Ijeoma Obiedelu
About Ijeoma
- Field and focus area of study: Global Development
Hometown: Anambra, Nigeria
Favorite place at Cornell: The OPPEL student lounge in Kennedy Hall and the Global Development Sisler Student Hub
Interests and hobbies outside of schoolwork: Watching true crime documentaries, meeting new people and learning more about them and their culture
What led you to apply to the CALS MPS program - what were you doing before grad school?
Before applying to the MPS program, I was deeply involved in peacebuilding, education, and gender inclusion efforts in Nigeria. I worked as a United Nations Development Programme Nigeria Jubilee Fellow with the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, where I contributed to climate security projects in Northwestern Nigeria, addressing food shortages, conflict, and insecurity caused by climate change. Additionally, as the Founder and Program Lead of the Forward Falls Initiative, I advocate for access to quality education for disadvantaged students in conflict-affected communities in Nigeria. My desire to complement my experience with graduate education and develop innovative peacebuilding strategies, particularly in education and gender inclusion, led me to apply to the MPS program in Global Development.
What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
My short-term goal is to focus on economic empowerment for women in Africa as a tool to reduce poverty, promote peace and gender equity. In the long term, I want to use my knowledge and experience to build stronger, more equitable communities across the continent.
What are the strengths of the CALS MPS degree program?
The MPS program in Global Development stands out because of its multidisciplinary approach. It brings together critical scholarship and practice in development studies across agricultural, environmental, life, and social sciences. This integration has allowed me to engage with complex global challenges in a meaningful way. Additionally, the ability to tailor your degree to your specific interests and professional needs.
What words would you use to describe the CALS MPS degree program?
Innovative, impactful, and life-changing
What were some of the most rewarding moments while in your program?
I worried that what I was passionate about was unconventional and feared I might not be allowed to do it as my capstone project. However, when I spoke to my program director about the idea, which involves women's safety and economic empowerment in the mobility sector, he listened and validated my beliefs, telling me it was possible to do that as my capstone project. This is rewarding because I can follow my passion and incorporate it into my capstone project, and my program director is now my capstone advisor! Talk about getting the best of both worlds.
What courses were your favorite? Why?
- Public and International NGO Management: This course provides essential knowledge and skills needed, especially as a founder of a nonprofit and a leader in the development sector.
- Leadership Assessment for Managers: This course pushed my understanding of self-awareness and taught me to appreciate feedback and leadership assessment on a deeper level.
- Program Evaluation: This course equips me with the skills to assess the effectiveness and impact of projects and measure outcomes, which is critical in every sphere of life.
- MPS Seminar: I love this class because this is one of the few times I get to meet my cohort and share various experiences with them.
What advice would you give to your younger self embarking on the journey of graduate school?
Do not be afraid, you will figure things out as you go and you are much more capable than you realize.
Why are you interested in Women’s Education/Entrepreneurship?
When women are educated and economically empowered, it causes transgenerational empowerment. I want to live in a world where education and empowerment have ripple effects on society.
What are the biggest challenges you want to tackle in the world?
Dwindling quality of education, women's safety concerns, and economic empowerment, especially in Africa.
How has the program helped you pursue what you’re passionate about?
I am the 2025 RANA prize winner. The Ronny Adhikarya "Niche" Award (RANA), in collaboration with Cornell’s Department of Global Development, is given to a graduate student who has shown innovative thinking in Global Development. This prize comes with financial aid, enabling me to carry out in-depth research, which will help me pursue my capstone project on women’s safety, economic empowerment, and social impact.
What Cornell / Global Development MPS resources have been most helpful?
My classmates, professors, and all the connections I have made here at Cornell! They have given me the best opportunities and life-changing information.
Share about your capstone project.
Every day, millions of women in Nigeria face a hidden yet pervasive challenge - unsafe public transportation. Harassment, assault, and even fatal attacks have turned commuting into a constant risk, limiting women’s access to education, jobs, and economic independence. A 2023 study in Nigeria at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, found that 93% of female students had experienced sexual harassment while using public transport. This is a crisis demanding urgent action.
My capstone project aims to create a female-led mobility-on-demand startup that provides safe transport and employment for women in a male-dominated sector. This initiative promotes gender equality, economic empowerment, and public safety, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
By launching in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, we will enhance mobility, create jobs, and drive economic independence for women. With success, this model can expand across Africa, transforming urban mobility into a safer, more inclusive space for women.