Harvard Graduate School of Education
I was in Chicago finishing a long string of college visits when I got the best news of my life.
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"Dear Mr. Wenrick,"
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"Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that you have been admitted to the Master of Education program in Higher Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education"
That letter changed my outlook on life and opened a world of opportunities that had never been imaginable before.
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The Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) is everything I had hoped it would be. During my first semester I have had the opportunity to learn from, and engage with, some of the leading scholars in education. Each professor has enabled me to present my understanding of the complexities within our field and challenge the norms established by our predecessors. Concurrently, I have had the opportunity to hear from speakers in three months that I may have never engaged with in years within another setting.
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In addition to the rigorous coursework, I have engaged in meaningful internships and leadership opportunities. I have been fortunate to hold numerous separate internships during my time at HGSE. I have been an intern for the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education, a Research Assistant for the Office of Undergraduate Education, Research Assistant and Student Innovation Strategist for the Harvard Initiative for Learning and Teaching, Research Assistant for the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education, Data Visualization Intern for the Office of Institutional Research and an On-Campus Interviewer for Harvard College Admissions and Financial Aid. In these roles I have assisted in everything from application review, to data analyses, to mapping curriculum, to analyzing trends across Ivy Plus institutions.. These positions have all helped me sharpen my skills so that I can utilize data to make strategic decisions.
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In addition to my internships, I have also served as the Higher Education Program Representative for the HGSE Student Council and as the Co-President of the Higher Education Student Association. In these roles I have collaborated to produce events such as the HESA social, HGSE Inter-Cohort Mixer, HESA Trivia Night, and numerous other programs. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve my fellow HGSE classmates in these roles.
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Finally, the single greatest opportunity I have had at HGSE has been to build life-long relationships with some of the most inspiring, intelligent, compassionate, supportive, overall extraordinary individuals on this planet! There are truly not enough positive affirmations to describe my incredible Higher Education cohort. While the classes are amazing, and the opportunities are endless, the people I’ve met during my short time at Harvard will be the reason I look back fondly on my experience. They have made me a better academic, administrator, and overall person just by gracing me with their presence.
I have cherished every moment at this incredible institution and created memories that will last a lifetime. I graduated with my Master of Education in Higher Education on May 24, 2018.
