Hania Dawood wants to dispel the myths about business students. “I think the Wharton prototype is assumed to be driven strictly by money, interested either in a career in investment banking or consulting and is a numbers person,” the Wharton grad says. “It is important to realize, however, that not all students end up with careers in investment banking or consulting, and not all concentrations at Wharton are number concentrations.”

And Hania is one of those graduates. She graduated from Penn in May 2005 with a B.S. in Economics and a B.A. in Political Science. Instead of taking on Wall Street, she’s taking on the world of international development as part of the prestigious Research Assistant Program at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC. As part of the African department, she works closely with top economists on projects ranging from preparing documentation for country missions to conducting debt sustainability analyses to researching macroeconomic reports and summaries. Not your typical desk job.

“Through missions to the African countries that I cover, I hope to always put a human face to issues of poverty and theoretical economic policies,” she says.  So how does a business student go from dreaming big to participating in global development?

Why did you choose Wharton?

I think very few 16-year olds know what they want to do in high school. I certainly wasn’t one of those who knew. I did know that I had an interest in economics and in practical things. A family friend said to me: “Wharton is the diamond, the other schools are gold.” Before coming to the US, I lived in both Bahrain and Jordan. Throughout the world, Wharton is renowned for its world-class education. I liked Wharton’s international and global perspective, and its diverse curriculum, which balances business and the liberal arts. 

How did Wharton prepare you
for where you are today?

What stands out about my experience at Wharton is the emphasis on practical approaches to problem-solving. Wharton’s case-based curriculum pushes students to constantly think about strategic and practical considerations, about how to get from A to B, rather than theorizing about the ideal state of B.

Personally, what made my experience at Wharton unique was the curriculum’s flexibility. I took advantage of my option to create an individualized concentration. Although I recognized the importance of gaining knowledge in areas like finance and accounting, I had a genuine interest in economic development. I petitioned the administration to create a concentration in Economic Development in Emerging Markets—drawing on courses from the Business and Public Policy and Legal Studies departments.

You are part of a highly competitive program
at the IMF. What do you think got you there?

My Wharton education certainly helped me get my job at the IMF.  Positions with international organizations such as the IMF are very competitive and having a degree from a top school like Wharton makes it easier for a resume to be noticed. During the interview process, I was able to make a strong case that I have used my undergraduate business degree to prepare for a career with an international financial institution like the IMF because I chose to create an individualized concentration.

What do you do on a day-to-day basis?

The RAP program at the IMF is designed for recent college graduates who have an interest in economic policy. I work in a team of economists that covers Nigeria, Angola, Gabon, and Guinea. I work closely with economists to project national income accounts, conduct econometric analyses of various economic sectors and indicators, assess countries’ debt sustainability, and monitor programs through missions to countries and data received on a regular basis by finance ministries and central banks.

Do you feel like you are helping to make the world a better place through your work?

When the recruiting season for internships began in my junior year at Wharton, I spent a considerable amount of time thinking about what I was genuinely interested in and what I was truly passionate about. I reached this conclusion: I am genuinely concerned with the intractable Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and I am genuinely concerned about the fact that the potential of millions of people is hampered by lack of economic resources. I knew that I wouldn’t be satisfied unless my career somehow contributed to solving these problems.  I hope that my career at the IMF will equip me with knowledge of the mechanisms to improve macroeconomic policies, and that, in the long run, should improve standards of living and achieve economic growth and development.

What would you like to be doing in 10 years?

I plan to get a graduate degree in public policy or economics over the next three to five years. Ideally, I would like to be a civil servant in a developing country, helping to improve the functions and efficiency of institutions. I can also see myself pursuing a career at the World Bank with a regional focus on developing countries.

Any advice for an aspiring young economist interested in international development?

Nailing a job with an international organization like the IMF, the United Nations, or the World Bank is no easy feat. These jobs are very competitive and most organizations require advanced degrees for their openings. Having said that, programs for recent bachelors’ grads, like the Junior Professional Associates Program at the World Bank, the Research Assistant Program at the IMF, and the Analyst Program at the International Finance Corporation, do exist. These institutions typically don’t recruit on campuses. So students need to be proactive, do their homework, and apply independently to these programs.

I highly recommend setting up informational interviews with alumni and talking to members of these organizations. I also say students interested in international development should get involved in relevant extracurricular activities. At Penn, for example, there are several student groups that deal with these issues, such as Net Impact, Penn Students for International Development, and Penn for UNICEF. I would also suggest taking courses that demonstrate interest in development areas. These steps will most definitely be useful and help prospective candidates make a strong case about why they’re a good fit for the position.

Any advice for young women
about to enter the business world?

The glass ceiling faced by women in business is a reality. The Economist did a special feature last July that attests to that. Ceilings and barriers across gender, racial, and cultural lines do exist. As an Arab woman in the business world, my advice to minorities and others facing such barriers is: it’s our duty to set examples. And each example contributes to breaking down these barriers.

^back to top