Hometown: Portland, Oregon and Michoacan, Mexico

Current City: Washington, DC

Why did you choose McCourt? I chose McCourt because of the curriculum in the MIDP program. The classes and requirements of this masters encompasses the analytical skills and international experiences I am seeking. McCourt's alumni network, location, and opportunities were also big factors that guided my decision to come here.

What professional/ work experience did you have prior to coming to McCourt? After graduating from Lehigh University with a bachelor's of international relations and economics in 2019, I began my career in banking in Portland, Oregon. I then moved to work for a financial company in operations where I was quickly promoted to a team lead position and was able to obtain managerial experiences while further attaining knowledge about domestic financial tools. The year before coming to McCourt I completed a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship where I also conducted an independent research project about the informal economy in my placement city.

What has been the best part of your experience so far? The best part has been being academically challenged in a community of passionate and experienced professionals. Not only are the professors extremely knowledgeable about their subject and passionate about what they teach, but my classmates are also very experienced and I have been able to learn a lot from them as well. Being challenged means that there is also a lot of active growth and it is exciting to see how much I have learned since the beginning of the program and how much I will continue learning.

What internships have you had so far during your time at McCourt? Over the summer I completed the internship requirement of my MIDP program and I worked for Econometría Consultores in Bogota, Colombia.

Student organization involvement while at McCourt: I am the MIDP representative in MSA's New Student Council and the director of partnerships for the Migration and Refugee Policy Initiative (MRPI)

Undergraduate University, degree, and major: Lehigh University, International Relations joint with Economics, and Chinese Language

Hobbies/ Interests: I am interested in volunteering for marginalized communities, financial inclusion in vulnerable populations, poverty alleviation and international development. My hobbies are making jewelry, cooking, finding great coffee shops and going to as many museums as I can!

Reach out to me about: First generation college students, Latino community, moving to DC