GapChat

Harold Peón (Harvard '25) has seen a lot of new places this year. He took a road trip across the US to visit cities and national parks, and he's currently in a government-sponsored program to learn Mandarin in Taiwan. Harold loves languages and wants to break down language barriers in the medical field. Listen in to hear some of the incredible stories he has gathered from across the world! Website: gapchatpodcast.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

Langa Siziba (Harvard '25) is from Zimbabwe, and on her gap year she has focused on applying to foreign universities and working as a math TA at a boarding school. She plans to study electrical engineering, and wants to use her skills to help African companies develop and manufacture smartphones on and for the continent. Listen in to hear the experiences of an incredible international gapper! Website: gapchatpodcast.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

Catherine Pellini (Holy Cross '25) has known that she wanted to be a lawyer ever since she was brought to see a courthouse in third grade. She is furthering that goal on her gap year by interning at a district attorney's office and getting first-hand accounts about the justice system. Not only that, she's also passionate about learning ASL and working to help victims of domestic abuse. Website: gapchatpodcast.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

Camille Luong's (Stanford '25) gap year is centered on language, as she is both teaching herself Mandarin and working as an online English tutor for Korean adults. She's also making time for new hobbies that bring her joy rather than add to a résumé. This episode is great for learning about gap year linguistic opportunities, which are accessible avenues for work and personal growth. Website: gapchatpodcast.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

Michael Young (Harvard '25) is spending his gap year developing AI for self-driving cars, and that has given him many exciting stories to share. He's doing everything from simulating exploding cars to ensuring that cars aren't jerks on the road. This episode is great for anyone interested in what a computer science or engineering internship can look like on a gap year. Website: gapchatpodcast.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

Simon Ma (Harvard '26) grew up in Singapore, where there is a two-year national service requirement after high school. Simon is fulfilling his service by working with Singapore's police force on his gap year. This episode features a fascinating look into the history of Singapore's service requirement and a chance to learn about a very unique gap year experience! Website: gapchatpodcast.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

In this episode, Juliet Coe (Harvard '25) delights in sharing stories from her years at unusual Waldorf elementary schools and at Interlochen Performing Arts High School. On her gap year, Juliet has been exploring her newfound passion for writing as well as finding work in photography. Throw in a little self-taught science and a lot of reading, and you've got just about half of Juliet's exciting story. GapChat Website: gapchat.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

Emma Hughes (Harvard '25) has created an incredible smorgasbord of a gap year. Focusing on her passion for education through teaching and educational reform, she has been working as a sixth grade science teacher and interning with her local government. She's also exploring her love for music and books. This episode is great for people who want to learn about taking time to explore their interests. GapChat Website: gapchat.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

Payton Thompson (Harvard '25) has been dancing ballet since she was two years old, and she has spent her gap year training with Ballet West, Utah's professional ballet company. Payton is an excellent example of someone taking a gap year in order to fully pursue a lifelong passion. This episode is perfect for people who know what they want to do but are unsure if now is the right time to jump into it.  GapChat Website: gapchat.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

Shira Hoffer (Harvard '25) has spent her gap year working with the ACLU, the Anti-Defamation League, and a state senator in order to pursue criminal justice reform. On top of that, she is also spending time on herself and with her loved ones. Definitely check out this episode if you want to meet an amazing activist and see how a gap year can help you build a balanced schedule. GapChat Website: gapchat.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

Swati Goel (Harvard '25) is a gapper who is pursuing a variety of interests, from building AI tools for Wikimedia to joining the National Guard. This episode exemplifies how our future classmates are not just facts and figures, but people with passions and great personalities. Swati offers great advice for people who are detail-oriented or are looking for some ideas of what to do on a gap year. GapChat Website: gapchat.com IG: @gapchatpodcast

On the first episode of GapChat, Jack and David interview Dhrub Singh (Harvard '25), a gapper who is implementing a COVID contact-tracing app called NOVID to help his community. This episode is a great introduction to our first classmate, and an opportunity for future gappers to see the impact they can have on a gap year without filling up every single hour of their schedule. Learn more about NOVID: novid.org  GapChat Website: gapchat.com IG: @gapchatpodcast