In the spring of 2010 while still in undergrad, I submitted my application to Texas A&M University for graduate school. In my Letter of Intent, I stated, "Once I complete the program, I will use my skills on the continent of Africa." In the summer of 2021 I travelled to the continent of Africa (Kenya & Uganda) for the first time in my life. I am fulfilling the promise. 

My friend in Uganda operates a vocational school in his village teaching among other trades, construction science and brick laying. Through my non-profit organization, SHIFT Enterprise Academy that I started while at A&M, I have fund some of the operations at the school, including supplies and tuition for students. 

Further, my friend in Kenya, is a classmates from the MLPD program. He currently operates a boutique landscape architecture firm. While in Kenya I visited sites with him, provided insight into a request for proposal, was a guest lecture at one of his real estate law classes at Jomo Kenyatta University in Nairobi. 

I am looking forward to expanding my development practice and SHIFT Enterprise Academy in East Africa over the next decade. In the fall of 2021, SHIFT hosted a virtual pilot program with 15 Enterprisers from five African nations. At the end of the five week lecture series I led, the four Enterprisers competed for seed money to launch an e-commerce company.