Vadim Abanin

Current position and employer: Operations Analyst, IFC

Hometown: Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Current City: Washington, DC

Why did you choose McCourt? I chose McCourt because of the distinguished reputation of Georgetown University and the McCourt School of Public Policy along with their location at the heart of the policy-making world in Washington, DC. McCourt’s proximity to policy-making institutions, think tanks, and policymakers, and the opportunities in Washington for internships and practical experience are probably unmatched anywhere else in the world. In addition, the combination of the academic breadth and quantitative rigor at McCourt provide an unsurpassed foundation for a career as a policy professional. The McCourt School and Georgetown University also support an array of student organizations (e.g., the McCourt School Policy Innovation Lab, which focuses on human-centered design framework to address policy issues in the DC community), which have enriched my overall student experience.

What was the best part of your experience? The best part of my McCourt experience has been the opportunity to learn from world-class faculty and make friends with students from all over the world, along with access to the numerous events and activities happening on campus and around the Washington, DC area.

What internships did you have during your time at McCourt? I was one of four fellows at New America, working on the issues of automation and the future of work. I also interned at the World Bank on the Doing Business report.

Student organization involvement while at McCourt: I was involved with the McCourt Policy in Practice as chair of the organization and Policy Innovation Lab as a member of the workforce development team. I also helped establish Georgetown Technology Policy Initiative (GTPI) student organization at McCourt.

Undergraduate Degree and University: I received my Bachelor of Arts in Global Affairs with a minor in Business from George Mason University.

Hobbies / Interests: I try to make the most of what DC has to offer: street festivals, museums, and other social activities. In my free time, I enjoy running and playing soccer.