Name: Edayatu Lamptey
Current City: Pittsburgh, USA
Nationality: Ghanaian
Undergraduate: Allegheny College
Graduate School: Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon
What do you currently do? I recently graduated from the Heinz College with a Masters degree in Public Policy and Management. Currently I am working as a Research Assistant extern for Dr. Jendayi Frazer, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.
Why did you decide to pursue graduate school? I have a strong passion for African economic development and this stems mainly from my Ghanaian upbringing. It’s my desire to serve my country and continent and in order to have a positive and better impact in that part of the world, I knew I had to further my education to enable me gain the professional experience, analytical skill sets and leadership skills to prepare me well for work in that field. I chose the Heinz College because of its strong rigorous quantitative workload and also the leadership and professional opportunities that the school offers to graduate students.
What are some of the factors you used to evaluate different graduate programs?
- Course work and the concentration areas
- Professor profiles: their CV’s, books, their past and present projects and how involved them have been on the policy front.
- Alumni network, what past graduates are doing, mainly Africans and where they are now
- Diversity on campus and its trends.
For other African women interested in attending a school like yours, what is the best way to prepare in advance? I think it is very important to first visit the school, get the chance to talk to current students, African women preferably or international students, or a representative from the admissions office to learn more about the programs, classes and professional development opportunities that the school has to offer. Learning more about the school will help you determine if that’s the sort of graduate school environment you will want to be in. Usually graduate schools have happy hours and other social events, try attending one or two just to socialize and talk to the students. Use this opportunity to learn more about the school and also network.
This is also very important since you get a chance to witness the academic and social life of graduate students that attend that school. Whilst you are there, you should probably sit in on one of the classes and have a one-on-one with a professor of interest to you to get a sense of how professors interact with students. Do not be afraid to ask lots of questions, remember you have nothing to lose.
Many of our readers are concerned about taking the admissions tests either the GMAT, GRE, or LSAT. How did you deal with those examinations and do you have any tips to share in getting ready for the big exam? The summer before my application due date, I spent the entire summer studying seriously for my exam and also getting my professors to write my recommendation letters. I highly recommend forming a study group, maybe with your friends who may also be preparing for the same exam, but make sure this does not turn into a chitchat session. If you are like me, this will keep you motivated and also give you the chance to learn new prep tips and strategies. Two months before the exam I made sure I took a timed practice exam once a week and when necessary. This is not a strict rule, you can customize this to your study style, but just make sure you familiarize yourself with the exam atmosphere before the big day.
What is one thing you were surprised about when you started school? I was very surprised to find few African students on my campus, as a matter of fact very few African women.
How did your program help prepare you for your career? My program provided me with the opportunity to work with experts in the policy field. Also I got the chance to work with the UNDP on a self-designed project with a couple of my peers. This has always been my dream. Working on a policy project that was going to be used in regulating environmental policy was a blessing and great opportunity to both my colleagues and I. Through this project and other professional and leadership opportunities I gained confidence and expertise in the field of policy analysis and I look forward to continuing in this same capacity and facing the challenges that lie ahead of me now.
What are your plans in the future? Currently I am doing my best to learn from influential policy changers and experts in the field of international economic development. Each day my goals and plans become more specific and defined, but ultimately, I aim to start my own policy think tank that will focus mainly on economic and monetary issues in my home country and my continent.
For young women, just starting their careers what’s one piece of advice you’ve received that you would like to pass on? As a young African professional and a woman as such, I will advise that all young women should aim at forming strong professional networks. I will like to advice these young women to network well with other women, especially their African peers. I think most people, especially women underestimate the power of networking. It is very essential to get to know what your counterparts are doing, share ideas, encourage one another and build each other. I am sure most people have heard this before but very few actually practice this. Young women should not live in isolation, especially African women.
Thank you Edayatu for sharing your wonderful story with us. We aim to provide our readers with behind the scenes news on the top graduate schools around the world. If you would like to be featured or would like to nominate someone, email info@thesavvymadam.com.
Photo Credit: Carnegie Mellon University
The Savvy Madam 