#  Office for Culture and Community Engagement 

 



   

 



 

 

 

 

 

##  Events 

 



  [### 2026 Project Success Research Project Presentations and Closing Ceremony

 ](/event/2026-project-success-research-project-presentations-and-closing-ceremony?occ_id=0)August 14, 2026

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 9:30AM - 1:00PM EDT 

 

 In Person 

 

 event 

 

   [### 2026 Harvard Affiliated Residency Showcase Webinar

 ](/event/2026-harvard-affiliated-residency-showcase-webinar?occ_id=0)September 19, 2026

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 11:00AM - 2:00PM EDT 

 

 Virtual 

 

 event 

 

   [### Opening Doors: A Conversation with Dr. Mitchell T. Rabkin

 ](/event/opening-doors-conversation-dr-mitchell-t-rabkin?occ_id=0)September 24, 2026

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 2:00PM - 3:30PM EDT 

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 Waterhouse Room, Gordon Hall 

 

 Hybrid 

 

 event 

 

  

 

 [ View All Events arrow\_circle\_right ](/events) 

 

 

 

##  News 

 



  [### Community Spotlight: Genesis Perez-Melara

 ](/news/2026/07/community-spotlight-genesis-perez-melara) July 15, 2026 

 Genesis, you have a unique experience - you first came to HMS as a 14-year-old to participate in the student-run HPREP program and then subsequently participated in OCCE’s Hinton AP Biology program and the Project Success high school program, and later... 

 

 

   ![Genesis Perez-Melara is wearing a black blouse and white coat. She is standing outside in front of a tree.](/sites/g/files/omnuum11411/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-07/IMG_6689.jpg?h=4ef59b23&itok=BCycHDTJ) 

 



 

 

   [### HMS Community Igniting STEM Career Interests of Boston Middle School Students

 ](/news/2026/07/hms-community-igniting-stem-career-interests-boston-middle-school-students) July 08, 2026 

 Graduate students, postdocs, and faculty from across Harvard Medical School (HMS) worked with OCCE youth programs staff to share their STEM career insights with 431 middle school students from 10 Boston Public Schools in a two-day Middle School Career... 

 

 

   ![Frinny Polanco is gesturing to herself and a whiteboard with neurotransmitter terms on it.](/sites/g/files/omnuum11411/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-07/Frinny%20Polanco%20%28credit_%20Avery%20Normandin%29.JPEG?h=8b5518f7&itok=n_P-D3ng) 

 



 

 

   [### Honoring 2026 Recipients of the Excellence in Mentoring Awards

 ](/news/2026/06/honoring-2026-recipients-excellence-mentoring-awards) June 24, 2026 

 There wasn’t an empty seat in the room. Nearly 100 members of the HMS community joined the Excellence in Mentoring Awards recipients and their mentees for the 2026 awards ceremony on June 11. The Office for Culture and Community Engagement hosted the... 

 

 

   ![2026 Excellence in Mentoring Awards recipients line up for a photo in the Waterhouse Room. They are all holding their angular glass awards.](/sites/g/files/omnuum11411/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-06/2026ExcellenceMentoring.jpg?itok=eujIk76a) 

 



 

 

  

 

 [ View All News arrow\_circle\_right ](/news) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       ![Gordon Hall, a large marble building with 6 pillars and banners of the American flag, Massachusetts flag, Harvard, HMS, and HSDM shields.](/sites/g/files/omnuum11411/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2025-06/3000x2000%20Gordon%20Hall%20MastersGraduationCeremony_edit.jpg?h=3702f8e8&itok=HlDsIyoA)