And political candidates have not hesitated to tap into Harvard’s financial connections.

According to KSG Assistant Professor of Public Policy Xavier Briggs—who stumped for Gore in 2000—Harvard Law School, the Kennedy School and Harvard Business School are the top three sources of political campaign advisors.

Briggs says professors can help candidates by writing memos, serving as a sounding board for ideas and attending policy meetings.

But he adds that the Harvard name is in itself a major boon.

“[Some professors] have a certain credibility with donors of a certain stature,” he says.

Allison says he is often inundated with requests for advice and support, but the expectation is often the same.

“In the primaries, money is so much the objective,” Allison says. “They dial for dollars.”

And when it comes to discussing ideas or getting votes, candidates have clear priorities.

Briggs says that professors themselves often get little face time with the candidate, dealing mostly with his assistants and other advisors.

“I did it knowing very well that the issues I worked on day to day did not rank very high with the candidate,” Briggs says.

A Two Way Street

While their opinions sometimes take the backseat, Briggs and others say that professor can learn a lot from working on a campaign.

“The effort to get someone into office is extremely important,” he says. “You must respond in the moment to the reception of an issue.”

KSG Wiener Professor of Social Policy Christopher J. Jencks says he has declined two offers to advise candidates but still likes to keep his hand in the political world.

“It can help you focus your attention on the kinds of issues the political process is paying attention to,” Jencks says.