HGSE Admissions Blog

The HGSE Equity and Inclusion Fellowship (EIF) is an opportunity for students to advance diversity at HGSE and in their future careers.

Why did you want to be an EIF fellow?

As a gender activist and educator coming to HGSE, I was excited about the possibility to continue conversations on equity and inclusion issues, especially around gender and women’s rights. EIF also seemed a great opportunity to learn, work and grow with others at HGSE who shared my dreams and aspirations of a world where each individual is respected and celebrated for their uniqueness.

What are your responsibilities/commitments as a fellow?

I would consider our biggest commitment as fellows is to embody the values we believe in and want to promote in the world around us. This requires each of us to look deep within and find our authentic voice as well as build resilience in the face of challenges and failure. Other responsibilities include facilitating workshops and conversations across the larger Harvard community on topics like identity, microaggressions, community care, cultural competence etc. Our group works as a self-governing body and each of us can choose the responsibility and involvement we want to shoulder.

Why do you think the fellowship is a positive element of HGSE?

This fellowship is a space for self-exploration, community building and risk taking that is a unique leadership development experience at HGSE. The group represents the diversity at HGSE that often acts as a reminder of the challenges of collective action across identity borders while also embodying the power of empathy and intentionality.

What have you learned through the fellowship?

The fellowship has helped me build a systemic perspective of equity and inclusion issues. The process has also helped me accept the adaptive challenges of DEI work, i.e. we are solving problems that didn’t exist, and hence need to experiment with creative and courageous solutions. I have more patience for my future work and understand the need and potential of building alliances.

What has been your favorite part of the fellowship so far?

I have found my tribe as part of the fellowship. It is simultaneously a humbling and empowering experience to be amidst people who believe in each other’s visions and support their efforts to strive towards the same. These life-long meaningful relationships forged at EIF are going to be one of my biggest take away from the HGSE experience.

How will the fellowship inform your future work?

The EIF experience has made me reflect on my role and purpose in the multi-layered systems that encompass my existence. It has also exposed the cultural and political role of K-12 schools and other educational institutions. As an educational professional, I see my future work to build on this experience and challenge existing systems of power and oppression that lie at the root of equity and inclusion problems. I seek to promote contextual, collaborative, empathetic forms of pedagogy and leadership that enable educational institutions to be an agent of systemic change.