The Alumni Directory can be searched using the People search bar above your profile's name or by using the more advanced Directory Search section on the lefthand menu. Both sections let you search for other profiles in the alumni directory.
When you search the directory, please be aware that the returned search results are only searching what information is displayed on the directory. If a user has chosen to not display their location, or changed their name and wish for their previous name to not be searchable, they will not be returned in search results for their location or name. Users may also have opted out of appearing on the directory entirely.
With this in mind, follow this guide to learn how to use the Directory Search section.
Criteria Review and Search Selector
The search page is divided into four areas, each focused on a different part of the search experience.
Quick Searches
At the top of the page in the Quick Searches section, there are one-click options to see suggested search result lists based on your own profile information. They include:
- Home address
- Business address
- Harvard degree (school + year)
Click any one of the blue links to perform the suggested search.
Search Criteria
For a more detailed search, use the Search Criteria section. Enter information into any of the designated fields and perform a search by clicking the 'Search' button. The enhanced search capabilities allow for searching using the following fields:
- Search Everything - This field matches across all indexed portions of directory profiles, including the specific areas listed below (name, employment, etc.) as well as areas without specific search fields, such as the About Me section
- First Name - Searches all first names, including nicknames
- Last Name - Searches all last name values, including maiden and former name at graduation
- Location - Enter City/State/Province/Country criteria to search against home, business, and seasonal addresses. Only matches against more general areas so it will not include any displayed street information
- Professional Information - Searches business titles, employers, job descriptions, industries, and specialties
- Harvard Class Year - Searches the affiliated class year of Harvard programs and degrees
- Harvard School - Searches users' affiliated Harvard school
- Harvard Degree - Enter exact degree abbreviation without punctuation (e.g., 'AM', 'AB', or 'JD')
- Harvard House/Section - Select the appropriate Undergraduate House or HBS Section from the dropdown menu
- Mentoring Status - Filters results to those open to networking with alumni or students based on their career networking settings
- Deceased Status - Filters results to include everyone, include only deceased individuals, or exclude deceased individuals
Your Search Criteria
The Your Search Criteria section provides a count of the results and a sentence-structured readout of the criteria that is currently in effect. Pieces of criteria can be removed from this card by clicking the trash can icon next to the search term, which will update the total count immediately. Clicking the 'Start Over' button will remove all criteria. The 'View People' button switches to the search results screen. When modifying search criteria, be sure to check if this section needs editing before adding to your search terms. If your readout is displaying "Or" when you need it to display "And," try narrowing the search by adding a degree year, professional information, or include a word to search everything for. Alternatively, try using the Advanced Search feature to filter your initial search.
Options
The Options card provides toggles for functions that the user can turn on/off:
- Show Help - toggles the helper text located below the entry fields (default on)
- Advanced Search - toggles the mode of the search selector as well as the behavior of the page while in advanced mode (default off)
Search Modes
Directory search can be used in two different ways: Basic and Advanced.
Basic Search (default)
In this mode, the search criteria section will have a 'Search' button. Selecting the 'Search' button will apply all entered information as search criteria. If there are any results, clicking the 'Search' button will load the results page with the most relevant matches. Selecting 'Modify Search Criteria' will return to the search selector screen where you can take one of the following actions:
- Add more criteria - any new fields entered will be applied as a filter when selecting 'Search' again (narrows the results). This will not remove the previous search criteria
- Remove criteria - pieces of applied criteria can be individually removed by selecting the corresponding trash can icon (expands results) or the 'Start Over' button to remove all criteria and start an entirely new search
- View People - this button flips back to the results screen without making any changes
Advanced Search
In this mode, The 'Search' button is replaced with two other buttons: Add People and Filter People. The behavior of each widens or narrows the existing search.
- Add People - Think of this button as widening the search by adding an "Or" to the search criteria. It adds the search term(s) as a set of criteria to be included alongside the initial results.
Ex. Find People who:
- are located in London and
- have experience with Finance and are affiliated with
- Harvard Business School and
- attended Harvard for a MBA
*Add People*
OR any people who: - have experience with Accounting and are affiliated with
- Harvard Business School and
- attended Harvard for a MBA
This allows for a search that includes people who have experience in Accounting or in Finance and meet the qualifications for the initial search. Note that anything after "Or" does not follow the rules of the initial search, so make sure to include the previous criteria in your "Add People" search.
- Filter People - Think of this button as adding an "And" to the search criteria. It filters the search term(s), narrowing the initial search further.
Ex. Find People who:
- are located in London and
- have experience with Finance and are affiliated with
- Harvard Business School and
- attended Harvard for a MBA
*Filter People*
AND only include people who also: - are affiliated with Harvard College
This modified the first part of the search to exclude results that do not include "Harvard College".
Advanced Search defaults to keeping the user on the search selector screen after each addition/filter but includes an option to switch to viewing the results screen immediately when criteria change.
Useful Search Tips
- All fields are case-insensitive ('SMITH' and 'smith' will return the same results)
- An asterisk (*) can be used as a wildcard for finding inexact text matches ('Alex*' will return 'Alex', 'Alexander', 'Alexandra', etc.)
- Quotes no longer work for finding exact phrase matches
- Location does not require punctuation ('Cambridge, MA' and 'Cambridge MA' will return the same results)
- Location will find matches on full names or official abbreviation codes ('Massachusetts' and 'MA' will return the same results)
- Harvard degrees will only match on exact abbreviations ('AB' instead of 'BA'; 'JD' instead of 'J.D.'; 'AM' instead of 'Master of Arts')
- Mentoring and deceased status only work as filters on all search criteria and cannot be part of separate search groupings while in Advanced Search mode
Frequently Asked Questions
Who and what can I find through the online directory?
The online directory includes records for living and deceased alumni from all of Harvard’s schools. For each person, you can view a variety of information, including name, degree information, contact information (address, email, phone, social networks), as well as additional information such as industry and specialty. The directory is not a historical archive of all alumni who have attended Harvard and the further back you search, the shakier the results will become. For historical information on Harvard alumni, we recommend contacting the Harvard Archives at Pusey Library.
By default, records display name, the city/state info of home and business address, and Harvard degree information.
Additional information will be displayed as alumni update their profiles. Please see our profile update help page for information on how to hide or show information in your record.
Please note: The online directory is not an official record of all alumni who attended Harvard. If you are trying to verify a person’s attendance at Harvard, please contact the Registrar’s Office of the school the person attended.
Alumni who have active FERPA blocks or who have otherwise requested not to be displayed in the alumni directory do not appear in search results. Please see our FERPA Privacy Page to learn more about how AA&D applies FERPA to alumni records.
I am not getting the results I expected. Is the information correct?
The directory is only as good as the information provided and results are only as useful as their search terms. Alumni can choose to show or hide all or part of their records. This may result in certain records not being found, or only limited information being displayed. Profile information not flagged to display will not be returned in search results. Be sure to review/edit your profile and select “display” for any key data (e.g., place of employment, job title, etc.) that you think may help others find you. This is especially important for those who are networking and are looking to be involved in our Career Network.
Who has access to the online directory?
All Harvard alumni and most active students (please contact the HAA for eligibility requirements) who have claimed a HarvardKey have access to the online directory. Executive Education graduates have limited access to the online directory.
Are there limits on how many profiles I can search for?
You can view a maximum of 100 unique profiles per day. Any time you open a profile to view an individual's profile details, it counts against the limit (including opening a record from your contact list). Search results are not counted against the limit.