HGSE Admissions Blog

It is our commitment at HGSE to create a vibrant learning environment in which all people — regardless of their backgrounds and identities — are heard and valued. As our authentic selves, we aspire to be a community that can question conventional wisdom and assumptions. We engage in robust debate in the quest to advance our knowledge and understanding; and remain united in our shared respect for each other and in our faith in the power of education to change the world. 

Each year, HGSE welcomes a diverse group of prospective students for our annual Diversity Recruitment Program (DRP). 

DRP is an inclusive, welcoming, powerful event and the time when prospective applicants begin to truly see themselves at HGSE. Don’t just take our word for it, hear what past DRP participants have to say about their experience! 

Mckenzie Parkins (She/Her/Hers), Current Ed.M. Student 

What are some identities that you hold? Black, Christian, Jamaican, Sister, Daughter of Immigrants, Educator, Advocate  

What were you doing prior to coming to HGSE? I was a Special Educator in New Orleans, LA and organized around issues in education.  

As you reflect on your experience, what stood out to you most about DRP? The shared feeling of community among students and faculty. 

How did attending DRP impact your decision to apply to HGSE? At the time, HGSE was one of many schools I intended to apply to, but after attending DRP, HGSE was the only Graduate school I applied to.  

How have the connections that you made at DRP played a role in your HGSE community? I was able to build connections with current students and faculty who helped review and provide feedback on my application. Additionally, many of the students who were there are now my classmates and even my Teaching Assistants.  

Donald Allen Sarra (He/Him/His), Current Ed.M. Student 

What are some identities that you hold? First-Generation Asian American, Filipino, Gay 

What were you doing prior to coming to HGSE? I was working at an EdTech start-up in the college access space where I was in charge of supporting college/university partnerships and managing the conversations that happen between our chatbots and the over 1 million students the company serves. 

As you reflect on your experience, what stood out to you most about DRP? What stood out to me most is the range of supports, both formal and informal, that exist at HGSE for the different identities that students hold. In particular, DRP introduced me to the various communities at HGSE that act as support systems for students. As I think about the communities that I am a part of as a student, I feel that I am now actively living the stories and promises shared during DRP. 

How did attending DRP impact your decision to apply to HGSE? Attending DRP made me confident that HGSE had individuals who looked like and shared similar lived experiences with me. I had this perception that at an institution like Harvard, I would never feel welcomed. DRP changed that for me and I felt assured that if I did get in, I would belong.  

How have the connections that you made at DRP played a role in your HGSE community? The word intersectionality comes to mind. I was thankful for the opportunity to interface and connect with folks who come from a variety and combination of backgrounds–I feel that hearing their stories really helped me see how vibrant the HGSE community is. Most importantly, I think that these connections helped me realize that there are spaces and communities for me at HGSE–something I remind myself when I feel a particularly strong pang of imposter syndrome.  

Natalie Kossar (She/Her or They/Them), Current Ed.M. Student 

What are some identities that you hold? Queer, masculine-presenting female, non-traditional student, first generation, low socioeconomic status   

What were you doing prior to coming to HGSE? I was finishing up my bachelor’s degree, which took me 16 years to complete. For ten years of that time, I had also been living in Chicago, performing in sketch and improv comedy theatres.  

As you reflect on your experience, what stood out to you most about DRP?  I was really inspired by the type of people who attended HGSE (fellow DRP attendees, students, faculty, staff, etc.). I hadn’t necessarily felt included in academic spaces before, and was completely blown away by the supportive, inclusive, and encouraging attitudes I was surrounded by at DRP weekend. Also, being in a room filled with diverse educators who are equity/inclusion-minded is beyond remarkable.  

How did attending DRP impact your decision to apply to HGSE? I left DRP last year thinking “I can’t NOT apply.” DRP had a wonderful way of making HGSE (and by extension, Harvard) feel accessible. I was able to see first-hand what an incredibly well-oiled machine HGSE is. I could physically feel the support and encouragement radiating from the HGSE community. I knew that if I applied and was accepted, that HGSE would have my back, and would become invested in my success. I am happy to announce that I was right.   

How have the connections that you made at DRP played a role in your HGSE community? Getting face time with the HGSE community played a tremendous role in reducing my application anxiety. Once I had met admissions staff, professors, and current students, it was easier to envision myself existing among them. DRP weekend allowed me to act as my own representative and gave me a feel for what life at HGSE could be like. I can say with near certainty that I would not have applied to Harvard if I hadn’t attended DRP weekend.  

Kathy Tran (She,Her), Current Ed.M. Student

What are some identities that you hold? First Generation, Student of Color 

What were you doing prior to coming to HGSE? Before coming to HGSE, I worked at a non-profit called OC Human Relations and partnered with schools to coordinate youth school climate programs. Through my role, I got to work with a diverse group of teachers, students, administrators and community partners. The role inspired me to go back to school and continue to try to address the educational inequities I saw in our school systems.   

As you reflect on your experience, what stood out to you most about DRP? The best advice I got from DRP was that HGSE is looking for your most authentic self in the application process and to not write what you think Harvard is looking for. It was important for me to apply to graduate programs that addressed educational inequities in its curriculum, and it was part of the culture of the school. It was clear that equity was not just a value of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, but all the faculty, students, and staff who came to DRP shared that value as well. In our program breakouts, the EPM students spoke very highly about the program staff and the flexibility the program gave them to pursue their passion. I liked hearing about how students applied what they learned in the class into passion projects or internships.  

