Invest in Princess' future at Harvard!

Hi, my name is Princess; I am an aspiring inclusive education and assistive technology leader.

I am a born and raised South-East Londoner from a hardworking family of 6 and have always attended state school. I excelled at school, achieving early GCSEs in chemistry, mathematics and English at only 13-14 years old (A-A**). Despite having no subject specialist science teacher and having to teach myself the GCSE in Physics and Biology at the time, I achieved two A grades and successfully studied Sciences at ALevel. My educational experiences and those of friends and family inspired me to engage in extracurricular activities and youth social action, including:

Last year, I graduated with first-class honours from UCL's world-class IOE, studying Education, Culture & Society. Four weeks ago, I received my acceptance letter to study for a master's (Ed.M) in Learning Design, Innovation and Technology (LDIT) at Harvard University- TGBATG! I am thrilled at the prospect.

Why Education and Technology?

Inclusive education and education technology (edtech) resonates deeply with me as a neurodivergent person, diagnosed as an adult in my first year of university (late diagnosis). Access to assistive technology and support from teachers and study skills staff helped me regain the confidence to excel in my studies. I won an academic award for my resilience and for ranking in the top 3 students in my cohort. As an undergraduate scholar from the Laidlaw Leadership and Research programme, I was privileged to assist a leading researcher in Education on her ASPIRES 3 project in 2022, learning that low aspiration is not the issue behind the STEM participation crisis that BAME children face, poor attitudes and curriculum design have tangible impacts on their trajectories. During an internship at a summer school in Boston that provided bespoke STEM education for underrepresented students, I developed a new videogame design curriculum prototype. I have worked full-time as a Partnerships Teaching Assistant at a top UK private school and as a home and state school tutor and mentor. These experiences fuel my desire to increase access to quality educational experiences for differently abled children and influence access to edtech through leading educational initiatives that support diverse young people to achieve their best.

Why Harvard?

Of the limited Education and Technology degrees, the LDIT's distinctive design was second to none, catering to my interests in neurodivergence, project-based work that contributes to real-life solutions, entrepreneurship and collaborative opportunities. As I aim to lead and contribute to initiatives that positively impact the educational experiences of neurodivergent learners in the future, it matters to me to learn in a space that fosters these experiences. The LDIT will allow me to learn from experts and students I can collaborate with to develop tangible student-centred solutions to real-world educational/inequality issues.

My post-Harvard vision

I aim to use this degree to lead an education organisation/initiative that provides quality education experiences and edtech support to differently abled and socioeconomically diverse youth. I envision consulting with and advising governments on their education systems informed by evidence-based research and hands-on experience. I also endeavour to keep my passion for advocacy and public speaking, addressing education inequality and poor-quality education for neurodivergent learners. I believe in a reality where no children go unnoticed in education systems with needs that should and can be met, especially in the age of technology.

Why invest in me, and what will your investment go towards?

Simply put, I need help to meet Harvard's $102,000 overall student fee requirement in time for financial certification by May 15th, 2025. The fee includes:

The amount I am fundraising is £90,000 (to also account for fluctuations in conversion rates and fundraising fees). Your investment will directly contribute to my education at Harvard, where I will gain the knowledge and skills to lead initiatives that positively impact the educational experiences of differently abled learners. I am reaching out to you and anyone you know who is willing to invest in me and my dreams.

I am very happy to connect further via LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com/in/princesseme, and set up further communication via email, call, or chat (if preferred). Please share this with whoever in your network may be interested in investing in me and my dreams. Your donation or recommendation could make a significant difference in reaching my fundraising goal, and I will not let it go to waste.

Thank you, and best wishes,

Princess E.