MISSION, TEXAS (September 3, 2026) - A dream that began in a first-grade classroom carried Mission CISD alumnus Moisés Ayala from the Mission-Alton community to Harvard University, where he recently earned a bachelor’s degree in economics.
Ayala said he first heard about Harvard when a classmate mentioned that her brother attended the university. He did not know much about the school at the time, but his teacher’s reaction made an impression on him.
“I saw the face of amazement that my teacher had,” Ayala said. “I thought this must be some sort of huge accomplishment to aspire to.”
What began as a childhood idea eventually became a goal Ayala was determined to pursue.
Turning a dream into a plan
Ayala attended Mission CISD schools throughout his education before enrolling at Mission Collegiate High School. As he progressed through high school, he began dedicating more of his time to academics and preparing himself for the college application process.
“I shifted my focus to my academics because Harvard was a goal of mine,” Ayala said.
Still, the cost of attending a university like Harvard initially made the goal feel out of reach. His perspective changed during his sophomore year when Mission Collegiate’s first valedictorian, who also attended Harvard, returned to speak with students.
Hearing from someone who came from the same school and community helped Ayala understand that financial resources and other forms of assistance were available to students from backgrounds similar to his.
“After that, it just motivated me to continue pursuing,” Ayala said.
The experience created a meaningful cycle of inspiration: A Mission Collegiate graduate returned to encourage Ayala, and Ayala has now returned as a Harvard graduate to encourage the next generation of Mission CISD students.
Preparation strengthened by personal support
Ayala said he chose Mission Collegiate because of its college-focused mission, challenging coursework and reputation for preparing students for higher education.
“The mission for Collegiate is to prepare students for college,” Ayala said.
As a smaller campus, Mission Collegiate also gave him opportunities to form close relationships with teachers who became familiar with his ambitions.
“Since it is a smaller school, they have more time to dedicate to students,” Ayala said. “The relationships that I made with my teachers really helped me.”
Teachers and counselors helped him explore college opportunities, strengthen his application and better understand what would be required to compete for admission to a highly selective university.
“They got to meet me,” Ayala said. “They got to hear my story, my plans, my goals.”
That support extended beyond the classroom. After Ayala was accepted into a Harvard summer program while still in high school, a Mission Collegiate teacher offered to pay for the books he needed for the course.
For Ayala, that gesture represented the personal investment Mission Collegiate educators made in helping him reach his goal.
“I probably could have never done this by myself,” he said.
A long-awaited acceptance
Ayala submitted his Harvard application through the university’s early-action process. When the decision arrived, he initially could not bring himself to open it.
After waiting and working through a slow internet connection, he finally saw the word “Congratulations” on his screen.
“I let out a scream because I couldn’t believe it was real,” Ayala said.
The acceptance represented the culmination of a dream he had carried for approximately 10 years.
Ayala later moved to Massachusetts and completed his economics degree at Harvard. Along the way, he continued developing the independence, persistence and ability to seek support that helped him throughout his Mission CISD education.
Encouraging the next Mission CISD student
Now a Harvard graduate, Ayala wants students from Mission, Alton, and the surrounding community to understand that ambitious opportunities are not reserved for students from somewhere else.
His message is simple: Do not eliminate yourself from an opportunity before trying.
“Continue to dream big,” Ayala said.
He also encouraged students to build relationships with their teachers and counselors, ask questions, and use the resources available to them.
“Use your teachers as resources,” Ayala said. “They’re here to help you. They could be a mentor toward achieving that goal of yours.”
Ayala hopes his journey will help other students see that universities such as Harvard are not beyond their reach. With preparation, persistence, and the support of people who believe in them, he said students can pursue goals that may initially seem impossible.
“My piece of advice is to have that crazy dream and then actually pursue it.”