Andrena Mason, Ed.M.

Current IIH Fellow
Mason, '19, is the IIH Project Coordinator, and an alumna of Harvard University

Andrena Mason is the Project Coordinator for the Immigration Initiative at Harvard (IIH) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. With a rich background in education administration and classroom teaching, Andrena brings valuable expertise to her role at IIH. Andrena’s career at Harvard spans over a decade, during which she has held several key positions. Prior to joining IIH, she served as the Program Administrator for Language & Literacy and the Teacher Education Program, showcasing her deep understanding of educational programming and student support.

Before her administrative roles, Andrena was a dedicated classroom teacher, instructing students in 3rd, 6th, and 9th grades. This hands-on teaching experience not only enriched her understanding of student needs but also informed her approach to educational program development and community engagement.

In her current position at IIH, Andrena coordinates administrative aspects of the initiative, collaborating closely with the faculty director to enhance IIH’s impact both internally and externally. She manages the virtual and marketing aspects of the IIH speaker series, maintains the initiative’s website, expands its social media presence, and designs and contributes to various publications including the IIH newsletter, the academic research publication, the IIH Educator Brief, an academic research briefs.

Andrena’s expertise extends to student services, Ivy League admissions, and community building. Her skills in project management, event coordination, writing and strategic communication contribute significantly to IIH’s mission of fostering evidence-based discussions on immigration policy and practice.

A lifelong learner herself, Andrena holds a Master of Education degree from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Communications. She most enjoys hearing and reading the stories that IIH’s rich and vast community of and immigrant-origin students, researchers, and academics share about their journeys through education.