Stories from Our Community

Nathaniel Kado (MA ’19)

Nathaniel Kado

MA ’19

African Studies

Nate applied to Johns Hopkins SAIS for the strong focus on economics and exceptional faculty in the African Studies program. In addition, the school’s French language component and the career trajectories of its graduates were significant factors that affected his decision to apply. He was also drawn to the location in Washington, DC with its convenient access to networking events, multilateral organizations, federal agencies, think tanks and more across the city.

Prior to graduate school, Nate conducted research on microbusiness development in Kibera, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and later worked in the corporate finance department for a big American health insurance company.

While enrolled at the school, Nate participated in the school’s inaugural Social Enterprise Pitch Competition where he pitched scalable cold-storage facilities to prevent harvest loss in rural towns in Kenya; he was the second-runner up. He currently serves as the first-year MA representative in the Student Government Association and leads the Career Services committee where he solicits feedback from students in order to find ways to enhance the career services center. This spring, Nate will intern with the US Treasury Department Office of African Nations.

 Nate believes his graduate degree will open many doors for him and is leaning toward a multilateral career upon graduation. He hopes to work in a capacity that enables sustainable economic development in East Africa.