Peter Segall Innovation Fellowship
Driving Continuous Innovation in Youth Career Readiness.
American Student Assistance (ASA) has established the Peter Segall Innovation Fellowship to improve career readiness outcomes for teens.
The program is named after and inspired by former ASA Board Member, Peter Segall, in appreciation for his legacy in spearheading edtech solutions, and for his excellence in strategic thinking for effective product development that propels innovation.
Segall Innovation Fellows are current graduate students or postdoctoral scholars in education, public policy, social science, media and communications, and related fields. Fellows will collaborate with ASA’s experienced staff on scholarly projects that advance both their own research work and help ASA build a generation of successful students who are confident, competent, and ready to realize the future they envision.
The Fellowship is an opportunity to develop substantive skills and business acumen while making progress on the Fellow’s area of scholarly focus. Fellows will have the ability to collaborate with ASA on a project that is aligned with ASA’s mission and draws on the Fellow’s unique background. Examples of projects of interest to ASA include conducting innovative research on the perspectives of kids and the adults that support them, tackling complex education technology challenges, or sourcing, analyzing, and developing educational policy recommendations for the federal, state, and local levels. However, ASA is open to a wide range of other educational research that aligns with helping students imagine their life after high school.
Prospective Fellows should submit a proposal consisting of their resume or CV and a detailed cover letter. The cover letter should address reasons for pursuing the Fellowship, a brief description of a scholarly project that would be carried out that is related to ASA’s mission, and how this project could bring innovation to ASA. Compensation will be provided and commensurate with the duration and scope of the research. We are accepting proposals for the 2025-2026 academic year through May 15, 2025.
Meet Our First Fellow: Ezza Naveed
Ezza Naveed is a dedicated educator, learning designer, and social entrepreneur committed to expanding opportunities for underserved communities. She earned her Master of Education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, where she focused on learning design, innovation, and technology. At Harvard, Ezza oversaw and enhanced the Culture Lab Innovation Fund, a quarter million dollar seed grant program that empowers Harvard community members to design for social impact. In Pakistan, she launched the Young Leaders Program at Urraan, a bootcamp program that equipped over 600 students with technical and leadership skills, empowering them to land their first jobs in the tech sector. She completed her undergraduate degree at Minerva University, where she lived in a new country each semester. Ezza incorporated key takeaways from this experiential education experience into the design of the Imagination Lab.
The Project – Piloting the Imagination Lab
The Imagination Lab in Lawrence, MA is an innovative, hands-on learning program designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving among young people. Led by ASA’s first Segall Innovation Fellow, Ezza Naveed, this pilot project was a collaborative effort among Lawrence High School, Junior Achievement of Greater Boston, and mentors from Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). The Imagination Lab offers an immersive 8-week experience where students identify issues they care deeply about in their local communities and work in teams to develop innovative solutions. Through experiential project-based learning, students apply their critical thinking skills to build tangible prototypes that address real world problems. With a focus on access and designed to include students who are newcomers, the Imagination Lab empowers students to envision bold futures for themselves and their communities.
The Result: Pitch Day at Harvard
Eighteen students from Lawrence High School’s Business Pathways program participated in the inaugural cohort of the Innovation Lab. In March 2025, they showcased their innovative projects and prototypes at Harvard University. Over eight weeks, these students developed solutions to issues they cared deeply about, enhanced their initial ideas through community interviews and expert mentorship, used a design-thinking process to refine their prototypes, and honed their presentation skills. The culminating “pitch day” at Harvard provided a platform for them to share their ideas, and highlight their hard work, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. Faculty judges from across Harvard and MIT—including Michael Horn, Tanya Wright, Alec Resnick, Carola Suárez-Orozco, David Dockterman, and Josh Bookin—engaged with each team’s pitch, explored the prototypes, asked thoughtful questions, and offered constructive coaching in an inspiring session. This event was organized by the Imagination Lab, with support from Harvard Graduate School of Education faculty and students as well as Ms. Maureen Santiago, Mr. Roberto Duran, and Ms. Jasmine Garcia of Lawrence High School. The initiative not only celebrated students’ dedication and innovation but also strengthened connections between Lawrence High School and the Harvard academic community. Students and staff are now implementing their projects at their school.
About
WHO IS PETER SEGALL?
Peter Segall is the Managing Director & Operating Partner at leading software and internet growth private equity firm, Insight Partners. He is a former CEO and General Manager with a successful track record of growing innovative SaaS companies in the education, human capital management, and healthcare sectors. In addition, Peter spent two decades serving on ASA’s board (1998-2022) advising on innovation. He loves helping to build organizations with positive team-oriented cultures that create value for all stakeholders.
