Abstract:

One of the most visible components of university life is the student body’s engagement and 
identification with their school. This “school spirit” shows itself with colors and chants at 
athletic events, on the apparel of alumni across the globe, and in the meshing of student 
socializing. However, Harvard College seems to lack that spark. In comparison to other 
universities across the country, Harvard falls short in arenas that show off school pride. This 
empirical paper aims to answer three central questions: 1) How do Harvard students perceive 
school spirit at Harvard, 2) what the underlying causes of any deficiencies may be, and 3) how 
best to approach actions in order to increase the level of student solidarity on campus. By 
researching the status of Harvard’s school spirit, this paper seeks to offer a set of 
recommendations for students and administrators to best incorporate modern changes into a 
traditional school culture.