HFAI Student Coordinators
HFAI serves as a touchstone for individuals looking to learn more about the application and financial aid process, both at Harvard and at large. We have a cadre of student coordinators available to assist potential applicants during the academic year and who are more than happy to explain both the basics of financial aid policy and the more specific aspects of the Harvard application and student life.
Jessica Chan
Hometown: Malden, MA
Harvard House: Pforzheimer
Concentration: Sociology
Language Citation: Spanish
I was born in Boston and raised in Malden, about 30 minutes away from Cambridge. Academically, I am interested in issues of access and inequality and have done extensive work in the area of race. I love to travel and learn about other cultures, languages, and cuisines, and what I love about Harvard is that it exposes you to all of that. Last semester, I was able to study abroad in Madrid, Spain where I learned all about Spanish culture and society while traveling to several different cities in Europe and Africa.
Jim Crossen
Hometown: Davenport, Iowa
Harvard House: Quincy
Concentration: Folklore & Mythology
Hi! I have been working for HFAI since 2006, and I started as a recruiter visiting schools in and around my hometown of Davenport, Iowa. I am very interested in issues of educational access and college preparation and am considering going into the field of education after I graduate in December. During my time at Harvard, I have also done some community service through the Phillips Brooks House Association, worked in a psychology lab, and studied abroad at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. I also enjoy playing classical piano. Feel free to email or call our office and ask me about my experiences here!
Wes Howe
Hometown: Andover, Massachusetts
Harvard House: Dunster
Concentration: History and Literature--America
I rowed freshman lightweight crew and now row for my dorm, Dunster House. I am also a sports photography editor for our daily newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, and do on-campus recruiting for the Harvard Center for Public Interest Careers. I am a History and Literature concentrator focusing on America and I primarily study New Journalism and photojournalism.
Doris Le
Hometown: Vallejo, California
Harvard House: Dudley
Concentration: Sociology
Secondary Field: History
Language Citation: Vietnamese
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area introduced me to and fueled my passion for activism and social justice. By studying Sociology and History, I hope to further my understanding specifically around issues of racism and educational equity/accessibility. But unlike some classical social scientists, I believe we should not be content with just observing the world. Therefore, one of my goals is to be a Scholar-Activist. Why understand the systematic causes of poverty, yet do nothing about it? Though academics are a concern, I constantly check in with myself to make sure I am pursuing education for education’s sake. Dance and music classes were not affordable during my childhood, so I am enjoying diving into the many artistic opportunities offered at Harvard, such as ballet, salsa, and singing. I owe a lot to my hometown of Vallejo for helping to shape who I am and plan to return there to live and work in the education system and community.
Brittany Llewellyn
Hometown: West Palm Beach, FL (originally from Jamaica)
Harvard House: Winthrop
Concentration: Psychology
Secondary Field: Sociology
I currently live in South Florida where I went to high school, but I was born and grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. Today, I'm a junior concentrating in Psychology with a secondary in Sociology. Apart from working for HFAI, I mentor elementary school girls in the Boston area with a program called Strong Women Strong Girls. I also volunteer with the Small Claims Advisory Service, which provides free information to MA residents with small claims cases. In the past, I've written for The Harvard Crimson and interned with a nonprofit legal agency in Boston. This summer I was in Cape Town, South Africa volunteering with WorldTeach in a primary school. I'm excited to answer any questions you may have about Harvard or the Financial Aid Initiative.
Benito Nishizawa-Rodriguez
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Harvard House: Dunster
Concentration: Social Anthropology
Secondary Field: East Asian Studies
Hi, my name is Kook-Young Benito Nishizawa-Rodriguez (but I go by Benito for simplistic purposes) and I am from El Paso, Texas. I am a senior Social Anthropology concentrator with a secondary academic interest in East Asian studies. I play soccer, basketball, and flag football for my dorm (Dunster House) and also volunteer at a nearby Elementary School as a second grade Spanish reading buddy. Last summer I interned at Google and worked with the engEDU video productions team and this summer I returned to Google to work with the Online Sales and Operations Department. Finally, I have studied abroad in Korea and also returned last year from a semester long study abroad program that took us to India, South Africa and Argentina to study sustainable development and urbanization.
Alyssa Mackey
Hometown: Somerville, Massachusetts
Harvard House: Adams
Concentration: Psychology
I was born and raised in Somerville, MA, just a hop, skip, and a jump from Harvard Yard. I am currently a junior at the College and am concentrating in Psychology and Neuroscience. Outside of the classroom I play JV basketball, work with the Best Buddies community service program, and teach health education to Boston 9th-graders through the Peer Health Exchange. I am also very involved in house life and, as the Intramural Sports Representative, I’m constantly doing everything I can to help bring the long lost athletic glory back to Adams House. I'm excited to be back working for HFAI this year. If you have any questions about Harvard definitely send them my way!
Sean Po
Hometown: Lincoln, Massachusetts
Harvard House: Leverett House
Concentration: Social Studies
Secondary Field: Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
I’m in my second year at Harvard and hail from Lincoln, Massachusetts. I joined HFAI in the fall of 2009. In addition to serving as student coordinator, I’m also a member of the HFAI teams working on special projects: Local Outreach, Newsletter/Web Publications, and Speaker Series. Outside of HFAI, I serve as a case team leader for the Harvard College Consulting Group and a videographer at the Bok Center. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, playing piano, filmmaking, dancing, and teaching martial arts.