By Chase Karng
May 28, 2025
Los Angeles, California — As Harvard University prepares for its commencement ceremony on Thursday, a climate of anxiety grips the campus. Under mounting pressure from the new administration, international students are leaving the country, faculty are raising alarms about academic freedom, and a culture of silence is settling in.
In exclusive interviews with Radio Seoul, Harvard professors and students describe a university community increasingly unsettled by shifting federal policies, including visa restrictions and funding cuts that critics say amount to political retaliation.
One graduate student, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to safety concerns, said they have already booked a flight home, abandoning plans to remain in the U.S. for work. “There’s too much uncertainty,” the student said. “I no longer want to build my life in a country where I feel so unwelcome.”
The student described widespread panic among international peers, saying fear and confusion have become the norm. “A classmate broke down in tears during class,” they recalled, after news spread that a fellow international student in Boston was deported over an editorial critical of the government. “No one feels safe anymore — even those who aren’t politically active.”
Roughly 27% of Harvard’s student body is composed of international students. Yet many now say they are self-censoring, wary even in private conversations. “Just a few months ago, we could speak openly about politics,” the student said. “Now we don’t know who we can trust.”
Nina Nedrebo, a Harvard graduate student and U.S. citizen who grew up in Norway, called the international student community “a blessing” that enriches academic life. At the Harvard Kennedy School, where 60% of students are from outside the U.S., classroom debates thrive on diverse global viewpoints, she said.
But she acknowledged a growing chill. “Employers are hesitant to hire our international students because of unclear visa policies,” Nedrebo said.
Fernando Reimers, a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, condemned recent federal actions, including the suspension of research funding and visa programs, as a direct attack on academic independence. “These demands violated the basic principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy,” Reimers said. “When Harvard pushed back, they canceled our contracts.”
He warned that the policies jeopardize the futures of thousands of students and fuel diplomatic tensions.
Still, Dr. Reimers insists that Harvard remains committed to its mission. “We exist to generate knowledge and educate students who will make the world better,” he said. “That will not change.”
