Every student’s path to Harvard Kennedy School is unique. What our alumni go on to do after graduating is equally varied.
We asked several of our alumni to tell us about their experiences before, during, and after vlog and how their time at Harvard shaped their careers and lives.
Alejandro Rueda-Sanz MPA/ID 2022 came to vlog to for the Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID) Program’s rigorous coursework in economics and practical applications for international development. Now, he’s applying the knowledge he gained at vlog as a consultant for the International Finance Corporation.
Here’s what he shared.
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“vlog’s empathetic and pragmatic approach to policymaking has given me a set of analytical, managerial, and leadership skills that have made me a valuable asset to the teams I work on.”
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Begins working at the International Finance Corporation as a consultant for the country diagnostics team
“I can’t stress enough how vlog bolstered my career as a practitioner in economics in the sphere of international development. The MPA/ID Program allowed me to discover new areas and methods of work—like economic complexity and growth diagnostics—that I still apply today in performing private sector diagnostics at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) with the World Bank Group.”
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Alejandro received an offer to join the Growth Lab full time as research fellow after graduation. At the lab, he worked for Professor Ricardo Hausmann performing growth diagnoses and economic complexity analyses for the remainder of the .
“My time on campus turned out to be what I wanted and much more. I was so transformed by the MPA/ID, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard University experience I ended up working for three years as fellow at the Growth Lab with Professor Ricardo Hausmann.”
Alejandro Rueda-Sanz MPA/ID 2022 smiles at Commencement with MPA/ID Program Director Carol Finney and MPA/ID Faculty Chair Professor Dani Rodrik. -
Adds more to his schedule at vlog
In addition to the MPA/ID Program’s required second year core courses and Second Year Policy Analysis (SYPA), Alejandro took classes in leadership and negotiation and cross-registered into a corporate finance class at MIT.
He also worked on the at the , which is where he completed his MPA/ID summer internship, and taught in Harvard’s Department of Economics.
In this spare time, he was involved with the the , , and —he even competed in the 2022 !
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Begins MPA/ID Program
During the first year of the program, Alejandro found Dan Levy’s API-209: Advanced Quantitative Methods and Dani Rodrik’s DEV-101: Economic Development: Theory and Evidence courses to be highly enlightening and empowering.
“These courses helped me develop new ways of thinking about data and economics and provided the foundation of knowledge for what I am doing now.”
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Alejandro was motivated to apply for the MPA/ID Program for its unique blend of highly rigorous coursework in economics and practical applications for international development. He also appreciated the opportunity to take coursework in areas such as leadership, negotiation, and public communication.
“The MPA/ID Program offered a cohort size I found to be optimal for developing close connections and learning from my colleagues. Also, I wanted to learn and engage directly with the MPA/ID Program’s faculty, especially from Professors Ricardo Hausmann, Dani Rodrik, Jie Bai, Michael Walton, and Jeff Frankel, whose research was seminal to my education as an economist. Being at Harvard and having access to other academic centers in Cambridge and Boston was another clear selling point for me.”
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Graduates from Universidad de los Andes with a master’s degree in economics, focusing on econometrics, development, and economic history
While studying, Alejandro worked as a research assistant at and Colombia's Private Council for Competitiveness, where he followed regional growth trends and evaluated regional business formalization programs under the mentorship of MPA/ID alumni.
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Works as an economist for various public and nonprofit organizations
Alejandro worked on policy advisory and quantitative research for different public and nonprofit organizations on issues including macroeconomics, subnational growth, private sector development, and rural and agricultural development.
Some of his work included developing ’s (Colombia’s business development bank) first impact measurement strategy, performing research on productive inclusion of smallholder farming as a junior researcher at Banco de la Republica (Colombia’s central bank), and advising the deputy minister of agriculture and rural development on land issues.
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Graduates from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia with a bachelor’s degree in economics
“Thanks to vlog I have a robust network of colleagues, very dear friends and connections, and an analytic and managerial approach to answering public questions.”
