Harvard alumni are scattered across the world, but few have traveled the path of Linfield’s Gerardo Ochoa. KUNP, the Univision affiliate for the Portland area, caught up with Ochoa at Linfield College to learn more about his graduate school experience and get practical admission advice.
Ochoa, the assistant dean for diversity and community partnerships at Linfield, received his master’s of education degree from Harvard University’s Higher Education Program. Ochoa spent a year away from his family and Linfield career in 2014-2015 to pursue his advanced degree.
Ochoa is a native of Michoacán, a state in Mexico, and has lived in the United States since he was nine.
“Very few Oregonians go to Harvard, even fewer Latinos, and even fewer Mexicans from Michoacán,” said Ochoa. “Roughly half of all Mexican nationals in Oregon come from this one state, so my story is relevant to them.”
In his role as the assistant dean for diversity and community partnerships, Ochoa strives to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse Linfield community. Learn more about his path to becoming a Harvard student in the video below.
