Pili Lindley
OEL Master’s in Education ’25
Lima, Peru
“When I grow up, I want to be a teacher!”
That’s what 10-year-old me would say with unwavering certainty whenever someone asked about my future. Looking back, I think she knew me better than 18-year-old me ever could. For as long as I can remember, I would say I was certain of my vocation as a teacher. I dreamed of helping others as they discovered new ideas, developed new skills, and grew into the people they were meant to be. But life, as it often does, took a detour. At 18, I chose to study Industrial Engineering, drawn by my love for math, my passion for science, and my fascination with understanding the world and how things work. Still, something in me kept pulling me back to that childhood dream.
My name is Pili Lindley (she/her), and I am from Lima, Peru. I am part of Cohort 2 of the Online Master’s in Education Leadership (OEL). In just two weeks, I will graduate from a program that brought me full circle, back to the girl who once dreamed of being an educator. Today, I can say with full confidence that she was right all along.
My path back to education began in my second year of college, outside of the classroom. I decided to join my university’s Model United Nations team because they competed in conferences organized by Harvard, and that name caught my attention. My plan was to stay for just one year and improve my public speaking skills. However, what started as a personal challenge quickly evolved into a source of purpose and brought me back to my true passion: education. I co-founded PRIDE Peru, an organization that partners with schools and universities to train MUN teams and host national and international conferences, including the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference Peru (ILMUNC Peru), hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard National Model United Nations Latin America, hosted by Harvard itself. I witnessed how MUN transformed students, unlocking new skills and inspiring many to apply to universities outside of Peru. Unfortunately, the lack of specialized college counselors in Peruvian high schools made this path nearly impossible. I decided to change that. Just before the pandemic began, I co-founded SCORE – Test Prep & College Counseling. What began with a small group of students has now guided over 900 young people to universities around the world. Today, SCORE provides support to families and schools by empowering them with knowledge. These two ventures are more than businesses: they are how I turned my vocation into action.
At first, I was unsure about enrolling in an online program, but the way it was thoughtfully designed revealed the true power of virtual learning.
OEL was my way back into the academic side of education, and it was more than I ever expected. At first, I was unsure about enrolling in an online program, but the way it was thoughtfully designed revealed the true power of virtual learning. OEL is not just a program; it’s an incredibly enriching journey that expanded my world, connected me to a powerful community, and surpassed every expectation. My academic experience has been unique. Not only have I learned about education theory, but I have also developed and enhanced my soft skills, especially with classes like Strategic Leadership, Brave Communication, and Negotiation. I feel that the program is the perfect balance between understanding the education world and developing the skills required to be an educational leader. I have been able to apply what I’ve learned in real time, and I have felt deeply supported by professors every step of the way. For instance, I had the opportunity to bring my high school MUN team to Cambridge in January 2024 and 2025 to participate in Harvard Model UN. Professor McCarthy and Professor Rosenberg kindly agreed to meet with my students to talk about their areas of expertise. Having the chance to bring together my two worlds was nothing short of extraordinary.
Beyond the classroom, I embraced several leadership opportunities. I served on the Student Advisory Board for OEL and was invited to represent my program in the HGSE Student Council for the 2023-2024 academic year, and I am also a HGSE Admissions Ambassador, an International Student Ambassador, and a Class Gift Ambassador. I have also been part of the Student Experience Team since my first semester, where I initially joined as a team member for a project to improve the New Student Onboarding Website. I was then named project lead for the Supports for OEL Students project. Finally, I am deeply honored and humbled to share that I was chosen to serve as Commencement Marshal for my cohort.
The OEL community has been nothing short of remarkable. It helped me build deep friendships and reminded me that the cohort model can truly strengthen relationships. It made me feel like I had purpose, projects that mattered, professors who challenged me, and friends who were always there for me. People often say online learning can’t build connections, but they’re wrong. Through a screen and across countries we created a global campus. This program has helped me to get to know myself better, and has ignited a renewed curiosity for academics, research, and learning. I leave with a heart full of purpose and a renewed commitment to creating meaningful change, and to following my true passion.
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