Andrew Blanco

Master of Education candidate
Harvard Graduate School of Education

Prior Education

Cornell University, M.B.A.
Cornell University, B.S.

Professional Experience

United States Air Force: Aircraft Maintenance Officer
Raytheon Company: Principal Supply Chain Specialist

Biography

While leading our base’s maintenance training office, I gained a firm understanding of how organizations work to sustain their people’s skills. Doing maintenance on jets, my team had little room for error, and my top priority was ensuring that units’ aircraft technicians were prepared with the right knowledge and experience. However, I often found myself in the midst of a delicate balancing act between today’s mission demands and tomorrow’s training needs.

Drawing from this experience at a time when our country is wrestling with the future of its public schools, I see parallels in how we educate ourselves as a nation. As our society’s reliance on computer and Internet literacy grows, understanding how online collaborative technologies can be successfully harnessed within our schools and used to develop students as learners is more vital than ever. Through my volunteer work in the education sector, I saw firsthand the complexities of our school systems and know that my Zuckerman Fellowship experience will better prepare me to face challenges with demanding, multifaceted solutions.