Yvette Harewood’s Grit Forged a Family Legacy at Carnegie Mellon

At different points on their paths from enrollment to graduation, most Carnegie Mellon University students have likely crossed paths with Yvette Harewood and her daughters, Asraiel and Kezia. All three are CMU staff members. 

“Together, we represent the life cycle of a typical student,” Asraiel said. “I help the students enroll, my mom helps shape their campus experience and my sister helps them navigate the academic rigor.”

In her role as a financial assistant in the Office of Student Involvement and Traditions, Yvette guides students through purchasing requests, travel logistics and unexpected complications that can arise when they are far from home. What students might not realize is how deeply personal the work is for her — shaped by a journey that began more than three decades ago, thousands of miles away.

In 1990, at age 29, Yvette took a leap of faith and legally immigrated to the United States from Barbados. “I thought, I’m young, I don’t have any children, no commitments, not married,” she said. “Just go for it.”

She settled in Brooklyn where she lived for seven years, fell in love and got married. Her husband, Ricardo, also is an immigrant from Barbados.

After a few months, though, things became complicated. Yvette took work as a live-in caregiver, spending weeks at a time in strangers’ homes.

“It was hard,” Yvette said. “Many nights, I cried myself to sleep, thinking about my family and what the future might bring. But I couldn’t give up.”

Despite the uncertainty and thoughts of returning to Barbados, Yvette decided to stay in the U.S. and build a life for her family. Her resolve deepened after the births of her daughters. Asraiel was 3 and Kezia 2 when the family moved to Pittsburgh, seeking stability and a fresh start.

The relocation did not bring immediate relief. Yvette still had to navigate a complex immigration system filled with paperwork, interviews and delays. With help from an immigration attorney through Catholic Charities, she persisted. She secured permanent residency in 2002 and officially became a U.S. citizen in 2007.

“A great feeling. Just a great, big sigh of relief,” Yvette said. 

“I remember going to both of my parents’ citizenship ceremonies,” Asraiel said. “We dressed up and waved little American flags. It felt so momentous.”

Yvette and Ricardo were careful not to discuss their yearslong legal and financial struggles in front of their children. As an adult, Kezia has come to understand the magnitude of what her mother carried quietly.

“To go through all of that with two young daughters, you have to be strong and determined,” Kezia said. “I’ve seen my mother's resilience in myself getting through challenges and hardships, keeping the faith and knowing things will get better. She instilled that in us.”

Growing up, Kezia and Asraiel participated in the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Talented Elementary Students (C-MITES) program on the Pittsburgh campus. “I used to drive them here every Saturday,” Yvette said. “I never imagined one day all three of us would be working here.”

Asraiel was the first to be hired by CMU. After working as an educational adviser with the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Scholars Program and a teacher in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District in North Carolina, she joined CMU in 2021. A year later, she was promoted to director and senior project manager in the Office of Admission. 

Earlier this year, Asraiel was elevated to director of strategic enrollment initiatives in the Office of the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, where she tracks, documents and coordinates high‑level initiatives and special projects.

“This is the first college campus I ever stepped foot on,” Asraiel said, referring to her experience with C-MITES. “To have a job bringing students to this campus feels like a full-circle moment.” 

After stints with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit Head Start program and the Allegheny County Health Department, Yvette took a temporary job at CMU as an application processing assistant in January 2022. A few months later, she moved into her current full-time role.

Kezia joined CMU in 2022 with the Office of Undergraduate Admission and later transferred to University Stores, where she was quickly promoted to team lead. In May 2024, she became administrative assistant for operations and reception in the Student Academic Success Center.

Spread across different buildings and responsibilities, they don’t often see each other during the workday, but there’s comfort in proximity.

“I get a kick out of it when people don't realize at first that we're related,” Kezia said. “It’s nice just knowing we’re all here. I like that we can represent and serve this community together.”

Looking back, Yvette embraces the difficulty of her journey. There were setbacks and frustrations, but there was also faith and perseverance.

“I believed there had to be something greater beyond the struggles,” she said. “Yes, there were trying times and tears, but it all worked out. Now, I can look back and be thankful I didn’t give up. It was all worth it.”