MAGOGODI MAKHENE

Gallatin School of Individualized Study

Master of Arts, May 2010

Concentration: Alternative Asset Class Investment, International Development and Contemporary African Studies

Bio and Resume (.pdf)

Magogodi Makhene is pursuing a masters degree focused on the application of private equity and venture capital as vehicles for economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. She is particularly interested in the employment of innovative financing models to support African small medium enterprises. Magogodi is a South African native from Soweto, who grew up during anti-apartheid economic sanctions and political unrest. This period was formative and still colors her passion for social justice and democracy.

Magogodi comes to NYU after gaining experience in nonprofit programming and management. In New York, her work has included business intelligence research for an emerging-markets due diligence firm with private equity, hedge fund and multinational corporate clients. Magogodi is co-chair of the first African Social Enterprise Forum, a conference highlighting social entrepreneurship for African development, which will be hosted at the Desmond Tutu Center in New York City during the fall of 2009. Magogodi was most-recently named a 2009 Opportunity Collaboration Fellow. Magogodi is also a keen essayist, with several writing awards including first prize for the 2007 Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest.