These twelve students will support the Department of International Development in the upcoming months in social and community-building activities. Read about their stories here.

Saddi Basnet (Media Ambassador)

“I’m pursuing an MSc in Development Management at LSE. Prior to LSE, I was a Project Manager at Cox Communications in Atlanta, GA leading multi-million-dollar capital projects in the telecommunications industry. Before joining Cox, I was an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer at Atlanta Habitat for Humanity as an Operations Assistant. Having received my undergraduate degree in International Relations from North Carolina State University, I have always had an interest in the international arena which is what brought me to LSE. During my undergraduate studies, I was part of various extracurricular activities including being an Orientation Counsellor, University Ambassador, and Chancellor’s Aide. By becoming a Student Ambassador in the ID Department’s Team Media, I hope to be an active member of the student body at LSE, contribute to the department’s future, and meet other classmates along the way. When I’m not in the library, I enjoy photography and experimenting with new recipes!”

Rachel Epstein (Media Ambassador)

“I’m on the MSc Development Studies programme and I’m most interested in the politics of loss in post-conflict state building. I hold a BSc in Political Science and a BA in English and I have worked for an MP, a strategic communications agency, and legal aid firm for underserved women. As I am originally from London, studying at the LSE was an easy choice, especially when it came to the caliber of student thinking the school is known for. I chose to apply for the Student Ambassador role because I have deeply enjoyed my time in the Department thus far and wanted to bring my personal tool-kit to our community. I appreciate opportunities that allow me to incorporate my different experiences to support places and people that I feel personally connected to; being a part of Team Media does just that.”

Innocent Anguyo (Media and Events Ambassador)

“I am a student on the MSc in Development Management programme and I have experience in Government Relations, Research, Media Relations, Communications, Community Relations and Journalism with several media houses including Bloomberg.

Originally from Uganda, I graduated from Makerere University with a BA in Mass Communication and an MA in Financial Journalism and Globalization from City University of London.

I enjoy playing football, hiking, making friends and volunteering. I volunteered with UNESCO in Uganda before coming to LSE.”

Salena Wang (Media and Events Ambassador)

“Hi! I am Salena, currently studying MSc Development Studies. Previous to LSE, I graduated from the University of Warwick with BSc Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) and interned for United Nations World Food Programme China Office at the Centre of Excellence. In the past, I have also worked as a research assistant at IDS on the Belt and Road Initiative and volunteered at Fundación Acción Joven, a local NGO in Costa Rica.

My academic and life experience at LSE has been fantastic so far with great fulfilment of interacting with people from diverse intellectual and professional backgrounds and exchanging ideas on the critical issues of development. As a student ambassador for Team Event and Team Media, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be more engaged with the department and provide support for organising public events and build channels that could deliver the original insights of the student experience at LSE.”

Monica Moses (Events Ambassador)

“I’m currently enrolled in the Development Studies program. I’m from Mumbai, India and I’ve come to LSE straight out of my undergraduate degree in Sociology, with some work experience in advocacy and policy-related research. Some areas of my interest include the impact of development on environmental discourses and the conflicts that arise between states and civilians, especially in democratic countries. The ID department at LSE has an extremely diverse range of practical, contemporary courses on different areas of my interest and since I come from a background of limited work experience, it was a very attractive opportunity for me to expand my knowledge base. I hope that as a Student Ambassador for the department events, I get to interact with more of my fellow students and help be a part of their memorable experiences with the department!”

Casey Clark (Events Ambassador)

“I’m originally from the USA and I’m studying for an MSc in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies. I have an undergraduate degree in International Relations from American University. Prior to coming to LSE, I lived in Washington, DC and worked for an international development organization doing financial modelling and value analytics. I wanted to join Team Events as a way to meet others within the ID community at LSE and learn more about all of the interesting things going on in the department. After LSE, I hope to get a job working overseas in emergency response.”

Deepjyot Kaur (Events Ambassador)

“Hi, I am pursuing MSc Health and International Development. I have worked previously in Healthcare Technology and am passionate about Healthcare services. I chose this course at LSE as it provides an understanding about health policies and challenges faced in delivering healthcare services from international development perspective.

