Could you tell us about your journey to UCLA?
I was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - and then moved to Bangkok for my IGCSE's after which I moved to Los Angeles and enrolled at El Camino College. After two years there, I transferred to UCLA to complete my bachelor's and then proceeded to pursue and complete my master's degree as well.
Could you speak about your career and how it has progressed since graduating from UCLA?
It was a slow start - I was out of work for about a year - even getting an unpaid internship was a struggle! After submitting my thesis for my MA, I moved to Zimbabwe where my mom was working at the time. Things were tough. I began keeping myself busy with an unpaid internship at the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and got involved in the poetry and creative scene in Harare and enrolled at Alliance Francaise to improve my French. In early 2011, I had a breakthrough in my career - I applied, interviewed, shortlisted and got accepted for an Advocacy Associate position with one of the oldest and largest pan-African, women's rights organizations - FEMNET. I moved to Nairobi, Kenya to start that role.
What inspired or motivated you to pursue work abroad? Was this always your plan? 
Yes, I was an international student from Ethiopia. I never had plans to stay in the US, and having studied development studies, it made sense to go back to the continent where the work was most needed. I wanted to be home - and home was really anywhere on the continent.
What do you think are the most important components for educating students to be culturally competent global citizens, regardless of their major?
Curiosity. Openness. Travel.