Crystal Harrell is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, certified Academic Success Coach, and Ph.D. candidate at Yale University. After growing up in public housing apartments with nine siblings and losing a parent to a chronic disease, Crystal saw education as her ticket out of poverty. She has been awarded over $670,000 in scholarships throughout her academic journey, including the prestigious Bill & Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship. Crystal’s story has graced the TEDx stage, and her popular education blog benefits thousands weekly. Her first best-selling book, Crystal Clear: A Journey of Self-Discovery, inspires fellow non-traditional students to harness the power of personal growth and self-awareness to achieve their goals. Crystal's research emphasizes the interplay between psychology and spirituality, focusing on enhancing well-being through Spiritual Consciousness. Crystal’s ultimate goal is to raise awareness of our human potential and show that it is possible to rise against all odds and live out your wildest dreams.
Crystal Harrell, Best-Selling Author, Speaker, & Success Coach
You've managed to defy the odds and achieve incredible academic and personal success. What was the turning point in your life that solidified your commitment to education?
As a child, I had a great fascination for acquiring knowledge, and as I got older, I started to see education as my ticket out of poverty. Although my parents didn't have the opportunity to pursue higher education due to their disadvantaged backgrounds, they always instilled the importance of education in me and my nine siblings. My father would always quote the late B.B. King, saying, “Education is something that no one can take away from you.” As a child, my father was my first educator, inspiring me to invest in my most valuable asset: my mind.
I attribute much of my success to the encouragement of my parents in my early life. The turning point came during early adolescence after losing my father to leukemia. This event was traumatic, and my family changed drastically after that. During this challenging time, education became a way for me to enhance the bond I felt with my father through learning since he taught me how to read and write before I began school. I miss him every day, but I know that he would have been proud that I followed my dreams of attending college, even when I was not sure how I would pay for school initially. After applying for over 30 scholarships in high school, I received five academic awards to help pay for my education. I believe that was the final confirmation I needed to solidify my commitment to education.
You've received numerous scholarships, including the Gates Millennium Scholarship. What advice would you give other students searching for scholarships and educational opportunities?
The most significant piece of advice I would give to students who are in this part of their educational journey is to believe that they can achieve the goals that they set for themselves. Without belief, most students will never try. When I was searching for scholarships, I told myself that even if I had been rejected, which I received several rejection letters during this time, I definitely would not have received any scholarships if I never applied. This means you must develop a belief in yourself to dedicate the time to this endeavor. This may mean asking for help from educators and guidance counselors. Self-belief is the first step, and that is developed from within, everything else you can figure out.
"It's crucial to stay adaptive and open to change if you want to be successful in anything that you do." – Crystal T. Harrell
What resources or recommendations do you provide students to support their well-being?
I am a huge believer in asking for help. This process shows emotional intelligence and strength. I asked for help while looking for ways to pay for my education. I asked for help when applying to an Ivy League doctoral program for the first time. I even asked for help when I was trying to figure out how to overcome childhood trauma. As someone who used to struggle with anxiety and panic attacks due to the childhood trauma I experienced after losing a parent at such a young age, I know that if I never reached out to others for help, I would still struggle with those things today. Having a sense of well-being influences everything that we do. It influences the way we interpret stressful life events. Asking for help allows us to expand our knowledge and develop a different worldview. If you know someone in your life who has achieved what you are trying to achieve, whether that is professionally or personally, then go to them and ask them how they did it. You can also go to the internet and seek guidance from leading experts there. Most people would be more than happy to help you, but they are waiting for you to make your needs known.
What future projects or initiatives are you currently excited about, and can you give us a sneak peek into what you're planning next?
My main goal for the future, and at the present moment, is to find more ways to serve. I have been blessed with the opportunity to spend the last 11 years in college training to become a behavioral scientist. For the years to come, I would like to figure out innovative ways to give away all I have learned during this process. This is why I started my YouTube channel and education blog while in college. I want to speak more about the many things that have helped me create a life beyond my wildest dreams! In this information age, content creation is just one of the many ways we can begin telling our stories and empowering others along the way. I believe what I am doing now with my work will only evolve as I do. Once I graduate from Yale School of Public Health, I would like to continue working in research as a behavioral scientist, but I am open to what that may look like. If I am using my voice to empower others, I know I will be walking in my purpose.
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