the students' visit, interviews, and/or company informational.

Dozens of companies and productions have participated in previous Harvardwood 101 programs, including:

Alegra Entertainment, Arena Films 3D, Attention Span Media, Bluegate, LLC, "California Solo," Cause & Affect, Collective Conscience, Commonwealth Talent Group, Das Films, Don Buchwald & Assoc./Fortitude, Echo Lake Entertainment, Emerson LA, Ethan Gold Records, Freud Communications, Great Road Capital, Inc., Gurney Productions, Heyday Films, the set of How to Get Away with Murder, Indian Paintbrush Productions, Inside Out Community Arts, Interscope Records, Jackson-Medavoy Entertainment, KSR & Assoc., London Ink Productions, Los Angeles Film School, Lukewarm Alibi, Inc., Martin Chase Productions, Millennium Films, NBC-Universal, Night & Day Pictures, Overbrook Entertainment, Partos Company, PhD Productions, Realio Trulio Media, Red Wagon Entertainment, Reveille and Shine International, Right of Way Films, River Road Entertainment, Staples Center Foundation, Storm Lion, Team Downey, Temple Hill Entertainment, The Jim Henson Company, Tiara Blu Films, Tricon Films, Unique Features, Universal Cable Productions, USC Film School, UCLA Film School, United Talent Agency, Vuguru, Whitewater Films, YRF Entertainment, 2929 Productions, Artfire Films, Attention Span Media, Bedford Falls Company, Brancato Productions, Circle of Confusion, Deep Focus, Fanscape, The Film Department, The Firm, Gersh Agency, Groundswell Productions, HBO, Imaginarium Entertainment Group, Innovative Artists, Participant Productions, Peirce Pictures, Polsky Films, Roserock Films, Samuels Media, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Temple Hill Productions, Village Roadshow Pictures Entertainment, The Mark Gordon Company, Sony Pictures Entertainment-Creative Advertising, Walt Disney Studios, Whitewater Films, Seed Productions, The Schiff Company, Screen Gems/Tristar, & YouTube Space LA.

Please review the 101 FAQs, and should you still have questions about the program, you can contact us at programs@harvardwood.org.

101 FAQs

Who can apply to Harvardwood 101?

Current Harvard College students who are dues-current, Full Members of Harvardwood may apply to and participate in Harvardwood 101. If you haven't already, register for Harvardwood here.

When is the application period?

We begin accepting applications for Harvardwood 101 at the beginning of the academic year. The application period typically closes in mid October.

When and for how long does Harvardwood 101 run?

The "Boot Camp" portion of Harvardwood 101 is mandatory and is typically the first week in January.

Students who have completed Boot Camp can also opt to participate in a Winternship for the remaining two weeks of the J-term (pending availability).

How much does Harvardwood 101 typically cost?

Harvardwood 101 Bootcamp costs $1,200, which covers all programming Tues-Fri, housing, transportation to and from each event venue, and most meals. Students are expected to cover the cost of their flight to and from LA, transportation to the hotel on the first and last day of 101, and additional meals and snacks.

Students are expected to cover their own airfare to and from LA as well, which is usually roughly $550.

Harvardwood arranges communal housing (at the Freehand Hotel) for all Harvardwood 101 participants. Program participants will be picked up from this location and transported via bus around the city for the first week of Boot Camp. Participants can then choose to stay at Freehand Hotel during their Winternship if they like.

Students who stay for both Bootcamp and the Winternship should raise about $2,000-$2,500 to cover:

Additional Winternship Expenses Breakdown:

$90 - 101 Winternship Fee (students on financial aid are eligible for waived fee)

$600* - Housing

*This number is based on the Freehand Hotel nightly rate for a dorm bed. Participants may choose an alternative at their own expense. Many students opt for Harvardwood-arranged housing, and the current prices at our housing provider. We cannot guarantee this until we receive final pricing from the housing provider, but those are the expected rates as of right now. We will also have a very limited number of free homestays available by lottery for students on financial aid.)

$500-$600 - Estimated cost of food for 2 weeks

$200-$300 - Transportation for 2 weeks (The LAX Flyaway bus connects LAX and Downtown LA for $10/ride)

Transportation is covered during the first week of Boot Camp, but you will need to account for transportation if you stay for a Winternship. There is a bus and subway system in LA but it is very limited. Students are encouraged to arrange carpools with their fellow peers or use rideshare app alternatives.

If accepted into the 101 program, Harvard College students who receive financial aid will be eligible for a stipend from the Mignone Center for Career Success that will cover the program fee for boot camp and Winternship (if applicable), a one-year membership to Harvardwood, and a modest travel stipend. Please keep in mind that this funding is not exhaustive and students are expected to cover other expenses.

The additional fees for Winternships will only be assessed once a student is matched with a company and accepts that match. If a student applies for a Winternship but does not match with a company or declines a match that is offered, they will not need to pay the Winternship fee.

Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS) funding for students who receive financial aid will cover the entirety of the program fee for the one-week Boot Camp (including one year of Harvardwood membership, which is a pre-requisite for participating in 101) plus a modest travel stipend. Please keep in mind that this funding is not exhaustive and students are expected to cover other expenses.

Can I stay with friends or relatives in Los Angeles while participating in Harvardwood 101?

Possibly, but please contact us before completing registration with information on where you’d like to stay and how you will travel to meet the larger group at the communal housing each day of Boot Camp (all participants must depart together on the bus each morning and will not be able to arrange to meet us “along the way”). There will not be a program fee discount for students who provide their own housing.

How can I pay for Harvardwood 101 once I've been accepted?

Once you have been accepted into the program via email, you can use the links below to pay for the Boot Camp and Wintership. Please do not pay for either part of the program until you have received an acceptance email, and please do not pay for the Winternship portion until you have been confirmed with a match. The 2024 Program Fee is nonrefundable after November 17, 2024. If the required documents and payment haven’t been received from a participant by that day, the participant will sacrifice their spot in the program and we will open up a spot for someone on the waitlist.

Pay for Harvardwood 101 Boot Camp

Pay for Harvardwood 101 Winternship