This spring, MCB celebrates Julia Fannon, Assistant Director of Human Resources, Audrie Cortes Puentes, HR & Academic Affairs Coordinator, who each will each earn Master’s degrees in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the Harvard University Extension School. In addition, Che Lomonte-Gardiner, Laboratory Curriculum Coordinator within the Biology Teaching Labs team earned their Master’s of Liberal Arts (MLA), Biology, from the Extension School.
Their achievement is remarkable not only for its academic rigor, but for the commitment required to balance full-time roles in their Harvard positions while completing graduate-level coursework.
“As an individual who values continuous personal growth and professional development, I’m delighted that Julia Fannon and Audrie Cortes Puentes will earn their Harvard University degree,” said MCB Executive Director Jessica Manning. “They both exceptionally balanced their work responsibilities and completed job-related courses that have enhanced how they approach situations in their current roles. I view their individual achievements as a huge win-win for each of them and for us.”
Julia and Audrie with their colleagues
A Full-Circle Journey
For Julia Fannon, earning a Harvard degree represents a deeply personal milestone years in the making.
“I grew up in Boston, and going to Harvard was always the dream,” she said. “Not too many people in my family have gone to college… making my parents proud was a really driving force.”
After a winding professional path that included HR work at the YMCA of Greater Boston, Fannon found her way to MCB in March 2023—a role she describes as “a dream come true,” combining human resources, community engagement, and the opportunity to work at Harvard.
Soon after arriving, she began her master’s program, motivated in part by the accessibility of Harvard’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), which allows benefits-eligible employees to take Extension School courses for a nominal fee of $40 per class. The program significantly reduces the financial burden of continuing education, making opportunities like this attainable.
“It wasn’t easy… a lot of late nights, early mornings,” Fannon said. “There were times when I would go right from work to class and then be expected to turn in homework the next morning.”
What sustained her was a sense of purpose—and the support of colleagues, including Cortes, who was completing the same degree as she was. “I feel like we were able to push each other and pick each other up,” she said.
A defining moment came during a course taken alongside Harvard undergraduates. “Seeing that I was towards the top of the grading curve really reinforced… maybe I do belong here,” Fannon reflected.
That realization, she said, helped quiet early feelings of imposter syndrome and reshaped how she viewed her place within the Harvard community.
Looking ahead, Fannon plans to remain in HR while expanding her scope of work, applying new skills in areas such as budgeting and personnel forecasting.
Determination Across Continents
For Audrie Cortes Puentes, the path to her Harvard degree spans countries, challenges, and years of perseverance.
Originally from Colombia, Cortes Puentes moved to Puerto Rico and later to Boston with her sister in search of opportunity. Together, they worked full-time while attending school full-time—an experience that shaped her approach to both work and education.
“We needed to pay bills… we needed to go to school,” she said. “That dynamic was just like a habit.”
Cortes Puentes began her undergraduate studies at Bunker Hill Community College before completing her degree at UMass Boston. Her determination extended to her family as well: after she and her sister graduated, they helped their mother enroll in college, where she went on to earn both an undergraduate and a master’s degree.
“That was a challenging time… but now, thank God, we’re in a good place,” Cortes Puentes said.
After working in an engineering firm, Cortes Puentes sought a more accessible path to graduate education. Discovering Harvard’s TAP benefit was transformative.
She joined MCB in 2022 as an administrative coordinator and soon began her master’s program. Over the past three and a half years, she has advanced into her current HR and Academic Affairs role, where she supports hiring processes, onboarding, and international student visa applications.
Cortes completed her degree in approximately two and a half years, carefully structuring her schedule to balance work, coursework, and personal responsibilities. “I started with one class… and then I realized I could take two classes per semester,” she said.
Despite the intensity, she found the transition manageable thanks to her earlier experience juggling full-time work and studies.
Today, she is focused on growth and stability.“I’m enjoying this season,” Cortes Puentes said. “I want to grow professionally… but for now, I want to gain more experience and keep learning.”
A Passion for Science and Lifelong Learning
“Che’s curiosity for biology drives not only their own work but energizes the entire team,” said Clark Magnan, Biology Teaching Labs Manager. “With a friendly smile and a ready hand, Che empowers our faculty to provide premier, hands-on education in the Biology Teaching Labs. I always look forward to the new ideas and infectious enthusiasm they bring to the department.”
For Che Lomonte-Gardiner, their new degree reflects both a longstanding passion for science and a commitment to continuous learning. “I was the first in my family — my parents didn’t go to college — so I was the first to graduate, and that was a big deal,” they said.
Lomonte-Gardiner joined Harvard in January 2022 after working at the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute Biotechnology Academy, where they served in research and instructional roles focused on marine genomics and laboratory-based teaching.
Today, as a laboratory curriculum coordinator in MCB, Lomonte-Gardiner helps oversee four teaching laboratories that support a wide range of courses, including many MCB classes. Their work includes preparing laboratory materials, ensuring safety protocols, and supporting instructors and students throughout the semester.
As soon as they learned about Harvard’s Tuition Assistance Program, Lomonte-Gardiner began taking courses. “My wife likes to tease me that I’m just going to be this lifelong learner,” they said with a laugh.
Their academic path reflects a broad curiosity about the biological sciences. After earning an undergraduate degree in animal behavior from Coastal Carolina University, Lomonte-Gardiner worked in a neuroscience laboratory at Yale University, where their experience caring for sea jellies helped launch their career in laboratory science.
At Harvard Extension School, they focused their graduate studies on biology, taking courses ranging from deep-sea biology to advanced laboratory sciences. “It was really fun to just take things that were very interesting,” they said. “Now I can maybe understand a little bit more of what some of the classes that come through my labs do.”
Lomonte-Gardiner credits both the Extension School and colleagues within MCB for supporting their educational journey, including Magnan, who encouraged them throughout the program. “It’s hard to figure out how to balance, especially in science, going to school while trying to work,” they said. “I felt very fortunate that I was able to do both, and that Clark was very supportive of it.”
For Lomonte-Gardiner, graduating from Harvard carries special meaning not only personally but also for their family. “My parents get to go to Harvard graduation, and they are ecstatic,” they said.
A Shared Achievement
Together, Fannon, Cortes Puentes, and Lomonte-Gardiner represent the spirit of dedication and mutual support that defines the MCB community. Their accomplishments also highlight the impact of Harvard’s Tuition Assistance Program, which opens doors for employees to pursue advanced education while continuing to contribute meaningfully to their departments.
As commencement approaches, their achievements stand not only as personal milestones but as an inspiration to colleagues across Harvard.
