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Nancy Evans, HEP '11: College Access for All

Nancy Evans

Georgia native Nancy Evans sought out the Higher Education Program (HEP) because of a long-standing belief that people of all backgrounds should have college access. Particularly, Evans says, she wanted to know "how to improve access for low-income, minority, and first-generation students."

"Nominated by many of her classmates to receive this award, Nancy Evans has impressed her faculty and fellow students with her excellent contributions to classes and study groups and her wonderful combination of intelligence, modesty, graciousness, and sense of humor," says Professor Judy McLaughlin, director of HEP. "Nancy's classmates praised her thoughtful and respectful listening, clear articulation of complex subject matter, and insightful comments, noting that her contributions regularly took discussions to a new level. One student summed up the sentiment of students and faculty alike in her nomination: 'I learn from Nancy everyday and feel grateful to have her in my cohort.'"

Upon learning that she had been honored with the Intellectual Contribution/Faculty Tribute Award for HEP, Evans answered some questions about her time at the Ed School.

Have your goals changed at all in your year at the Ed School? Given everything I've learned this year, I've significantly widened my scope to consider access, persistence, and educational quality as necessarily entwined priorities. These are tough issues to tackle, but they're so critical. In higher education, we have the unique opportunity to lower the college-going hurdles that many students face and to make our institutions true engines of social change and mobility. There's something fundamentally exciting about that. Our cohort recently met with former Harvard President Derek Bok, and he perfectly captured the imperative: "How much of a contribution can you and your institution make to the lives of human beings?" I plan to find out.

What was your favorite class and why? This semester, I had the remarkable opportunity to design an independent study course with two other students, Monnica Chan and Dave Mabe. We each researched and authored case studies, and we had a fantastic collaborative dynamic that supported the individual work. It was so rewarding to undertake a longer-term research project and also to grapple with the notion of effective leadership. Professor Judy McLaughlin and [Lecturer] Joe Zolner supervised our projects, and they were such amazing sources of guidance, learning, and support.

What is something that you learned at HGSE that you will take with you throughout your career in education? Process matters!
How did you stay inspired throughout the year? This one's easy: I can tell you every place to buy a diet coke within a three-block radius of HGSE. Caffeine aside, my cohort has been singularly inspirational. I've been consistently impressed and humbled by the level of intellectual generosity, the quality of friendship, and the unwavering commitment to education that I've experienced among my peers. These are people who care deeply about equity, diversity, and leadership in higher education, and I can't wait to see how they'll change the field in the coming years. When you're in such good company, it's impossible not to be inspired.

Any special study spots on campus (or off)? On the second floor of Gutman, there's a particular chair that overlooks the corner of Appian Way and Brattle Street, and I always seem to wind up there to study or write papers. It's perfect for people watching and an especially nice place to watch snow fall in the winter.

Favorite place to get a slice of pizza in the Square? My kitchen! I make a mean homemade pizza. If I'm rushing to or from class, though, I never seem to make it farther than The Upper Crust for a slice of cheese with extra red pepper flakes. So good!

 

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