I was born in Ghana and moved to Colorado in 2008 for high school. I always had a keen interest in development economics and policy, and in undergrad (Princeton ‘15), majored in Public Policy and International Relations. My first job was at an economic research think tank in Washington D.C., Center for Global Development. As a research assistant, my work involved analyzing data on energy poverty and multilateral banks to shape policy proposals that could drive better development outcomes.
After two years, I sought to learn how those ideas worked in practice. I moved back home to Ghana to serve as a junior advisor at the Finance Ministry. It was an exciting time that gave me clear insights into the multi-faceted and sometimes intractable nature of economic transformation. In that role, I interacted often with global private financiers on transactions like government bond issuances and infrastructure projects. That made me curious about a career on the other side of the table as an investor.
In 2019, I returned to Washington D.C. to work in the Global Energy team at the International Finance Corporation (IFC). At the IFC, I worked on massive investment projects in renewables, oil & gas, and power that typically spanned an army of banks, insurers, and project developers. I realized I did not have sufficient training in business fundamentals and private sector investing. Business school was thus a necessary step to fill those skill gaps and make a full pivot into the private sector.
I am a co-chair of both AAMBAA and Booth Africa. Getting to work with my colleagues to improve the representation and experience of Black students at Booth has been a highlight of my MBA experience. From admissions events in Ghana and coffee chats with perspectives to First Day admit weekend and the DuSable Conference, the work our team has undertaken has been equally fulfilling and fun. Being a co-chair has given me the opportunity to connect one-on-one with more of my classmates when sourcing feedback on how to strengthen our community. The role has also allowed me to interact with many incoming Boothies from Africa and the United States (class of 2025) through the admissions process.
How has your involvement in the African American MBA Association (AAMBAA) contributed to the connections you’ve made during your time at Chicago Booth?In October, we hosted our first annual charity brunch, the Roc Nation Brunch. We featured local artists, the venue was beautiful, and everyone came out in their Sunday best. At one point, 20 of us were dancing the electric slide to “Before I Let Go” — it was such a blissful moment!
AAMBAA is a strong embodiment of Booth’s pay-it-forward culture. From admissions to recruiting, our community always shows up for each other. That strong base has allowed us to dialogue and work with Admissions, Graduate Business Council, and the Dean’s office to make Booth a more inclusive and nurturing environment for students of African descent. Also, follow us on Instagram @blackatbooth for the BTS footage!
It has been a very eventful Black History Month! I just returned from Tuck Black Ski in Park City, Utah. It was a wonderful weekend with 300+ black MBAs from top business schools, including 20 Boothies. We definitely held our own on the slopes and the dance floor, I might add. My fellow co-chairs also worked diligently on AAMBAA’s annual DuSable Conference, which took place on February 18. The theme this year was Black Ingenuity: Lifting Our Community As We Climb. Our speakers were truly phenomenal and we celebrated afterward with an after-party at Tribe, a black-owned supper club in the West Loop. The DuSable Conference continues to be an excellent opportunity for Booth to learn from and engage with the black business community here in Chicago.
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Booth alumnus and co-founder of DxTx Pain and Spine, Mack Mazeski, elaborates on his successful career outcomes in the healthcare industry, including recognition in Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
Catching Up With Mack Mazeski, '20
We connected with Sydney, to hear how the insights and connections she gained in our two-year MBA program have reverberated throughout her career.
Catching Up With Sydney Ramgolam, ‘19