Become a Fellow
Become a Fellow
Applications open September 2026!
What You’ll Do as a Fellow
- Work full‑time in a public school central office for two weeks during the January Term.
- Partner with at least one other HGSE student on a project that will support district priorities.
- Collaborate closely with a superintendent or senior district leader.
- Conduct research, gather stakeholder perspectives, and/or analyze data.
- Develop clear, actionable deliverables (e.g., strategy memos, implementation plans, pilot designs, data tools, etc.).
- Present your recommendations and materials to district leadership.
Types of Projects
All projects will be aligned to the superintendent’s priorities and scoped to be accomplishable within the two-week timeframe. Project topics may include:
- Academics & Instruction (e.g., curriculum implementation support, analysis of course performance, professional learning plans)
- Social‑Emotional Learning & Student Well‑Being (e.g., mapping student support systems, designing SEL strategies, creating tools to identify and support at‑risk students)
- Family & Community Engagement (e.g., landscape scans of engagement practices, outreach strategies, frameworks for strengthening school‑community partnerships)
- Data & Accountability (e.g., analyzing student performance data, creating dashboards, generating insights that inform district decision‑making)
- AI Policy Development & Implementation Planning (e.g., reviewing a district's existing AI usage and developing draft policy language for wide-scale adoption)
Support for Fellows
- Training in December on district context, project management, and effective deliverables
- A designated Ed.L.D. mentor for guidance before and during the fellowship
- Program staff support for logistics and troubleshooting
- Stipend to cover travel, housing, and food expenses during the fellowship (Fellows will be expected to coordinate shared housing with their teammates)
Who Should Apply?
The fellowship is designed for current HGSE residential Ed.M. students who are eager to make an impact in public school systems and explore leadership pathways. It may be a strong fit if you:
- Are interested in district‑level or system‑level roles
- Want a short, immersive experience working with district leadership
- Enjoy working collaboratively in pairs or trios
- Care deeply about equity, improvement, and leadership in K–12 education
Eligibility Requirements:
- Current residential Ed.M. student at HGSE
- Must have at least two years of full-time professional work experience
- Must be a U.S. citizen or have permanent residency status in the U.S.
- Must be in good academic, disciplinary, and financial standing with HGSE
Note that licensure students in TTL and CAS are not eligible due to other program requirements during January term.
Timeline for January Term 2027
Information sessions
- Tuesday, September 8, 12:00-1:00pm in Gutman Conference Center E4
- Monday, September 14, 2:30-3:30pm in Eliot Lyman (2nd Floor of Longfellow Hall)
- Friday, September 25, 12:00-1:00pm in Gutman Conference Center E1
Applications
- Monday, September 14: Application opens
- Friday, October 9: Application closes
Review
- October 13-30: application review, group interview process, selection decisions, and district & Fellow matching
- Note: October 21-27: group interviews
Decisions
- Monday, November 2: Fellowship matches shared with applicants
- Wednesday, November 4: Deadline to accept fellowship offer
Orientation
- November: Fellows begin district on-boarding (as needed), meet with district leaders, and meet with Ed.L.D. mentor
- Tuesday, December 8: In‑person, full‑day orientation on campus for Fellows
Fellowship
- Saturday, January 2: planned day to travel to fellowship site
- January 4-15: Fellowship experience
- January 20-22: Scheduled debrief with program team
- Monday, February 8: Learning Exhibition with the HGSE community
Applications open September 2026!
Student Frequently Asked Questions
As a Dean’s Education Fellow, you get a short, intensive experience that advances real district work while accelerating your own growth:
- Apply what you’re learning at HGSE in a real K–12 district context
- Work directly with superintendents and central office leaders on high‑priority projects
- Build concrete skills in data analysis, research, strategy, and implementation planning
- Gain firsthand experience with systems change in urban, suburban, or rural settings
- Receive mentoring and structured support from HGSE faculty, staff, and Ed.L.D. mentors
- Explore and clarify your interest in district‑ and system‑level career pathways
- Current residential Ed.M. students at HGSE are eligible to apply
- Students must have at least two years of professional work experience
- Students must be a U.S. citizen or have permanent residency status in the U.S.
- Students must be in good academic, disciplinary, and financial standing with HGSE
Note that licensure students in TTL and CAS are not eligible due to other program requirements during January term.
Prior district experience is helpful but not required. We look for students with strong analytical, research, and communication skills, as well as a demonstrated commitment to equity and improvement in K–12 education. Students must have at least two years of full-time professional work experience in any setting.
Fellows will work in pairs or trios on each project. You’ll collaborate closely with your teammate(s) and your district supervisor.
Partner districts are located across the United States and represent a range of contexts, including urban, suburban, and rural school systems.
Yes. Fellows are expected to relocate to their district site for the duration of the two‑week fellowship in January in order to work from the central office and engage directly with district leaders.
Students receive a stipend intended to cover travel, housing, and food expenses in the host community for the duration of the fellowship. Fellows are responsible for securing housing for the duration of the fellowship and expected to coordinate shared housing with their teammates.
The fellowship is a full‑time, two‑week commitment during January Term. You should plan on standard full workdays, with some preparation and follow‑up time for developing deliverables.
HGSE program staff review district project proposals and student applications to identify strong matches based on skills, experiences, interests, and project needs.
Yes. While the core fellowship is two weeks, some Fellows and districts may choose to continue collaboration, potentially through an S997 Field Experience or other arrangements.
Application details, including application requirements and deadlines, will be posted in early fall. Students can learn more and access the application link via this site and HGSE communications.