At SFS, Keith Richards (SFS’24) majored in international political economy (IPEC) with a certificate in African studies and a minor in international development. Aspiring to a career as an economist in the public sector, Richards plans to make the most of the skills and knowledge he acquired at Georgetown.

Richards’ choice of study combined a number of long-time interests. “In high school I loved econ, government and math. When I came to Georgetown, I wanted to find a major where I could have a balance between quantitative and qualitative, econ and politics. The IPEC major was perfect for that,” he remembers. “I also realized early on that I was very passionate about international development and I felt that IPEC was the best major to explore these interests.”

Richards hit the ground running with his proseminar, Future of Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa with Professor Ken Opalo, which solidified his interest in economics in Africa. Richards went on to become a research assistant for Opalo and further explored this interest through a summer study abroad program in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

While Richards was drawn to IPEC from the start of his time at Georgetown, his academic journey was profoundly shaped by his mentors, Dean Mitch Kaneda and Professor Ken Opalo, who encouraged him to pursue his own research and the African studies certificate. Along with the support of Kaneda and Opalo, Richards found that the SFS curriculum more broadly allowed him to easily make these adjustments. “The SFS has such an incredible variety of classes that no matter how my interests changed and evolved, there were always classes to explore these passions,” he says.

Economics On and Off Campus

Richards expressed his passion for economics through a number of activities on campus, including as chair of the Carroll Round International Economics Conference Steering Committee, a consultant for Georgetown Global Consulting and a tutor for fellow Hoyas taking economics and statistics courses.

Close to home, Richards applied what he had learned in his classes as an intern in the Office of African Nations at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Through Georgetown’s Development Challenges in Tanzania internship program, Richards was also able to see his course concepts in action through his work with Bright Jamii, a non-profit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania that aims to strengthen child protection systems.

Silver Linings

For Richards, even the worst situations at Georgetown could be transformed into treasured memories. In fact, his favorite Georgetown memory has a somewhat inauspicious opening: an outbreak of COVID-19. “My sophomore year, my friends and I all had a trip planned to North Carolina for Easter break, but 2 days before all except one of us had Covid and we were forced to quarantine in the Georgetown Hotel,” he recounts. “We ended up spending the whole break together, playing games, having long conversations, and having our friend bring us an unlimited supply of snacks. Those few days when the campus was empty and it was the start of a beautiful spring in DC will always be the greatest I’ve spent at Georgetown.”

A Lifelong Interest

After graduation, Richards hopes to get a Ph.D. in economics and eventually become an economist working in government or at the IMF or World Bank. Wherever he ends up, he knows Georgetown has played a pivotal role in shaping his future.

“From my friends to my classes and mentors, I think I will always look back on my time at Georgetown with fond memories and as the place where I found what I wanted to dedicate the rest of my life to,” he says. “I can say without a doubt that where I will be in 10 years will be a testament to the opportunities I had at Georgetown.”