Outside of regular coursework, I enjoy interacting with people which I am sure I will get to do a lot more being a Student Ambassador. I have prior experience in managing events and I am excited be part of Team Events. I look forward to working with the ID Department to make LSE ID Events and Conferences a fulfilling experience for all students.”

Ebi Ameli (Mentorship Ambassador)

“Hi. My name is Ebi. I am a student of the MSc Development Management Program in the International Development (ID) Department. I studied Economics for my undergraduate degree and prior to studying at the LSE, I worked at a big four accounting firm in Nigeria.

I chose to become an ID Ambassador in the Team Mentorship unit because I remember how I perused through the LSE website countless times during the pre and post application and admission-offer period seeking answers to a variety of questions and how I just wanted to speak to someone and explain the specifics of my situation and ask follow-up questions. I joined because I would absolutely love to be part of a team that supports and shares insights and advice to next year’s ID offer holders.”

Natasha Glendening (Mentorship Ambassador)

“I’m currently studying on the MSc African Development programme. Before this, I studied Politics and International Relations, also at the LSE. I decided to stay at the LSE for my master’s, one because I had fully embraced LSE’s motto ‘to know the causes of things’ and I was desperate to learn more! During my undergraduate degree I also took an African Political Economy course run by an ID Professor; I was enthralled by the subject matter and inspired to study it further and the African Development degree at LSE looked perfect. I’ve had an amazing experience in the ID Department so far, and it was this, combined with my passion for LSE and its research, which made me want to ‘give back’ by becoming a Student Ambassador. I know how important it is, when choosing a master’s programme, to talk to current students about their experiences, and I wanted the opportunity to help inspire other potential students to choose LSE ID.”

Unsia Hussain (Mentorship Ambassador)

“Hey everyone! My name is Unsia and I’m an MSc Development Studies student. I completed my undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Reading. I’m from Pakistan, but I grew up in the United Arab Emirates, and have been living in Canada for the past year or so. What drew me towards the International Development department was its interdisciplinary nature and focus on overcoming complex social and economic challenges.

Moving to a new place for university can sometimes be unsettling and stressful, but sharing our own experiences with others is a great way to help them feel more prepared. Being a Student Ambassador in Team Mentorship will not only help prospective students feel more prepared for their time at LSE, but it’s also a great opportunity to meet new people and learn more about the diverse community we all belong to.”

Lucy Lu (Mentorship Ambassador)

“I grew up in Beijing, China, and completed my undergraduate studies in Political Science in the U.S; during my undergrad, I spent a year abroad in Florence, Italy, and a semester at the LSE. I fell in love with all that LSE has to offer during my brief exchange here and decided to come back for graduate studies. My academic and professional interests lie in technological innovation projects related to poverty reduction, environmental protection, and empowerment of marginalised groups. Before LSE, I have worked for the World Economic Forum in Beijing, the UK Parliament, Outright Action International in New York, and the Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press in Washington DC. My social science background and my work experience in the non-profit sector led me to pursue the interdisciplinary field of international development. I joined team Mentorship because I wish to help incoming MSc students to feel welcome and have the best LSE experience, by answering any concerns regarding the course structure, visa, housing, and any other general question they have about London.”

Mikhael Farr (Mentorship Ambassador)

“I’m Mikhael Farr, a humanitarian and development senior officer by trade and an adventurer by heart. I have over 11 years of experience working for multiple UN agencies and governments including most recently the Canadian Government. I am an MBA graduate from the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) and currently undertaking my MSc in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies at LSE.

I’ve been enjoying the student life over the past few months and look forward to leveraging my education at LSE to further advance my career within the humanitarian and development fora. I’m receiving the experience of a lifetime at LSE and hope that I get to transfer the knowledge I’m gaining, coupled with my work experience, to help inform you on potential paths for employment upon your graduation from LSE.

On the fun side, and apart from being a nerd, I do enjoy being a tourist when time permits especially all around the UK. Also, being positioned so close to Europe has its perks too with cheap short-distance travel that gets me to have sometime away over weekends and return to my studies all freshened-up and ready for reverting to a nerd all over again ?. Looking forward to hearing from you and happy to help in any way possible.”

The views expressed in this post are those of the author and in no way reflect those of the International Development LSE blog or the London School of Economics and Political Science.