Post by Shadab Khan

Support Needed! I’m INCREDIBLY grateful to share that I’ve been accepted to Harvard University for my Master's, but I need your help to make this a reality. The cost is more than I can afford alone, which is why I’ve launched a fundraiser to help cover the remaining expenses: 🔗 Link to the fundraiser: https://lnkd.in/dBvWbUNt (you’ll find more about my story as well.) You can also contribute to my Account Number directly: UPI ID: 9415496461@upi  Name: Shadab Khan  Bank Account: 33750268313 IFSC Code: SBIN0005679  IND My story: I grew up in Ameer Nagar, a small village in Uttar Pradesh, India, with a simple belief: education can change lives. Today, that belief has brought me to an extraordinary moment. A single email changed the course of my life, and an invitation to study at Harvard University. As a first-generation learner whose parents never had the opportunity to attend school, I found my academic journey unfolding in a community where higher education seemed distant and unfamiliar. My parents could not read the letters on a signboard. School, for them, had never been a door that opened. It had simply never existed on their map of the world. And my sisters, each one of them bright-eyed, quick-witted, full of laughter, they too had grown up watching that door from a distance, never walking through it. Why is this degree at Harvard? I chose the Master’s in Education Policy and Analysis at Harvard to develop the research, policy, and leadership capabilities required to design and strengthen inclusive education systems that expand access, improve quality, and create meaningful opportunities for first-generation learners and underserved communities. I was accepted to other schools, such as University College London (UCL) last year, but Harvard’s program is my top choice. It offers the best fit for my academic and professional goals. Three years ago, I founded a non-profit, The Stellar Foundation (TSF), with a vision to transform how schools in India understand and deliver learning. At TSF, we believe education should recognise every child as unique, their pace, their passions, and their potential. Instead of a one-size-fits-all system, we advocate for learning models that adapt to students and support them where they are. Our mission is to make education more inclusive, personalised, and empowering for young learners. This opportunity will allow me to advance my mission in education, but I need your support to get there. This degree is deeply personal; it represents the dreams of my parents and sisters, who never had the chance to receive even a basic education, and many others in my family who were left behind. How Can You Support? If you can contribute, any amount of support will mean a great deal and bring me one step closer to this opportunity. If donating is not possible, you can still help by sharing my story and this fundraiser with your network.   Your support in spreading the word can make a meaningful difference.