For as long as she can remember, Olivia Burr-Reynaud ‘27 has had a great passion for art. Whether working with acrylics or ink, she has established herself as an artist in a multitude of forms, catching the attention of Harvard’s Summer Arts Program admissions as a gifted candidate to attend their photography course.  

“When I think of [Burr-Reynaud] participating in the program, I still see her as the student who didn’t know exactly where her path was when she was a freshman,” Bilingual Coordinator Julie Jacobo said. “To see that growth from the shy freshman to this sophomore who is now part of everything and who has bravely put herself out there to gain this opportunity is truly an inspiration and model for other students.”

Burr-Reynaud transferred into LT during her first semester of freshman year as a multilingual student and was presented with the challenge of navigating her new environment and community. Over time, Burr-Reynaud gained leadership roles through her involvement in numerous extracurriculars such as Peaceable Schools Initiative, Black Student Union, and as a Student Leader for other transfer students. Through it all, she has still found ways to express her artistic side by submitting her work to Menagerie, where her watercolor piece “Little Greek Life” was published last year. 

“What I have seen from her is that she is a very studious student who is taken to finding leadership opportunities where she can express her talents,” Jacobo said. “From what I see, her drawings come from a place of passion and are a reflection of her lived experiences as well as her goals and aspirations.”

Identifying her artistic talent, Dainora Baliutaviclene, a multilingual paraeducator, saw Burr-Reynaud as a scholar who she could help attain further experience and knowledge surrounding her passion at the post-secondary level. Burr-Reynaud and Baliutaviclene then approached Jacobo for assistance in completing the Harvard program application to enroll in the two-week Photography and the Social World course. The in-person program aims to teach students to film and shoot images at a professional level, covering Photojournalism, Fine Art Photography, and more.  

“I was in study hall during a half-day when I got the acceptance email, and at first, I thought it was some mistake,” Burr-Reynaud said. “Later that day, I got a second email and knew that I wasn’t dreaming.”

Despite her focus on photography for the program, Burr-Reynaud enjoys working with almost all forms of art. Currently, she is taking Advanced Drawing and Painting at NC and is considering taking the course’s AP track or experimenting with her new fondness for photography for her junior year. 

“Everything around me inspires me,” Burr-Reynaud said. “Art was my coping mechanism when I grew up, so I always see art in everything.”

As summer draws nearer, Burr-Reynaud is excited to embark on this unique experience where she hopes to continue fostering her love for art and explore the historic Boston streets.  

“In the short time she has been here, she has come out of her shell and been the person that people look up to as a role model,” Jacobo said. “I truly think this program is going to benefit her, and I can’t wait to see where her future will take her.”