Ijeamaka Obasi, MBA ’18

Kia Motors Corporation Scholarship
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Obasi, Ijeamaka

I am originally from Chicago, IL but have lived throughout the United States. While living in Houston, TX, I taught sixth grade math for two years in an underserved community. This experience led me to start a social enterprise, Black Girls Graduate that promotes educational attainment and professionalism among women of color. Opportunity and impact is extremely important to me. Just as your scholarship is giving me an opportunity, this is something I aim to do for others both personally and professionally.

I applied to NYU Stern after learning about its Center for Business and Human Rights. NYU Stern is the first business school in the country to create a center devoted exclusively to merging the two fields of study. I believe that is entirely possible to use market based solutions to address social issues and to apply standards for measurable impact. At Stern, I can gain the skills to work for a social impact fund or to eventually advise businesses. During my first semester, I was a fellow at the Center and examined human rights frameworks to determine how indicators might be used to show return to investors. I am excited to combine my legal studies in international human rights, and business studies in finance and marketing, to be in a position to make compelling arguments in the future.