Boudett Honored With 2025 Morningstar Family Teaching Award

Senior Lecturer Kathryn Boudett is the 2025 recipient of the Morningstar Family Teaching Award, presented annually to a Harvard Graduate School of Education faculty member who makes an outstanding impact on their students and the Harvard community.

Boudett was presented the award — which honors excellence in teaching and advising along with evidence of a caring, respectful, and enthusiastic commitment to students — at HGSE’s Convocation exercises on Wednesday, May 28. Each year the Morningstar winner is chosen based on nominations by HGSE students and a review process by a student advisory committee and the HGSE dean.

“Our learners inspire me every day with their innate brilliance — and their determination to stretch and grow into the educators they aspire to be,” Boudett said about the honor. “I love that teaching and advising at HGSE gives me a chance to walk beside a student for a part of that journey.”

Boudett serves as an academic adviser to many Ed School students and chairs several Education Leadership and Design capstone committees. The former faculty director of the Learning and Teaching master’s program, she was overwhelmingly praised for her dedication and enthusiasm in student nominations.

“She exemplifies excellence in teaching and mentorship both within and beyond the classroom,” wrote one student. “In her courses, Kathy invites feedback after every session, demonstrating her commitment to continuous learning and development. Her transparency in sharing her own growth journey encourages us to mirror these qualities, creating an authentic and dynamic learning environment.”

“Kathy's dedication to her advisees goes far beyond standard expectations. She takes time to know each of us, listens deeply, and meets us where we are,” wrote another student. “She models what it means to lead with empathy and purpose, and she inspires her students and advisees to do the same.”

Many nominations highlighted the sense of community built by Boudett, both inside the classroom and elsewhere on Appian Way.

“For me, the impact of her support cannot be overstated. She made Harvard feel like home. Her presence has helped shape my experience here in the most meaningful way,” wrote one student. “Her advisees are lucky to be under her care, and many of us will continue to carry her guidance long after graduation. I feel truly blessed to have her in my life and hope to stay connected with her well beyond my time at HGSE.”

A leader on effective, data-driven learning and teaching, Boudett makes a significant impact on the field by supporting educators and educational leaders to work collaboratively with data to model continuous improvement.

Boudett joined the Ed School as an adjunct lecturer in 2004 and was promoted to lecturer in 2010. She was named senior lecturer in 2018. With Senior Lecturer Liz City and Professor Dick Murnane, Boudett developed a guide for teachers to use data in their work. In 2005, the resulting effort became Data Wise, a step-by-step guide to use assessment results to improve teaching and learning. That sparked the Data Wise Project at HGSE, which this year celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Boudett, now the executive director of the Data Wise Project, also noted the support of the project’s staff and other educational collaborators.

“I am especially grateful to the people I co-teach with and the vibrant community of practice of faculty who teach courses about equity and opportunity,” said Boudett, who noted the latest edition of Data Wise features stories from nearly 30 students. “These educators have taught me so much about how to create joyful and rigorous spaces for learning.”

Established in 2000 with a gift from Faith Morningstar, Ed.M.’87, Ed.D.’96, and her husband, the Honorable Richard Morningstar, an alumnus of Harvard College, the Morningstar Family Teaching Award is intended to recognize faculty members that help create supportive environments for their students.

Current faculty members who have received the Morningstar Family Teaching Award include Professors Andrew Ho, Jal Mehta, Catherine Snow, Paul Harris, Bridget Long, and Monica Higgins; Professor of Practice Karen Brennan; Lecturers David Dockterman, Alexis Redding, Gretchen Brion-Meisels, Aaliyah El-Amin, and Joe McIntyre; Senior Lecturers Joe Blatt and Elizabeth City; and Principal Research Scientist Tina Grotzer.