Online Master’s Students Find Their Paths and Community at HGSE

The Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Online Master’s in Education Leadership (OEL) Program  is a unique experience that allows mid-career professionals to advance their careers and deepen their impact in the field while taking their full courseload online. Though many learn and grow far from Appian Way, the online master’s experience builds a tight community of leaders essential to the HGSE community.

“Being in the HGSE OEL Program has been a life-changing experience,” says Nicolas Montalvo, a music teacher from Bellflower, California, studying in the PreK–12 Pathway. “The bonds I have made with cohort three have been invaluable and inspiring. It’s a privilege to learn with great minds and innovative thinkers. The program has made me a better human being, a leader, and a teacher.”

In the program, now in its fourth year, experienced professionals who want to continue their education without leaving their current roles can follow — part time over two years online — one of three pathways focusing on education leadership. For many, that structure allows them to put what they learn into practice on the job in real time.

“The curriculum immediately translates into practice,” says OEL student Stephanee Thornton, a program launch manager at the University of Tennessee. “Every week, something I learn in class becomes something I can apply literally the next day at work.”

HGSE’s International Education Policy and Management (IEPM) Pathway, which welcomed its inaugural cohort earlier this year, draws on comparative and international knowledge and skills in analysis and management, teaching students how to lead education systems around the world.

“I have taken distance-learning courses before, but this is by far the most interactive program I have been part of,” says Páll Torfason, a student in the IEPM Pathway. “The sense of community, curiosity, and shared purpose has been one of the most rewarding parts of the whole experience.”

Below, students from the online program share their experiences and journeys to the virtual classrooms of Appian Way.

Clint Calimlim 
San Francisco
Head counselor, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts High School, San Francisco Unified School District
Pathway: PreK–12

Why did you choose HGSE’s OEL Program? 
I knew I needed to be in a program that would push me to be introspective about my own leadership development and unpack the systems operating in school communities. I want to lead with more intention, equity, and clarity in my work.

How has what you’ve learned in the program impacted the work you’re doing in the field? 
The leadership frameworks have allowed me to take a step back, view the big picture, and make more intentional and grounded decisions. The family engagement course deepened my work with parents and guardians, and the finance course has allowed me to think more clearly about resources, sustainability, and long-term planning.

What do you think is the most valuable aspect of the program and your experience at HGSE? 
The balance of practical leadership tools with the deep personal and professional reflection. I value the way this program weaves together ideas from leadership, family engagement, resource management, and equity because these topics overlap daily in real school settings.

Casey Courtney 
Charleston, South Carolina
Academic adviser, College of Charlestown
Pathway: Higher Education 

Why did you choose HGSE’s OEL Program?
I knew I wanted to challenge myself to do more within the higher education space, and this program has allowed me to continue working as a professional while directly building skills and relevant knowledge to support my work. That opportunity cost was a big part of my decision-making in taking on this challenge, but I knew that it would be worth it because of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from the best.

How has what you’ve learned in the program impacted the work you’re doing in the field? 
As we learn educational and developmental theory, we regularly assess the current systems at work in our own organizations and determine their effectiveness. This leads to a desire to make a meaningful impact and "lead from where we are" to make the campus a better place.

What do you think is the most valuable aspect of the program and your experience at HGSE?
The community. Our cohort immediately bonded during our initial campus activities, and those bonds carried over into the online classroom in a way I could never have imagined. I feel like I have so many friends and connections who are all experts in their own work to rely on and reach out to if I ever need anything.  

Nicolas Montalvo 
Bellflower, California 
Music teacher, La Mirada USD
Pathway: PreK–12 

Why did you choose HGSE’s OEL Program?
When I initially looked at the HGSE homepage videos there was a strong attraction to the joy, love, and authenticity I saw in HGSE professors and their message. As a music teacher, I love what I do, and I saw that same love in the HGSE professors.

How has what you’ve learned in the program impacted the work you’re doing in the field? 
I have been given the tools to implement my ideas for a modern-day pedagogy. In January 2025, I started a guitar intervention class for ninth graders who were struggling academically, and I helped them all improve their GPAs.

What do you think is the most valuable aspect of the program and your experience at HGSE?
The HGSE OEL Program has opened my eyes to the inequities in education, outdated systems and structures, and has given me innovative ideas to implement in the pre-K education ecosystem to prepare students for the global economy.

Stephanee Thornton 
Knoxville, Tennessee
Program launch manager, University of Tennessee
Pathway: Higher Education 

Why did you choose HGSE’s OEL Program?
I wanted a program that would strengthen my ability to lead with equity, strategy, and clarity while still being flexible enough for someone working full-time in higher education who also has a life and a family outside of work.

How has what you’ve learned in the program impacted the work you’re doing in the field? 
The program has directly strengthened the way I approach my work. Our team is expanding quickly, and I’m responsible for creating the structures, processes, and cross-functional coordination that make launching new online programs successful. The tools from OEL have helped me do this with far more clarity and intention.

What do you think is the most valuable aspect of the program and your experience at HGSE?
The most valuable aspect has been, by far, the community; my cohort peers are my lifeline both personally and professionally. Being surrounded by people from K–12, higher education, nonprofits, ed-tech, and beyond creates a learning environment where every discussion expands your understanding.

Páll Torfason  
Reykjavík, Iceland
Digital transformation leader, The Directorate of Education and School Services
Pathway: International Education Policy Management

Why did you choose HGSE’s OEL Program?
It brings together everything I care about. As someone who is involved in leading digital transformation across Iceland’s K–12 education system, I wanted a program that would challenge the way I think and place my work in a global context.

How has what you’ve learned in the program impacted the work you’re doing in the field? 
The impact has been immediate. The program has pushed me to reconsider my vision for education, to understand more clearly how different systems operate, and to see a much broader picture behind the policies we design.

What do you think is the most valuable aspect of the program and your experience at HGSE?
Learning directly from professors who have actually shaped education systems in many parts of the world. They have led national reforms, seen what works, and learned from the mistakes and complexities that come with system-level change. Their experience has helped us understand not only what needs to change, but how careful sequencing, political awareness, and strong implementation make a real difference.

Another part I value greatly is that the program offers a rare space where it feels safe to challenge my own thinking. I can openly test ideas, debate policy, and reflect on assumptions that have shaped my work for years. It is hard to find that kind of environment in professional settings, and it has made me grow a lot.

Amy White 
Kingston, New York
Elementary school teacher, Harlem Children’s Zone
Pathway: PreK–12 

Why did you choose HGSE’s OEL Program? 
A few things resonated with me: part-time, experienced educators, and of course, Harvard. [Senior Lecturer] Irvin Scott’s bold work in faith-based education resonated with me. OEL had the reputation of being, as I say, the least online of the online programs.

How has what you’ve learned in the program impacted the work you’re doing in the field? 
My entire professional trajectory has shifted, as has my approach to designing thoughtful lessons, communities, and even assessments. I am much more comfortable with meaningful collaboration.

What do you think is the most valuable aspect of the program and your experience at HGSE? 
The expert, thoughtful, and curious way the classes are built. They are built with intention, care, and dare I say love. You learn while you are sleeping in a sense.