School Founders of the World

We, HGSE students, face the challenge of founding, owning or directing educational spaces all over the world. We are entrepreneurs on a mission to change the world through education, and face many challenges along the way: loneliness, stress, exhaustion. But we are not alone, and we can find ways to build educational cultures combining personal well-being, deep relationships and democratic engagement! This group aims at creating meaningful relationships and interactions among HGSE students to foster different wellness and relationally-oriented education, business and leadership models to build a better society. And it all starts with transforming ourselves.

Context for the 2025 Education for Flourishing Conference

In the past four decades, a number of wisdom traditions have been increasingly examined and evidenced with scientific rigor. These offer powerful insights, practices and springboards upon which we can engage in radically embodied actions for meaningful system change.

The Second Renaissance is a global movement towards rigorous enquiry and deliberate action for inner growth and cultural evolution in the service of social transformation - creating a radically wiser, weller world. The term Second Renaissance originated from the works of Francisco Varela, the well-known Chilean neuroscientist and co-founder of Mind and Life. It is an imperfect term to convey a new integration of Western scientific approaches with Eastern Wisdom traditions.

Human flourishing is a state of optimal well-being where one’s potential develops across all aspects of life, including physical, mental, social, spiritual and civic, characterized by a sense of purpose, meaning, positive relationships, and personal fulfillment. This conference explores the intersection of this multi-dimensional development in education, for the benefit of positive system change in the way we think and act in education.

Presented by

Harvard Research Scholar 2024-25

Clinical Psychologist

Boaz Feldman

Boaz, a researcher and clinical psychologist, ordained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, completed over 7 years of silent meditation retreats, led numerous war-zone humanitarian missions, and presented at over 30 international conferences. At Harvard University, he is a Research Scholar (at HGSE), an Education Ambassador (at HCCRC), and the European Director for the Harvard Alumni for Education.

Ed.M candidate in Learning Design, Innovation and Technology

Rodolfo Santoyo

Rodolfo “Rudy” Santoyo is an educator, innovator, and learning design strategist focused on bilingual education and technology for human flourishing. With experience in teaching, AI-driven school systems, and democratic school design, he envisions a future where immersive tech and culturally responsive pedagogy empower students. Rudy is currently pursuing his master’s at Harvard, refining his vision for transformative education.

Ed.M candidate in Education Leadership, Organization and Entrepreneurship

Cecilia Zhou

Cecilia Zhou is a results-driven education entrepreneur with experience in school expansion, revenue growth, and strategic scholarship acquisition. She is the partner of ICTUS Audio Inc. post-production studio and its subsidiary, ICTUS Music Academy. She has also led nonprofit initiatives, including building libraries, managing summer trips and organizing career mentorship for rural underprivileged students.