Current position and employer: World Bank and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Hometown: Ubulu-uku, Delta State, Nigeria

Current city: Washington, DC

Why did you choose McCourt? It felt like McCourt spoke to me—the curriculum, the faculty, the location.

You know how you are certain of the big picture, but you are not exactly sure how to get there? That's how my relationship with international development has been. I've always been fascinated by Economic Theories, especially with regards to fine-tuning them into workable development policies. And so, I did my research and realized that McCourt was the institution that could help me paint this perfect picture.

The networking opportunities it promised was another major check for me. I knew that being here would expose me to experts of international development policy, both within the McCourt community and in the DC area.

What was the best part of your experience? The best experience for me has been the fact that I'm surrounded by brilliant minds. The members of my cohort are amazing, the faculty is exceptionally sound, and the guest speakers at several seminars organized by the school have left me in awe.

The most important thing for me as a policy maker is to contribute to policies that affect subgroups that I am passionate about. And so I love the fact that on several occasions, I have spoken and felt my voice was heard.

In terms of my best experiences outside academics, I love the balance between schoolwork and social activities—especially the happy hours and hangouts.

What internships did you have during your time at McCourt? I worked as an Intern on a financial inclusion project with Georgetown University's Initiative on Innovation, Development and Evaluation (Gui2de).

Student organization involvement while at McCourt: 

1. African Policy Students Association (President)
2. Financial Inclusion Group (President)
3. LGBTQ Policy Initiative (Board Member)

Undergraduate Degree and University: B.sc Economics, University of Nigeria.

Hobbies / Interests: When I'm not walking around with an unintended scowl, I enjoy watching documentaries, writing, and reading.