From Kenya to Grand Forks

For Leader in Action Imelda Mashalia, North Dakota winters are a small price to pay for a UND Applied Economics & Predictive Analytics degree

When Imelda Mashalia began exploring graduate programs in economics and data analytics, she didn’t expect her search to lead to an unexpected discovery: the University of North Dakota was one of only two institutions offering the exact program she needed.

Choosing UND brought her from Kenya to Grand Forks, opening a door to an academic experience and campus community that would challenge her, support her and feel like home.

After earning her degree in Economics & Statistics from the University of Nairobi in 2020, Imelda worked as a data analyst in several roles, eventually realizing that she wanted to broaden her expertise in both economics and analytics.

“Applied Economics & Predictive Analytics prepares you for the industry because what we learn [in the classroom] is exactly what’s used in real-world jobs,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave economics behind, and I love working with data — I didn’t want to choose between them. I wanted a program that strengthened both.” 

When she discovered that UND was the only public university offering this rare combination, it became the clear next step — and the beginning of an experience that would surprise her in ways she didn’t expect. 

Read and watch more about Imelda and her successful career at UND.