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Although she spends much of her time studying the economies of the Middle East and East Asia, Careina Williams, of Washington, D.C., and Cabot House, says that her most exciting academic experience at Harvard has been in an entirely different department. "I took a [limited-enrollment] seminar on African-American women's history in the fall, after I convinced Professor Evelyn Higginbotham to admit me to the class," she says. "I didn't mind being locked up in the Widener stacks to do the research. My work in Afro-American studies has been deeply meaningful for me, and also gave me the opportunity to be an independent scholar, which is precisely what I wanted out of my time here."
Williams's decision to attend Harvard was influenced not only by her intellectual passions, but also by the size of the African-American student enrollment. "The numbers are strong, and so is the black students' social presence on campus," she says. "Even though I'm not continually active in the Black Students Association, just knowing that such a vibrant network exists is extremely valuable."
As part of a commitment to help others find a similar support network, Williams directs an "intergenerational program" in Roxbury through Phillips Brooks House. She and other African-American students from Harvard cultivate relationships between a group of senior citizens and disadvantaged children for whom the opportunities don't seem as obvious. "The center where we tutor the kids is right next to the senior citizens' home, but before this program they had never had any interaction," she says. "I thought that finding a way to bring young and elderly people together would be beneficial in providing these children with additional role models to whom they can relate as African Americans. The kids have also come to visit Harvard, and when they see people who look like them, learning at a place like this, it inspires them to learn as well."
After graduation, Williams will take a couple months' rest at home before beginning a job on Wall Street. As for her favorite memories, she'll miss the diversity of the community she found at Harvard. "If you're open to different kinds of people," she says, "you can have a wonderful time."
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