Empower Nicolle’s Journey in Education Leadership @ Harvard

Hi there! My name is Nicolle Moaney, and I was recently admitted to the Harvard Graduate School of Education to pursue a master’s degree in Education Leadership.

TLDR: I was fortunate enough to be named a Barakett Family Fellow—the fellowship will cover approximately 50% of my tuition expenses. I’m turning to you, my internet and real-life friends, family, colleagues, and do-gooders of the world to help me raise funds to cover my remaining expenses during this critical hour in higher education.

The educators who nurtured my early confidence as a student played a crucial role in shaping my academic journey for the better, and I am determined to pay it forward. Whether you’re able to spare $2, $20, $200, $2000, $20,000, or somewhere in between, it would mean the world to me to have you, a member (or soon-to-be member) of my support system, help me make this educational dream a reality and to continue to scale my impact on the next generation of scholars. (Scroll to the bottom to see a list of things I will use donations for).

About Me — Fast Facts:

* I’m a 1.5-generation American, raised in Boston and originally from the Dominican Republic.

* I am a first-generation student.

* Educational excellence has always been a part of my story. I was valedictorian for my high school graduating class and earned my undergraduate degree with honors from Williams College, the #1 liberal arts college in the country.

* I tutored at the Boston Public Library throughout high school and the local middle school during college.

* I began my career as a teacher with KIPP in Washington, DC, teaching 1st - 4th grade science to over 200 students at a Title 1 school. In my first year as a teacher of record, I received the teacher-to-teacher award for my teamwork and commitment to my craft inside and outside the classroom.

* In 2020, I co-founded The Needle’s Eye Academy alongside my husband. We partner with school districts and non-profits on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to facilitate literacy-based opportunities for socially, culturally, and economically diverse students. To date, we’ve provided direct learning and leadership opportunities to 14 students and many more indirectly by sponsoring little free libraries.

* In 2024, I accepted the Director of Student Intercultural Affairs role at Washington College, the first college founded in sovereign America. I steward the Intercultural Center and offer programming and resources to ensure all students feel a sense of belonging on campus.

“In Dominican culture, there's a joke that anyone who lives in America lives in New York, and anyone who studies in America studies at Harvard; it's rooted in the aspirations of many Dominican families, a testament to the high value we place on education, and is the essence of the Dominican-American dream. [When I visited Harvard,] I stood at the crossroads of belonging and possibility; for the first time, the dream felt attainable. That day, I started to believe I could be a Harvard student one day... Participation in HGSE's online Master's Program is my second chance to embody the Dominican-American dream closer to its original form” - Excerpt, My HGSE Personal Statement

The Education Leadership Program at HGSE offers an online, part-time structure for working professionals like myself, with the benefit of real-time implementation of what I learn in the classroom to my day-to-day work, enabling me to take Intercultural Affairs programming to the next level and preparing me for future leadership opportunities.

Since I’ll still be working, I can cover some of my tuition and personal expenses. Your donation will help me cover the following costs:

* Tuition

* Travel expenses to and from Boston for the mandatory on-site during July 2025

* Books and other required materials

* Setting up a comfortable learning environment (bookshelf, printing costs, proper desk chair)

* Personal laptop (so I don’t need to rely on my work computer)

* Professional development (conferences)

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me. If you think your friends and family would also be interested in helping me get one step closer to achieving this goal, please share the link to this page.