"I definitely liked the atmosphere, and I like Cambridge itself," Ludwig says. "It was more the place than the University." Even so, she says, "for better or worse, I liked being an undergrad [at Harvard]."

Staying Young

Theresa J. Chung '98--a non-resident tutor at Cabot House this year and first-year proctor next year who just finished her first year at Harvard Law School (HLS)--also stresses her appreciation for what Harvard has to offer as a motivation to stay involved with the College.

After spending a year outside of Harvard on a deferral from HLS, Chung says she realized she wanted to come back.

"I really felt like I had a unique undergraduate experience, a really cool undergraduate experience," Chung says. "I don't think I would be this into Harvard if I had come straight [to law school after graduating]," Chung says.

For many of Harvard's faculty and staff, perhaps the most unique perk of working for the University is that it lets alums stay connected with young, motivated 20-somethings who glow with optimism. The Harvard community, Nuscher says, tends to be more intellectual, more literary and more socially concerned than most corporate ones.

"All the high-powered i-bankers said in their first 20 years out of school, [that] they wished they had spent more time outside of their i-banks and more time just being young," Nuscher says.