From Zambia to Pittsburgh: Business Student Values Global Perspective

Jeromy flew from Lusaka, Zambia, to Pittsburgh in 2023 to begin his journey as a graduate student in the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business. He said goodbye to friends, family and his job as a financial development officer in the treasury department of Coca-Cola to pursue an MBA. 
 
“I was intrigued to do an international master’s and I was inspired by people I know who did international programs and got skills from outside my country,” said Jeromy. 

New journey, new experiences

Jeromy chose Duquesne’s program because of its sustainability and leadership focus, opportunities to consult with real-world clients and its impressive global ranking. 
 
Though he was excited to begin his studies, Jeromy grew nervous to leave home. However, Pittsburgh’s reputation as a friendly city was quick to shine.
 
“I'm the first of my family to come to the United States. I didn't have people to depend on and I didn't know exactly what to expect getting around,” he said. “Before I got my car, I relied on public transportation and people were very friendly and willing to show me around because they knew I wasn’t from here.”
 
Jeromy also appreciated support he received from faculty and his cohort. “They wanted to know if I was safe, if I had enough food and so many other things,” he said. “I came to know about many social places. We did a lot of great things together like golfing.” 

A horizon-expanding education

Opportunities to work with local businesses were plentiful. Through a graduate assistant program, Jeromy partnered with Duquesne’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to teach business principles to more than 150 entrepreneurs around the Pittsburgh region. 
 
Through this experience, Jeromy discovered how many facets of business are connected in meaningful, productive ways and decided to pursue an additional master’s degree in analytics and information management. 
 
“Through working with different companies, I learned a lot of leadership, strategic management and decision-making,” he said. “I decided to do another master’s to get more insight with data so I can make more data-driven decisions and have more opportunities to interact with clients through the SBDC.” 

Alongside a team, Jeromy participated in—and won—the Super Analytics Challenge. The Challenge addressed systemic challenges of health care for the homeless, with the goal of connecting people who have unstable living situations with the health care they need. 
 
Jeromy’s team focused on providing preventative dental care to at-risk populations. Throughout the process, they remained open to each other’s insights. 
 
“Teamwork was the greatest thing,” he said. “We were well-blended and respected each other's boundaries and skill sets, working together to present and win the challenge.”

Inspiring others, pursuing bigger goals

After seeing Jeromy thrive at Duquesne, his older brother Welani began his own graduate school journey at the School of Business. 
 
“With the experience I've gotten, the skill set I have, and how I'm able to handle business and social issues, a lot of people have been inspired,” said Jeromy. “They want to come to Duquesne, so I help them through the process and connect them with people who also can help them.” 
 
With another graduation on the horizon, Jeromy is prepared for anything and looks forward to reentering the workforce with new skills and fresh eyes. For now, he’s attending conferences to soak up as much knowledge as he can and networking with professional associations, connections made by his Student Success Coach. 
 
While it hasn’t been easy spending two years away from home, Jeromy is grateful for the person he’s become and for the community and enduring connections he’s built.

“We've created a family, and I love what I do here,” he said. “It's an extended family and it's amazing how Duquesne has given us so many opportunities.”