Armelle Sadi

Uniqueness is an individual’s greatest asset, because experiences and contributions are perceived differently for everyone. Armelle was born and raised in Cameroon, but she was exposed to the international setting very young. Ever since Armelle was a child, she would travel around with my mother to visit relatives who lived in Europe (France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy). Also she is the only child in my family who received a full education in English so, for high school, Armelle attended a Christian international school from grades 7 to 12. During her time there Armelle interacted with students from different countries and backgrounds, and developed an interest in studying in the United States. Prior to attending graduate school at The Catholic University of America Armelle pursued a bachelor degree at George Mason University where she also took a minor in International Studies. After her graduation Armelle worked as an intern at a healthcare, Anna Healthcare, in DC. She really valued the time she spent at Anna Healthcare because it contributed to her decision of specializing in developmental economics. Valuing and treating each individual in a unique way is fundamental to the development of individuals, and to economic growth in the long run. One of the main reasons why Armelle chose the economic development program at The Catholic University of America is because it is one of the few programs that really understands the importance of treating every development case individually. We live in a word where ideology does not necessarily make things happen anymore, so it is important to bring something different but realistic to the table. At The Catholic University of America I have the opportunity to get a good sense of the different fields that exist in development economics, and figure out what future specialization Armelle would be interested in for her career. Also, Armelle gets to explore the different job opportunities that are based here in DC, and enjoy having professionals’ perspectives and methodologies on different economic issues. For her ARP, Armelle is currently working with her Integral Economic Development professor, Dr. Aguirre. They are designing an impact evaluation of the implementation of Intel personalized computers in Paraguay by using an integral approach. Research and evaluation is vital because it will provide Intel with the necessary information to shape their programs into the existing educational programs and technological infrastructure in Paraguay. It also helps to understand the importance of research and institutional knowledge, as well as the different interplaying roles of economic agents in the effectiveness of a program. 
Armelle’s experience at CUA and DC in general has been very beneficial so far. Armelle believes that every little learning opportunity should be seized, because better education, more research, and a better understanding of the world in which we live in are the core principles for sustainable development.