“I think the culture at Harvard is invested in service and a sense of giving back,” he adds. “A lot of my peers were interested in going into politics, and I think that certainly contributed to my heading down this path.”

BEYOND THE IVY GATES

Despite these fond memories of their education, most candidates shy away from mentioning their schooling on the campaign trail.

“Most folks who graduated from Harvard don’t walk around telling people that they graduated from Harvard,” says Mapp. “Sometimes they look at you like you’re sitting on top of the world or something. It’s not one to be thrown around.”

Goddard, who attended Harvard College before returning to his home state to earn a law degree at Arizona State University, says, “Here in Arizona, it would be a bigger local political advantage to go to one of the local universities.”

“I don’t wear it on my sleeve,” says Heidepriem, and Foley agrees, “I don’t mention it. People don’t want to hear about it from the candidate.”

However, Foley adds, “When they hear from other people that the candidate is a graduate of Harvard, I think it leaves a positive impression.”

Now that their school days are behind them, the candidates say that they have learned that politics is not always what it seems in an academic environment.

“I wish politics really worked the way it’s supposed to, the way we were taught at Harvard,” Berkowitz says. “It’s not as clean; it’s not as pure; and you get policy decisions that aren’t necessarily based on logical outcomes but more on expedience or self-interest. I think you need to remain an idealist and stay true to your principles and lead by example.”

“You need to watch for candidates who offer avenues to success,” he advises, “who want to talk about the issues in substantive ways. This isn’t a time for old-fashioned bland political rhetoric.”

—Staff writer Julie M. Zauzmer can be reached at jzauzmer@college.harvard.edu.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: November 4, 2010

An earlier version of the Oct. 29 news article "Alumni for Governor" inaccurately reported that 12 Harvard alumni were campaigning for gubernatorial positions. In fact, a thirteenth alum—Eliot R. Cutler '68—ran as an Independent candidate in Maine.