Esther Adegunle, who achieved her Economic Development Executive Certificate from Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Executive Education, matriculating through Implementing Public Policy, Leading Smart Policy Design, and Leading Economic Growth, has committed her life and work to the economic development for the continent of Africa. She currently serves as an Associate Director Business and Economic Growth DAI Nigeria, and is the founder of BeyondaDegree, an NGO dedicated to supporting students and new graduates in their transition to post-academic life. Her advocacy for Africa is also channeled through her written series "The Brilliant Citizen and the Economist," aimed at simplifying economic concepts for broader audiences.
Even with her robust resume, she knew there was much more to learn in her field, and further growth she could achieve in her career. “I recognize the power of continuous learning and development; specifically, I wanted to strengthen my economic and policy skills,” she said. “During the HKS executive programs, I kept asking; What more can we do to make Africa grow? What are the missing links? What can we learn? How can we accelerate the continent’s growth?”
She was able to address these questions, among many more, in her executive education programs, and the impact that her time at HKS had on her life is multifaceted. “The implementation of my learnings has started in my everyday work and the executive programs equipped me with learnings for my personal life, too,” she said. “Specifically, my relationships with my colleagues across various countries are stronger and we achieve more as a team. My view of development is also deeper and more connected. I utilize the learnings in my various media platforms when I engage with government, policy makers and the private sector. For BeyondaDegree, the learnings have made us more purposeful, and we are expanding our services to other African countries; the amazing network from the programs is instrumental in doing that.”
The tools Esther gained made an immediate impact on her organizations, while also transforming her own leadership skills for the better. “I am a better and stronger leader both technically and in my soft skills,” she explained. “My productivity has significantly improved, and I learned practical models and frameworks for economic analyses from the Leading Economic Growth program. I understand that development is a journey and so I am more tolerant of Africa’s growth path while still exploring growth and development enhancers.”
As she looks forward to next steps in her career, she knows her path will always be shaped by her commitment to furthering economic development in her home continent. “There are myriad of challenges but therein lies many opportunities,” she said. “I will continue to utilize my skills towards being a part of Africa’s development, so that when the story of Africa is told, I am included among the thousands of resilient people that helped to achieve the continent’s development.”
As someone who has completed three programs, Esther is well-versed in the executive education experience at HKS, and she has unequivocal encouragement for anyone who is considering attending a program. “It is invaluable! It is a lifelong value if one is intentional about continuously harnessing it – technical and people resources. I certainly recommend identifying the gap to be filled in one’s professional area, look for a program within the executive education program and go for it.”