How a Master’s Degree Helped Shaker Lashuel Close the Credential Gap

Shaker Lashuel had a doctorate in educational technology and a master’s degree in secondary science education to go along with 15 years of experience as a teacher.

“And yet, that would not have been enough to be considered for leadership roles,” he said.

It’s a frustrating reality many veteran educators face when they don’t have the HR-appropriate credentials to transition into administration.

“Realizing that this was the gap, I sought the Moreland program to give me that background,” he said.

That program was the Master’s in Educational Leadership, which Lashuel completed in 2021 along with a certificate in school management and leadership from Harvard University.

And that was what officially bridged the credential gap. Now, he’s transitioning into the role of executive director of the Qatar Leadership Academy.

A Career Built on Curiosity

Lashuel didn’t set out to become an educator. He completed his undergraduate degree in geology at Brooklyn College and began to pursue a master’s degree when a teaching assistant position sparked an unexpected passion.

“It made me connect with the teaching profession and made me see the value in teaching,” he recalled.

At the time, New York City offered a program that allowed people with scientific backgrounds to begin teaching under a provisional license while earning their formal educational credentials. Lashuel took advantage of the opportunity and started teaching middle school science in the public school system.

He didn’t stop there.

“I got into the profession around the time the internet was just rolling [out], so it was something I became interested in, and… in addition to teaching science, I also became responsible for technology in the building,” Lashuel remembered. “That led to a role in teaching technology for both students and staff.”

From there, Lashuel moved through various school- and district-level roles, gaining an in-depth view of both classroom pedagogy and system-wide management mechanics.

International Experience, Advocacy, and Growth

After 15 years in the New York City educational system and with a doctorate in educational technology on his resume, Lashuel relocated to Saudi Arabia for a role managing scientific support initiatives and education-project funding across the country.

As he advocated for higher-quality instruction and systemic reform, he understood that he could have a bigger professional impact. Without a specific educational leadership credential, though, he knew that HR departments screening for director- and superintendent-level roles may flag an “academic gap.”

He set out to find a program that would address this.

“In doing the research, I liked [Moreland] because all the modules seemed to focus on every aspect of educational leadership, culminating with a master’s,” Lashuel noted. “Affordability was also part of that calculation.”

The Moreland University Experience

Even with his thorough research, aspects of the 12-month, 100% online Master’s in Educational Leadership program still surprised Lashuel.

“I didn’t anticipate the intensity, the amount of work, and the comprehensive coverage and real-world application of the program,” he said. “Those are the things that I later on appreciated about it.”

The curriculum pushed him to better understand the realities of running a school.

“You finish with a great level of confidence that you’ve touched every aspect of educational leadership — not in a theoretical way, but in a practical way,” Lashuel reflected.

He also enjoyed being part of the program’s global cohort, which connects educators from around the world.

“The degree of interactivity and knowledge exchange that happened between the cohort members — I felt that was a great value for me, and it enriched the whole experience,” he said.

A Framework for Leadership

Earning a leadership-specific credential paved the way for Lashuel to make his current transition into an executive director role, but he’s quick to note that the degree alone didn’t get him there.

“A degree gives you the framework — the dimensions, the different aspects, the awareness of all these things you have to keep in mind,” he said, “but you walk into a position with everything you have done, with everything you have learned, and humanity to make it work and to get people to work with you.”

For Lashuel, a Moreland master’s degree gave him the operational know-how to complement the foundational skills and student-centered thinking he developed over 15 years in New York City. For teachers and aspiring administrators, the real key to success is how those elements work together.

“[A degree] has to be part of a well-thought-out strategy to get to the next step in your career,” Lashuel said. “It’s not about a position, it’s not about a title. It’s about a mission. It’s about delivering value and increasing one’s sphere of influence.”

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If you’re considering the next step in your career, Moreland is ready to support you and your goals. Complete your free application to one of our 100% online 12-month master’s degree programs or our 12-month M.Ed. with Teaching Credential today. It takes less than 15 minutes to take this important step toward professional growth.