Maud Kouadio

Before coming to CUA, Maud was attending Howard University where she got her bachelor degree in Finance with a concentration in actuarial science. She also intern in the financial department of the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP). Maud chose the Integral Economic development Management Program offered at The Catholic University of America in order to gain advanced and specialized knowledge as well as hands-on experiences required to promote international development. So far she thinks it is a very interesting and learning experience which gave her the opportunity to interact with a variety of people with different background. She also thinks that because of that variety, the program is a good illustration of the international development world.
Her ARP project is about the evaluation of implementation of 1:1 computer in High schools in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. This project in controlled by Intel Corporation in association with the Ministry of Education in Rwanda. The goal of this project is to increase the use of technology in the educational system in the country in order to improve academic achievements and to develop 21st century skills of Rwandan youth.

Apply Now! For questions or more information please contact as at integral-development@cua.edu or call 202-319-6183. Information Request Form

Vania Arzadon

Vania is a full-time student in the Integral Economic Development Management Master’s program. Before relocating to D.C. for the fall semester, Vania lived in Orlando, Florida where she received her undergraduate degree in Business Economics from the University of Central Florida. While attending her UCF, she began working for Siemens Energy Power Generation as an administrative assistant and have since provided 8 years of service as a Commercial Business Analyst, even still providing part time consulting remotely. Her professional background has been invaluable and she hopes to apply her experience within the private energy sector to development projects in energy, water and infrastructure in US and abroad.
Her interest in development was admittedly recent. Vania said "growing up in the States, the issue of poverty and inequality can easily be swept to the back of our minds." Quietly inspired by what was the U.N.’s Millenium Development Goals, her experiences with the Adult Literacy League of Central Florida, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Florida, and Coalition of the Homeless of Central Florida all contributed to her decision to find a Masters’ program that would equip her to effect real change in development.
For Vania, the IED Program at CUA highlights not only strong quantitative skills needed for measuring real change but includes an approach that accounts for all aspects of development, particularly the ‘integral’ human. Vaniai highlightts in the integral approach, "people are not just cold numbers and statistics, but rather, decision makers in the context of a family unit, and of a community and how the Applied Research Project requirement of the program allowed students to apply these skills in a real world setting." For example, Vania’s ARP will measure the long term impact of typhoon resistant school infrastructures in disaster-prone Philippines in not only educational attainment but health and fertility outcomes, as well as impact on social and civic contributions in the affected. Her experience at CUA and the D.C. area has been fulfilling so far, learning from so many backgrounds and cultures different from her own.
"Despite living in the capital of one of the most developed countries in the world, the area is not without its own poverty and inequality, showing that real need is not only abroad in far-off foreign lands but could exist in that part of your city that ‘you just don’t go to’. With this program, I hope to go to those places that ‘you just don’t go to’ and meaningfully contribute in an integral and sustainable way"

Apply Now! For questions or more information please contact as at 

integral-development@cua.edu or call 202-319-6183. Information Request Form

Saud Alshabi (Arabic)

لقد وجدت في واشنطن دي سي جامعات مدهشة التي تساعد الطلاب على أن يكون تعليمهم جيد والأداء جيدا في الميدان بعد التخرج. CUA هي واحدة من هذه الجامعات، وأنا واثق من أنني لن أندم على اختيار CUA. وقد اخترت CUA لأنها تحظى بسمعة طيبة في الولايات المتحدة والمملكة العربية السعودية بالإضافة إلى أساتذاها الرائعين الذين يهمهم مساعدة الطلاب للحصول على المعرفة الكافية للنجاح في البرنامج. وعلاوة على ذلك، CUA لديها دورات التي توفر للطلاب مع أخلاقيات العمل القوية، وهو عامل ضروري بالنسبة لي عندما أحصل على وظيفة. أيضا، لقد أوصاني بها صديق الذي يدرس حاليا في CUA ولقد قيل لي بأنني سوف اكتسب المهارات اللازمة ومعرفة المزيد عن النهج المتكامل في التنمية الاقتصادية. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، سوف اقوم بدراسة التنمية الاقتصادية المتكاملة في CUA لتقدم لي معلومات كافية في كيفية جعل التنمية مستدامة، وهو عامل حيوي ومن شأنها أن تعطيني الفرصة للمساهمة في التنمية الاقتصادية في المملكة العربية السعودية. كما أنني وجدت أن CUA تعطي الطلاب الفرص لحضور الحلقات الدراسية لمعرفة المزيد عن الشركات والمؤسسات. إذ يسمع أي طالب عن هذه المزايا والفرص المذهلة، أنا واثق من انه أو انها سوف تكون متحمسة للدراسة في CUA.

لقد حصلت على شهادتي البكالوريوس من جامعة الملك سعود في إدارة الموارد البشرية. بين عامي 2011 و 2013، عملت في مؤسسة فيصل بن عبد العزيز الجهني للتجارة. في قسم الموارد البشرية. كما كنت مسؤولا عن البحث عن موظفين البلاد الذين لديهم القدرة على العمل. كما تم تعيني لتنفيذ وتنسيق وفقا للأوامر التي تاتي من قبل مشرفي. لقد عملت كموظف بدوام جزئي قبل أن تخرج. عندما تخرجت، أكملت العمل معهم لبضعة أشهر. بعد ذلك، لقد تركت العمل بناءا على طلبي بسبب رغبتي باكمال دراستي واستغلال الفرصة التي أعطانا ملكنا. أخيرا، سوف أسعى جاهدا لمعرفة المزيد عن التنمية الاقتصادية المتكاملة من أجل تحقيق أهدافي في المستقبل.

Saud Alshabi (English)

I found in

Washington D.C. spectacular universities that help educate students well so the can perform well after graduation CUA is one of those universities and I am sure that I will not regret choosing CUA. I selected CUA because it has a stellar reputation in the U.S. and in Saudi Arabia, in addition to its wonderful professors who help students to get sufficient knowledge to succeed both in the program and after graduation. Furthermore, CUA has courses that provide students with a strong work ethic, which is necessary for when I get a job. Also, a friend of mine, who is studying at CUA, recommended the University. Additionally, I have been told that I will gain the necessary skills and learn more about the integral approach in the economic development. In addition, studying Integral Economic Development at CUA will provide me sufficient information in how to make a sustainable development, which is a vital factor that will give me the opportunity to contribute to the economic development in Saudi Arabia. I also found that CUA gives the students the opportunities to attend seminars to learn more about companies and organizations. If any student hears about these spectacular advantages and opportunities, I am sure that he or she will be passionate to study at CUA.

I received my bachelor's degree from King Saud University in the Human Resources Management major. Between 2011 and 2013, I worked at Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Jehani Trading Est. in the human resources department. I was responsible for looking for employees nationwide who were incapable of working. I also have been assigned to implement and coordinate according to the commands by my supervisor.  When I graduated, I finished working with them. After that, I left them upon my request because of my desire to pursue my master’s degree and to take advantage of the opportunity that our king gave to us. Finally, I have been admitted to CUA and I will strive to learn more about the Integral Economic Development in order to achieve my goals and being a successful person in the future. 

Apply Now! 

For questions or more information please contact as at integraldevelopment@cua.edu 

or call 202-319-6183.

 Information Request Form