How did attending DRP impact your decision to apply to HGSE? Having the opportunity to visit the campus and meet faculty helped solidify my decision to apply to HGSE. As a first-generation student, I was reassured that I belong at HGSE and that my unique experiences are welcomed. The admissions officers were incredibly helpful in breaking down the application process. The ‘Strategies for Building a Stronger Application’ workshop was extremely helpful. We had a student share their personal statement and break down their writing process. This helped me approach the Statement of Purpose in an honest way that best represented my experiences. I remember brainstorming and editing my personal statement that evening because I was inspired by the way the student approached her statement. 

How have the connections that you made at DRP played a role in your HGSE community? When I left DRP, I didn’t realize that would be the last time I would set foot on campus. I visited the campus October 2019, and accepted my admission offer in April 2020 not knowing if the Fall semester would be online. Just like the rest of the world, I was very unsure of whether to join the HGSE community in the midst of a pandemic. I know that many of my peers who did not go to DRP did not get the chance to experience the campus in-person. I reached out to staff I met at DRP to help process my decision and I felt supported that there were plenty of resources to try to get over the hurdle of online learning. The affinity groups were also very inviting and hosted happy hour and socials after the DRP programming was done. Although we are not able to do that in person this year, there are plenty of student affinity groups to join and build community. 

Austin Hendrickson (He/Him/His), Current Ed.M. Student

What are some identities that you hold? LGBTQ+, first-gen 

What were you doing prior to coming to HGSE? Undergraduate and student coordinator of student engagement/leadership @ University of Utah David Eccles School of Business. 

As you reflect on your experience, what stood out to you most about DRP? What stood out to me the most was that throughout DRP, being with the people at HGSE just felt right to me. I was intimidated coming into the program and thought that the Harvard name meant I would be entering a competitive and unfriendly space. I was quickly proven wrong as the faculty, staff, student representatives, and my fellow attendees were immensely kind and supportive on top of all their brilliance. This played a major role in shifting the narrative I had told myself about what applying to a Harvard school meant, and remains meaningful to me to this day. 

How did attending DRP impact your decision to apply to HGSE? Coming into DRP, I was extremely unsure about whether I wanted to apply to HGSE. I had been experiencing intense doubt and imposterism since my very first thoughts of applying, and told myself that I would take advantage of this program to determine whether I wanted to take the chance, make myself vulnerable by applying, and commit the time and energy to following through. During the program, I was surrounded by passionate, social justice-oriented, welcoming, and overall phenomenal people; I was able to see firsthand HGSE’s dedication to supporting students from historically marginalized communities in recruitment, student support, career preparation, and more; I began to feel like a part of the community almost a year before I would eventually begin classes. By the time the program had ended, I had confirmed that HGSE was where I wanted to be, knowing that I would find people I could relate to and connect with and that I would be supported through my journey. I was finally certain that I needed to apply, and that if I was accepted I would enroll without a second thought (which I later did approximately an hour after I received my acceptance email on the evening of March 6th). 

How have the connections that you made at DRP played a role in your HGSE community? I met two people at the DRP (both associated with the higher education program) who have played a particular role in my HGSE community. The first, my faculty director, became one of my first meaningful connections during the summer preceding this academic year, as we’d already met months before. The second, another student, was someone I was able to turn to for advice and friendship as I navigated the changing academic situation and the process of building community. Being connected with both of them prior to beginning my HGSE experience was extraordinarily helpful in having a strong start to my year, both academically and personally.  

Katheryne (Kathy) Martinez (She/Her), Ed.M. Alumna

What are some identities that you hold? Salvadoreña, First Gen, Community College Transfer, Daughter of Immigrants, Californian, Latina 

What were you doing prior to coming to HGSE? College Advising Fellow for UC Berkeley’s Early Academic Outreach Program. 

As you reflect on your experience, what stood out to you most about DRP? What stood out to my most was the community at HGSE. I had one friend who was a current HGSE student when I attended DRP and after all of our sessions, I remember he took me to a Halloween get together with some HGSE folx. I instantly felt comfortable in the space. Everyone was so nice and inviting. When they found out I was a prospective student, they immediately offered support and words of advice. The community I made while at DRP really encouraged me to apply and truly believe I would be admitted. 

How did attending DRP impact your decision to apply to HGSE? I was planning to apply the following year to graduate school but after DRP I knew I needed to apply that cycle. I began working on my application, registered for the GRE, and submitted everything a month and a half later. It was a quick decision but it felt like the right decision regardless of how stressed I was applying last minute.  Additionally, meeting students in the EPM and HEP helped me make my decisions to apply to the Education Policy and Management program. I was able to ask in-depth questions about the program, the faculty, and their experience so far. It really made a huge difference and I would not have bothered to apply to HGSE without the people I met and conversations I had at DRP. 

How have the connections that you made at DRP played a role in your HGSE community? One friend I made at DRP became one of my closest friends once at Harvard. During our application process we would always check in, talk about GRE support, and encourage one another. Post-HGSE, she remains one of my close friends as well. Aside from that individual story, there is a more collective story. A small group of us started a GroupMe and that initial GroupMe became our Latinx GroupMe when we were at HGSE (yes, we were all admitted). To this day, our GroupMe is still being used by our class of 2019 cohort, which I love. There is a genuine sense of community that started at DRP and grew once we were all students. We planned hangouts, outings, study sessions. We checked in, sent memes, and shared opportunities. I really loved my 2019 crew and a lot of us started/met at DRP and, even post HGSE, continue to stay in touch.