Help A First-Gen Student Get To Harvard!

Hola!

My name is Lucero Denisse Valderrama and I recently was accepted into the Harvard Graduate School of Education to pursue a Master in Education, Leadership, Organization and Entrepreneurship. I graduated from Azusa Pacific University and became the first in my family to graduate with a Bachelor's degree. I was one of 50 students in the US to be awarded a nationally competitive scholarship in high school which allowed me to attend a summer intensive at the University of Oxford in 2013. In 2019 I received Latinx Teacher of the Year award in the states of Kansas and Missouri, one of my proudest moments as a young professional thus far. Currently, I’m the Director of Teaching, Learning, and Development at City Year Denver. I am proud of my accomplishments and I love what I do.

My experiences and identities as an immigrant, low-income, first-generation college student and a woman all contribute to the way I lead and establish cross-cultural relationships in any space I occupy. It wasn’t until I started teaching my first group of students in 2018 at a small charter school in Kansas City, MO did my own experiences, while tragic and unfortunate, begin to help me relate to and be of better support to my students. Relationship building has always been key. Understanding that my students show up as whole people and not just academic achievers have continuously helped me in creating inclusive and proactive classroom environments where learning is differentiated and applicable to their everyday lives.

I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to acknowledge the huge hand my family has had in helping me get to where I am today. Knowing how proud my Mom and Dad are of me motivates me to keep pursuing my dreams of becoming a Dean or University President. Especially my mother. I am making sure that each word I speak and decision I make not only uplifts my community but also makes my mother’s decision to leave her country for a better opportunity for us worth it.

Pursuing a Master’s Degree would only further my cause and dedication to transform the academic and social experiences for BIPOC, first-gen, and neurodivergent students like myself. It would mean having the opportunity to continue opening doors to higher education and career fields, and blazing the trail of empowerment and success so that more young voices are heard within education and throughout society. Not to mention the opportunity to become a part of the 5.9% of Latinas in the US to pursue and obtain a Master’s degree would be an accomplishment not just for my family, but for my community as a whole.

So why Harvard? It has been my goal since I was in middle school to attend Harvard and learn from one of the best institutions of higher education in the country. After considering various other programs, very few came close to checking off all of my boxes and requirements I had. I know that by studying alongside like-minded individuals, being taught by excellent staff and faculty, and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone through discussions and hands-on experience, I will be able to continue to cultivate my leadership skills and abilities for years to come. I want to become a master in my craft and continue being a student of life and never stop learning. This program will allow me to be more specific in my approaches to leading a school or an organization through its mission and emphasize the values of which they were built on.

In order to make this dream a reality, I need to come up with $30,000 to fill in the gap between the financial aid package I was offered and the scholarship I was awarded. This is a one-year program in which I will have to relocate to Cambridge and study full-time, in person. I appreciate your support in advance in helping make my dream a reality.

With Much Gratitude,

Lucero Denisse Valderrama