Welcome to the International Leadership and Business Program!

On Sunday, we welcomed interns from across the country to Georgetown University’s campus for an exciting week ahead! Their first day on campus marks the beginning of a memorable experience, where lives are transformed and lifelong friendships are formed.

Throughout the week, interns will have the opportunity to work closely with businesses in Bauchi State, Nigeria, while hearing from business leaders in both the United States and Nigeria. They will collaborate with dedicated mentors who will guide them as they develop solutions to help support and grow these businesses.

After all of the interns arrived and settled into their dorms, they were officially welcomed into the program with a keynote address by Marshall Bailly, Leadership Initiatives’ Executive Director, who outlined the expectations and goals for the week. Following the keynote, interns met Eli Seiden and Zac Clark, Directors of the International Leadership and Business Program, as well as Annie Jin and Anisha Buxi, the program’s Assistant Directors, and Danielle Saborio, the program’s Junior Assistant Director. During this session, interns were introduced to the teams they will be working with and the Nigerian business partners they will support throughout the week. The interns also heard from Umar Muhammad, Leadership Initiatives’ Nigeria Country Director, who provided insight into the challenges facing businesses in Nigeria and the importance of sustainable international development.

To wrap up the day, interns headed out for Georgetown Exploration, where they explored the Georgetown neighborhood with their teams. As they walked through the historic streets and visited local shops, they became familiar with the area surrounding campus, and interns had the opportunity to connect with one another in a relaxed setting. The activity encouraged team bonding while giving everyone a chance to experience one of Washington, D.C.'s most vibrant neighborhoods before beginning their project work.

After a full day of traveling, meeting new people, and learning about the businesses they will support, the first day of the International Leadership and Business Program came to a close. From inspiring keynote speakers to exploring Georgetown with their new teammates, day one laid the foundation for an exciting and impactful week ahead.