Harvard Students Help Asylum Seekers Earn College Credit

Harvard University students are turning their coursework into real-world help for people navigating the complex asylum process.

The Immigrant Justice Lab, a history course available since at least 2023, partners undergraduates with the Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice, a nonprofit providing free legal services to asylum seekers. Students earn credit while contributing research and writing that attorneys use to build cases for applicants.

The course operates on four parallel tracks, including training in ethical legal advocacy and responsible documentation of violence and injustice in foreign cultures. Students work directly with attorneys throughout the semester, learning how historical research applies to contemporary legal challenges.

The Mabel Center funds its work entirely through individual, foundation, and corporate donations. By partnering with students, the organization expands its capacity to serve more asylum applicants who might otherwise navigate the legal system alone.

Service learning courses like this one blend academic study with community impact. Students gain practical skills while their work directly benefits people in need of legal assistance.

Harvard's Center for International Affairs plans to host an Immigration Justice Lab Conference in March, open to the public. The event will showcase research on social conditions faced by migrants in the Americas and make findings available to migrants, advocates, asylum officers, and immigration judges.

The Ripple Effect

This model demonstrates how universities can connect student learning with community service in meaningful ways. Students graduate with hands-on experience in research, legal writing, and ethical advocacy while vulnerable people receive assistance they desperately need.

The partnership creates a win-win: aspiring scholars develop real-world skills while expanding access to justice for asylum seekers facing complex legal proceedings. Similar service-learning models exist across universities nationwide, connecting academic study with tangible community impact.

Educational programs like these show how institutions can prepare students for careers while making immediate positive differences in people's lives.