Higher Education

Alumni & Careers

Students in Higher Education have wide-ranging professional interests, as evidenced by the array of jobs held by our recent graduates.

Profile of Higher Ed Alumna Brooke Fincke, Ed.M.'06

Brooke Fincke is the College Counselor at City on a Hill Charter Public High School in Roxbury, MA. Brooke’s primary responsibilities include counseling students on an expansive range of post-secondary possibilities, assisting them with their college application and financial aid processes, and teaching a course that emphasizes a connection between school and career; helping students find great value in continuing their education at the post secondary level. Brooke is also one of the founding members of the Boston Charter School Consortium and serves on the Massachusetts Education Financing Authority (MEFA) Guidance Advisory Board. Brooke’s interest in closing the achievement gap began with her work as the Assistant Director of Admission at Lake Forest College. It was her work there and interest in issues of college access and affordability for traditionally underrepresented students that brought her to the Higher Education program at HGSE. “At Harvard, I gained valuable insight from my professors while taking courses exploring the economics of higher education, career development education, and the legal and ethical issues surrounding race-based recruitment and retention programs. I was able to apply my coursework to two internships; serving as an Education Advisor at the TERI College Access Center and as a College Coach at the Parkway Academy for Technology and Health through Harvard’s COACH program.”

Profile of Higher Ed Alumnus David Gastwirth, Ed.M.'07

David Gastwirth is the program analyst for Duke University's Hart Leadership Program. David works with students, faculty, staff, and administration on various projects related to the Hart Leadership Program's cutting-edge leadership development approach. His job involves course development, assessment, strategic planning, and marketing. Additionally, David serves as an Academic Advisor to underclassmen at Duke. "The Higher Education program at HGSE provided me with an opportunity to explore a diverse range of interests on an intellectual and professional level. Coming directly from undergraduate school, the program gave me the much needed flexibility and freedom to investigate the full spectrum of opportunities in the higher education field. Elective courses in education policy, philanthropy, nonprofit management, and urban affairs perfectly complemented the structured, core higher education curriculum."

Profile of Higher Ed Alumnus Greg Sneed, Ed.M.'07

Greg Sneed is assistant director of admissions for research and policy analysis at the University of California, Davis. He manages a team of analysts working on projects ranging from an evaluation of campus health policy to a review of the remedial education program. He also supervises the comprehensive review process where applications are read and undergraduate students are selected for admission. A native Californian and graduate of UC Davis, Greg worked in the admissions office as a project manager and analyst for two years before returning to school. He enrolled at HGSE to better understand the "big picture" in higher education. “It wasn't an easy decision for me to pack up and move across the country, but after visiting HGSE I knew it was the place for me. The faculty and staff have an amazing commitment to the students and the camaraderie within the cohort makes for a fun and engaging environment. I've made lifelong friends and professional contacts."

Profile of Higher Ed Alumna Rachel Ellenport, Ed.M.'06

Upon completing the Higher Ed program, Rachel Ellenport joined Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, seeking to work for an institution with a strong commitment to mission-driven organizations and to diversity. Rachel works primarily on institutional advancement searches within higher education, academic medicine, independent schools and advocacy organizations. Prior to attending the Higher Ed program, Rachel worked for the New York City Bar Association and the Vance Center for International Justice Initiatives. She came to the program to learn how she could contribute to improving the hiring and retention of female faculty and faculty of color. “The program proved to teach me so much more, providing me with a strong foundation in the current trends throughout higher education, the challenges facing both public and private institutions, and the various roles different constituencies play within these complex organizations. In addition to learning from experts within the field, I greatly benefited from the rich perspectives and insight of the members of my cohort, many of whom remain resources to me today. Moreover, I find what I learned in the Higher Ed program to be directly relevant to my daily work, informing my research, client interactions and candidate development.”

Profile of Higher Ed Alumna Bryn Panee Burhart, Ed.M.'06

Bryn Panee Burkhart is the Associate Director of Recruiting at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management. She provides operational leadership and the implementation of strategic planning for recruiting activities in the MBA Career Development Office. Her job involves process management, marketing and advising both employers and students. Prior to attending HGSE, she held positions in MBA student affairs and MBA admissions at Duke University and Babson College. “The Higher Education program at HGSE was the perfect option for me when I decided to return to school. The curriculum provided an extensive view of the multi-layered challenges and opportunities that face higher education today, as well as the chance to learn from remarkable practitioners in the field. I regularly leverage my coursework at HGSE in my current role at MIT, particularly when managing relationships with different constituencies or understanding the implications of major decisions that affect Institute policies. I am a more effective administrator because of the knowledge and perspectives gained in the Higher Education program.”

Profile of Higher Ed Alumna Juliana Wong, Ed.M.'05

Juliana Wong is a University Management Fellow, working as a Capital Budgets and Projects Analyst for the Capital Projects Services (CAPS) Group of Harvard Real Estate. Her duties include: coordinating logistics for meetings of the Capital Projects Review Committee (CPRC), which vets proposed construction projects before they are sent to the Harvard Corporation for final approval, working with the University's construction mitigation and building assessment teams, and providing financial analysis to support the oversight role of the CAPS office. Before joining the world of higher education, Juliana was an investment banker in New York and Hong Kong, with a specialization in Mergers & Acquisitions. During her tenure at HGSE, Juliana worked as a study abroad coordinator at Harvard Law School, as well as a financial intern at the Ed School. "My experiences at HGSE not only afforded me insight into the functioning of colleges as organizations, but also provided me with a sensitivity to Harvard's specific administrative culture. HGSE's curriculum showed me how to leverage my business background in the context of higher education; thanks to HGSE, I am now pursuing a career track I find to be both rewarding and meaningful."

Profile of Higher Ed Alumna Rana Black, Ed.M.'04

Rana Black is the manager of precollegiate programs at the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE). Specifically, she oversees the operations, marketing and program development of Colorado GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), which aims to increase post-secondary access and success for low-income, first generation, and minority college students. She is also a working member of CCHE's newly formed Colorado Access Consortium, whose mission is to coordinate the efforts and increase the effectiveness of the state's many precollegiate programs. Her job involves program management, assessment, and evaluation, as well as statewide policy initiatives. "The Higher Education program at HGSE provided a broad understanding of the issues facing higher education today, specifically governmental policy influences, rising tuitions, access, and the K-16 connection. My internship at the Higher Education Information Center provided additional invaluable experience working directly with the students who are at the core of the work I do today."