ERIGRAD – Ridwan Abdu Mohamednur
Tell us about yourself (your full name, where you went to school, what you studied, hobbies, where are you from…etc.)
My name is Ridwan Abdu Mohamednur, I’m from the SF Bay Area and I graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in Economics. I enjoy overall fitness, reading, spending time with family/friends, and traveling.
How would you describe your college experience?
I had a great college experience, met life long friends, built a great network and finally learned what I wanted to do professionally.
How did being Eritrean impact your college experience?
Being Eritrean definitely humbled me and motivated me more than anything. Knowing and accepting the fact that I have a lot riding on me to succeed; as well as not seeing a lot of Eritreans in some of these elite institutions and Fortune 500 companies and firms. I quickly realized that I want to be that person to bridge that gap. I want to see my people in all types of industries helping each other grow both personally and professionally.
Why did you choose your college?
I chose Berkeley because of the prestige and it being close to home. I’m a family man at the end of the day. So knowing that I can get a great education and staying close to home was a no brainer.
What’s the biggest piece of advice you have for Eritrean college students?
Don’t be afraid of getting outside of your comfort zone. Meeting new people, establishing a great network and asking questions. In Berkeley there’s a saying, ‘your network is your net-worth”. You’ll never evolve as a person or help your community if you’re constantly in the same circle. Venture out and establish a great rapport with different types of people BUT never forget where you came from.
Also build on good habits while minimizing bad ones. If you aren’t constantly evolving as a person then what are you doing? In this thing we call life we constantly have to keep battling ourselves first and foremost to try and be the best version of ourselves. Everyone has a best version of themselves and you’ll never know unless you keep challenging yourself to do better and be better.
What are some of your post-college plans?
To constantly keep growing both personally and professionally. Just because I’m not in school anymore doesn’t mean I stop learning. I want to get into Management Consulting because I want exposure into different industries, not the practices of an individual firm. Management Consulting gives you a unique lens to understand multiple companies within an industry which is an advantage to serve the next client better than the one before.
If you could, how would you help ERITREA & the ERITREAN people in your community through your gained knowledge & skills in college
By applying my knowledge for the greater good for people. Whether it’s helping folks with college/job applications, resume help and overall advice. As well as funding different ideas and projects for the benefit of my people. As Eritreans we don’t invest in ourselves enough especially to others. And investment doesn’t always mean financial. It also means investing your time and it is just as valuable as financially investing into someone/something if you ask me.