As the Harvard Club of Argentina neared its 50th anniversary in 2022, members were thinking of ways to achieve the Club’s three main objectives under the leadership of then president Ramiro Lopez Larroy MBA ’99. How could the Club help students living in Argentina attend Harvard, finance their education, and encourage them to return to the country to participate in its robust alumni community?
The Club already had a successful loan program, established 30 years earlier, to lend financial support to those admitted to the University. “But given the economic challenges in Argentina,” says Lopez Larroy—referring to the record inflation, devaluation in currency, and low reserves of foreign currency that have contributed to an economic crisis in the country—“we thought we should create something more long-term that could provide grants to offset the cost of their education.”
Using as a model the Fundación Mexico en Harvard—which offers scholarships to students in Mexico who have been accepted to Harvard graduate programs—Club leaders began the work of developing a fund that could grow over time.
The result of their efforts is the Harvard Club of Argentina Fellowship Fund. Launched in 2023 and made possible by the generous support of more than 70 donors, this endowment fund will allow Harvard to provide need-based grants to talented graduate students living in Argentina.
“A lot of people don’t think of applying to Harvard because they think it’s financially impossible. Our new fellowship fund will create opportunities for more people to benefit from a life-changing education.”
An Uphill Battle
The country’s precarious economic situation presented a formidable challenge to fundraising, explains Juan van Peborgh MPA ’90, current president of the Club and vice president when the endowment fund was launched. Additionally, prospective donors had an array of other social causes to which they could have directed their support—ones that promised immediate impact on Argentina.
Lopez Larroy and Van Peborgh were inspired to motivate their fellow alumni by presenting the case for education and its many benefits to their home country.
“Education is a promoter of social and economic development and of social mobility,” says Van Peborgh. “Argentina is known internationally as a beacon of excellence in many senses, but right now we have fifty-four percent of our population under the poverty line. We need to have access to the best education possible to help the country develop.”
“We wanted to plant the seed,” explains Lopez Larroy, who recognized that if the Club could reach the target to activate an endowed fund, it could make a long-lasting difference—helping generations of students and offering a way for donors to maximize their philanthropy.
To the Next 50 Years
As the Club looks back on the past half century, it has much to be proud of—including its commitment to lifelong learning for Harvard alumni through cultural events, leadership forums, and an upcoming master class series. Additionally, the Club’s “Harvard at Your Reach” initiative has been refreshed with the help of recent graduates, who visit local undergraduate programs to encourage students to pursue a graduate degree at Harvard.
“A lot of people don’t think of applying to Harvard because they think it’s financially impossible,” says Lopez Larroy. “Our new fellowship fund will create opportunities for more people to benefit from a life-changing education.”
The fund will only grow as it welcomes continued support—serving as an important marker of the Club’s impact as it celebrates its 50th anniversary and looks ahead to the future.
"It’s huge for the Club,” says Van Peborgh. “It shows our commitment to making a Harvard education accessible.”
For more information about the Harvard Club of Argentina Fellowship Fund, please contact Susan Lyons.