HGSE Admissions Blog

When you come to Harvard, it seems as if you have a world of opportunities presented to you. Well, that’s because you actually do! In any given week, Harvard Graduate School of Education will have multiple activities taking place. These events take on different forms and can be lectures, panels, forums, debates, and even discussions. Askwith is an enriching part of HGSE that provides programming with informative educational issues. Some of the topics this year were:

• Education and the 2016 Election
• More Charter Schools? The Massachusetts Vote and the  National Debate 
• A Conversation with Jeb Bush
• Assessing the DREAM: Undocumented Students and 15 Years of Congressional Inaction
• Where Are All the Teachers of Color?

One of the most enriching experiences I have had so far, in regards to bridging the gap between classwork and speakers, stemmed from Monica Higgins’ “Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Learning” class. We recently studied a case about Ferguson, Missouri. This case discussed the various ways the three surrounding school districts handled the killing of Michael Brown. The current superintendent of  Ferguson-Florissant School District, Joe Davis (HGSE Ed.D. ‘08) spoke to my class and then engaged in an open conversation with the HGSE community. During this conversation, I was inspired by how personable Dr. Davis is and how humbled he is as a leader. I think moments like these are such valuable learning experiences. Although it is impossible to attend every event offered, it is important to pencil a few of these discussions into your schedule. They create a learning experience beyond the classroom.

So how do you find out about all of these opportunities? The Office of Student Affairs sends out a list of the week’s events every Monday at noon. This is the best way to know about events taking place at HGSE. Posters and flyers of the events can be found around campus as well as in the lobby of Gutman Library. For events outside of HGSE, I usually find out through word of mouth, Facebook events, and flyers posted in Harvard Yard.

No matter how you find out about an event, it is always important to push yourself to go! As a Master’s student, you are only here for a year, so make the most of the opportunity! This is such a rich academic community, use it to your advantage!

Rashaida Melvin is a Master’s of Education candidate in the School Leadership Program. She has taught for three years and is excited about moving from the classroom into leadership. Rashaida is looking forward to serving both teachers and students in the future.