From Hunter to Harvard: BA graduate wins full Ivy League Scholarship
BA graduate Chantel Slade is off to Harvard in August, having been awarded the Frank Knox Memorial Fellowship. Chantel will be starting her Master’s in Human Development and Psychology at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), with her tuition, health insurance, and living costs fully funded by the Fellowship.
While working in hospitality during her studies at Victoria University of Wellington, a chance meeting with a recipient of a Cambridge Scholarship encouraged Chantel to look into New Zealand scholarships for overseas study. “I was excited to find the Frank Knox Fellowship, which will allow me to study at such a renowned tertiary institution for Education,” she says.
Chantel will study a range of subjects from research methods and data analysis to developmental psychology. She is confident that her Victoria University of Wellington education and her experiences have provided her with the skills and expertise to take on the challenge. “Studying at Wellington has allowed me to explore my interests around psychology and has given me a great foundation of knowledge that I will take with me to HGSE,” says Chantel.
Chantel has taken advantage of several leadership development opportunities at the University, including acting as a student representative on the Faculty of Education’s Board in 2017 and 2018, an experience which sparked her interest in educational policy and the wider education sytem. “The Faculty, courses, and opportunities within my major have strengthened my faith in my abilities and my interests within the education and psychology field.”
As a proud Samoan New Zealander, she wants to utilise her learning to improve the support available and success rate for Pasifika students. “I hope the skills I develop will equip me to be able to give back to my Pasifika community—specifically in the educational context.”
As for her plans after her Master’s, Chantel is keeping her options open. “I would like to further to specialise further in human development and psychology, with particular interest in Autism Spectrum Disorder, should the opportunities arise,” she says.