A Harvard University senior from Maine says he doesn’t regret taking part in on-campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, which ultimately led the school to bar him from commencement and withhold his diploma.
Syd Sanders is now back at home in Belfast, regrouping and applying for jobs. Harvard administrators have told Sanders he can reapply for admission in December 2025 for the spring 2026 graduation exercises, but he’s not sure if he will bother.
“I’m unfazed. I’m treating it like I graduated — I met all my requirements,” Sanders said on Tuesday. “I’m looking to do labor organizing and I’m applying in the [San Francisco] Bay area, in Chicago, in the Baltimore area, maybe St. Louis.”
Sanders was a lead organizer in the Harvard Yard encampment during the final three weeks of the semester.
“I was there every day and every night,” he said.
Protesters were calling on university administrators to divulge any financial ties with Israel and then divest from them. In a May 10 meeting with protesters, Harvard officials agreed to discuss the situation with its endowment fund manager, Harvard Management Company, but refused to negotiate on divestment.
Students were also demanding that Harvard rescind the suspensions of more than 20 students and cease disciplinary action against 60 others, including Sanders. Harvard officials agreed to an amnesty but only if protesters left Harvard Yard that night, according to a story in The Crimson.
But protesters, including Sanders, did not immediately leave.
When protesters finally dismantled their camp on May 14, proceedings to place the students on involuntary leave were already underway. Thus, Sanders, along with 12 other would-be graduating seniors, was still kicked out of his dorm, barred from commencement and had his diploma withheld.
“It’s very frustrating and very sneaky of the administration to do that,” Sanders said.
A university spokesperson said he could not comment on any individual disciplinary cases and instead pointed to a series of press releases made over the last few weeks, spelling out how the encampment broke Harvard’s rules of conduct.
“The ongoing encampment is a violation of Harvard policies and continues to significantly disrupt the educational environment and University operations. Disciplinary procedures and administrative referrals for placing protesters on involuntary leave continue to move forward,” read one statement dated May 12, two days before protesters began tearing down their encampment.
Sanders said he got word that involuntary leave procedures were moving forward on Monday, May 20, and he got the final decision stating his diploma would be withheld on Wednesday, May 22 — the night before graduation.
“So, I didn’t get that piece of paper or the opportunity to to walk — I was going to graduate with honors — and my family was going to come but they didn’t end up coming,” Sanders said.
Instead, hundreds of students walked out of commencement in protest.
Despite working four years with no Harvard degree to show for it, Sanders said the protests were worth it.
“We’ve never seen the school ever concede or negotiate or even consider negotiating with any pro-Palestine demands. I think we definitely did move the needle,” Sanders said. “We were definitely an important part of the national movement.”
He feels the same about all pro-Palestine protests around the country, even the ones taking place in Maine.
“Just having people on the street shows city officials that there’s a contingent of people who believe in this, who are threatening them with votes,” Sanders said. “And protests are definitely an outlet to just express anger and discontent with the powers-that-be — and I think that’s important too.”
