On Saturday, December 5, the Integral Economic Development (IED) Master’s Programs hosted an event at CUA to celebrate its new graduates from the Integral Economic Development Management (IEDM) and the Integral Economic Development Policy (IEDP) programs. The Associate Dean and Director of Finance, Dr. Reza Saidi spoke to new graduates at the event.

Dean Saidi told graduates to remember that “You are going to face many challenges and setbacks. To get somewhere you should open the door and get out even if it is raining and you get wet. You have to take chances along the way. To succeed you need luck - to be in the right place and at the right time. You need to pause once a while and reflect on yourself. If you do not know how to do something you do not have to pretend, since you have learned how to research for a solution. You have learned to rely on team work. You cannot do it all alone.”

He encouraged them all to dream big, but to be ready to patiently pursue that goal over years. “Don't be impatient- you will one day get there. Look at me: coming from a small island in the southern part of Iran. And now I am here …”

The following students were congratulated on the occasion: Clare Ofodile, Hanadi Alabaad, Omar Fallatah, Ruaa AlAbdulRahman, Ana Hernandez, and Andrew Robles Sol from the IEDM program. From the IEDP program, Estefania Cohn and Andrea Vazquez were also honored.

In the picture Dean Saidi appears at the back row among some faculty and new graduates.

IED Celebrates New Graduates

Dean Saidi recited this Persian poem by Omar Khayam:

"The caravan of life shall always pass
Beware that is fresh as sweet young grass
Let’s not worry about what tomorrow will amass
Fill my cup again, this night will pass, alas."