Founded as the FDR Suite Foundation in 2008, its original goal was to restore the Harvard rooms of Franklin Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States.
Student programming includes conferences and seminars throughout the academic year that allow undergraduates to engage directly with noted experts from government, science, development, medicine and diplomacy.
The program also sponsors the FDR Global Fellowship, which annually sends 2-4 talented undergraduates – who could not otherwise afford to spend a summer in academic pursuits – abroad for extensive training and research in the humanities and natural sciences.
Begun in 2013 as an expansion of the Foundation's educational mission, the Center is guided by one of the core tenets of Franklin Roosevelt's philosophy: "it is common sense to take a method and try it.
The Center supports research for broad publication, conducts consultative projects for real-world clients, and hosts fellows from beyond the gates of Harvard.