Aysha Valery: Reflections at Graduation

Valery, a 2020 Harvard Kennedy School graduate, was a Belfer International and Global Affairs Student Fellow

Aysha Valery graduated in May 2020 from Harvard Kennedy School with a Master in Public Policy degree. A Belfer International and Global Affairs Student Fellow while at HKS, she holds a J.D. from Cornell Law School and a B.A. in Political Science and International Studies from Yale University, where she focused on international humanitarian law in conflict-affected countries in Africa and the Middle East. Valery studies conflict resolution and economic development so that she can advise these countries on how to successfully transition to peace. She is also a member of the New York State Bar.  

“I came to the Kennedy School,” Valery says, “to get the knowledge I needed to support communities living in conflict-affected areas in Africa and the Middle East in their peace building and development endeavors.  While I did gain this knowledge through my negotiations and economic development courses, I gained so much more. For example, I learned how to humble myself to receive feedback, to be a better listener, to be more empathetic and understanding towards others, and to be more open to different perspectives.”

Valery says she is especially grateful to Professors Eric Rosenbach and Erica Chenoweth. “I found them to be incredibly refreshing at this school. They were humble, practical, and offered fresh new perspectives on policy issues. They represent all the qualities of an exceptional public servant that I desire to emulate.”    

“Thank you to the staff and professors at the Belfer Center for enriching my educational experience," she says. And a "shout out to Karen Ejiofor.”