About the Dean's Education Fellows Program

The Dean's Education Fellows Program is a two‑week, immersive January Term fellowship that pairs HGSE master’s students with K-12 public school districts to tackle high‑priority, real‑world challenges. Fellows provide an on the ground burst of analytic and strategic support to superintendents and district leadership teams on the priorities that need some additional capacity — whether a superintendent is guiding the district through a strategic shift, taking on a new initiative, or stepping into the role for the first time.

The Dean's Education Fellows Program deepens the Harvard Graduate School of Education's commitment to supporting public school districts that are poised for change and making an impact on outcomes for students. The fellowship builds on HGSE's longstanding field partnerships and alumni networks, and expands HGSE's reach to new districts and partners across the United States. The design of the fellowship is based on the success of pilots launched in the summers of 2020 and 2021, where during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, 50+ recently graduated master's students were matched with 25 districts to provide essential support on a range of projects as districts responded to the complexities of supporting learning and reopening schools.

Given the success of the fellowship and the proven value to district partners, the Dean's Education Fellows relaunched in 2026 and will have its first cohort of Fellows in January 2027 as a structured two-week experience modeled off of the Harvard Kennedy School's Transition Term, which first began in 2018 and places HKS students with newly elected mayors, county executives, and governors during the January Term.

Aligned with HGSE’s commitment to strategic field engagement and social impact, the Dean’s Education Fellows Program positions HGSE to be able to respond to meet the needs of schools and students. The fellowship expands fieldwork experiences for students, expands impact with districts, and embodies HGSE’s dedication to working alongside educators in the field to improve schools and systems for all children.

The Dean's Education Fellows Program is supported by a generous lead gift from Lee Stettner, a fellow in Harvard's Advanced Leadership Initiative (ALI '26). HGSE welcomes additional funding partners to expand fellowship seats for students and districts and to enhance the fellowship experience. To learn how your gift can support future Dean's Education Fellows, please contact tara_karyanis@gse.harvard.edu.