Kennedy School of Government (KSG) student Erik C. Jorgensen was listening to a speech at the ARCO Forum when he recognized an audience member.

The face looked familiar, but Jorgensen could not remember how he knew the man--until he realized that it was the man who usually asked him for spare change in the subway.

The two ended up conversing after the event about non-profit issues.

"We're a school of government and public service, so it's nice to see the public involved," Jorgensen says.

Many KSG students say their school seems distinct from other Harvard graduate schools because the graduate school community, and the Institute of Politics (IOP) in particular, tend to attract both other members of the Harvard community and area residents.

But students contend that instead of destroying their graduate school community, these visitors enrich it.

KSG student Robyn L. Pangi says she appreciated the public's involvement at a recent forum about Medicare.

The audience was mostly comprised of students, Pangi says, but at one point an elderly man stood up during the forum to ask a question.

"It was just nice to have a real-world question instead of academic questions," Pangi says.