With a career spanning higher education, government, media, and community service, Juan Sepúlveda is committed to promoting civic engagement and educating a new generation of leaders.  

Sepúlveda is Calgaard Distinguished Professor of Practice in Political Science and the President’s Special Advisor for Inclusive Excellence at Trinity University in San Antonio. Previously, he served as senior vice president at PBS and as executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, where he organized the first Hispanic Policy Conference.  

Now a presidential appointee to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Commission, Sepúlveda has served over the years on U.S. delegations to France, Germany, Israel, and Mexico. He is chair of All4Ed a nationwide educational opportunity nonprofit; cofounder of the San Antonio Latino-Jewish Dialogue Group; and founder of the Dream Lead Institute, a professional development program.  

Among the first Latinos awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, Sepúlveda is past vice president of the Harvard Club of San Antonio. In college, he was active in the Institute of Politics, Harvard-Radcliffe RAZA and voter registration campaigns.  

He has been widely honored for his leadership in community service and in media. Raised in Topeka, he was named Distinguished Kansan of the Year in 2014.  

“Harvard propelled my own American Dream story. Throughout my years in government, media, higher education, and community service, I’ve tried to help others realize opportunities that have the potential to change their lives, much as Harvard changed mine. I’d value the chance to continue raising sights and building bridges as an Overseer.”