Hi! My name is Ebony Breaux (she/her/hers) and I am a full-time Higher Education Ed.M. student and the Diversity & Community Engagement HGSE Admissions Office Graduate Assistant. Before coming to HGSE, I was the Director of College Counseling at a charter high school in California. I spent the last few years creating the school’s college counseling program, helping first-generation students and families navigate the college application process. Applying to HGSE opened the door to graduate admissions work for me as I experienced a flood of emotions as a first-generation college student turned first-generation graduate student.
HGSE had intrigued me for many years, but never seemed like a real possibility until I attended an information session a year and a half ago. I learned about the coursework, the faculty, and the community, but what really sold me was HGSE’s commitment to equity and diversity. It was reflected in the admissions and recruitment practices, but also in the coursework. I was excited about the possibility of applying, but for many reasons, life kept me in Los Angeles. So, when I received the email in June that HGSE would be operating fully remote for the academic year and opening a summer application round, I knew that this was my chance. After nearly convincing myself that I had absolutely no chance of being accepted MANY times, I scrambled to write my Statement of Purpose, gather my transcripts, request letters of recommendation, and complete the application by July.
I was sitting on the beach (with masks on, away from everyone else of course) with my partner when the email came. I held my breath as I opened my notification and saw confetti and a huge congratulations!! I hit refresh at least 10 times because I was sure it was a mistake. I waited for the email that said oops, we sent out acceptances to the wrong group of students, so sorry, but it never came. I couldn’t believe that I had been accepted to the Harvard Graduate School of Education (I still can’t, to be honest)! The decision was a no-brainer for me. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to earn an education from a place I never knew I could dream of attending.
Now, I’m 6 weeks into the program and it has been a whirlwind! I’m getting into the swing of coursework, virtual events, my internships, and actively creating connections with my cohort (I love a zoom-date!). I knew that graduate school would challenge and stretch me, but I didn’t anticipate how much fun I would have. We have classmates who have worked in consulting, admissions, res-life, PK-12 schools, and fields that I’d never even heard of. We come from all around the world, from California to New York, and London to Singapore. The HGSE experience, even as it is virtual, has exceeded my wildest dreams. I’m surrounded by kind, smart, zealous faculty, staff, and students and I am constantly pushed to question my thinking as I learn from others. 2020 has been a wild year to say the least, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to attend HGSE. In just a few weeks, my worldview has grown, and I’ve learned so much already. I can’t wait to see what the next 8 months have in store!
HGSE Admissions Blog 