In 2025, I found myself working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant with the College of Engineering at the Michigan State University. What I did not anticipate is how much I would have to learn from the experience, too.
Out of over 8.2 billion people globally, Africa is home to over 1.4 billion, with more than 60% of that being youth under the age of 25. This is not just a statistic—it’s an opportunity. While populations in the West are aging and declining, Africa is growing. This is an opportunity for Africa, but are we taking avantage of it?
Last year when I began my MBA (years from when I was first fascinated with money), finance hit me with a reality check. My first-semester finance course was difficult, stretching me beyond my comfort zone. I found myself wrestling with concepts like discounted cash flows, net present value, and the intricacies of investment decisions. I found myself (better) understanding money.
My MBA team and I had the opportunity to take part in the Marshmallow challenge, and our team won by a mile, with a 28-inch structure that was completed with almost 8 minutes still on the clock (we had 20 minutes to do this), and stood strong until the end. But beyond the win, what fascinated me most was the decision-making process that determined success or failure.