Global Research Experience allowed student to see Africa—and economics—through a different lens

It’s one thing to study how other countries run their economy. It’s another thing to be there and experience it yourself. When Ryan Hutt ’27 arrived in Nairobi for his summer in the Global Research Experience program, he wasn’t sure what to expect. But rather than project his assumptions onto it, he chose to wait and see what Nairobi held for him. He wasn’t disappointed.

“Nairobi is a very modern city,” he says. “I did the London study abroad program two summers ago, but this summer, I wanted to do something I've never done and get outside my comfort zone.” He continues, “London was a lot of Notre Dame people in the same bubble, which was a great experience as well, but the experiences were extremely different.”

For Ryan, different was good—that’s what he was hoping for when he intentionally set aside his summer for this experience. As a finance and accounting major, he had some background in economics, but he chose this program because he wanted to take a deeper dive into the subject. While he could have achieved that in a classroom setting on campus, he recognized the importance of broadening and diversifying his approach to learning. “I’m really interested in having an international perspective,” he says, pointing to his mom, who travels internationally often for work, as a testament to the value of this.

In his placement at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), he got a firsthand look at public policy in Kenya. “I took a macroeconomic lens and looked at different things that they're focusing on. One of the projects I did was on foreign aid cuts, which was fascinating and very relevant.” In addition to carrying out research, Ryan was able to learn how organizations like IEA communicate their findings. Rather than wait years to finalize and publish a study that doesn’t always resonate with a general audience, they work to turn around timely, relevant information and get it in the hands of civil society lawmakers and the general public as soon as possible. “Getting things out quickly and thinking with your intuition was something that I gained a lot from this experience,” he says.

He also got to see Kenya through a lens he wouldn’t have had if he had come as a tourist. From work colleagues showing him around their hometowns to a local Notre Dame alum giving him a tour of the school she worked at, Ryan got an inside look at everyday life in Nairobi. He also expressed his gratitude to Notre Dame Nairobi Director Jackie Oluoch-Aridi, who met with him for meals and offered recommendations on what to do in the city.

“I would definitely say that the whole experience challenged my perspectives about economics and issues in Kenya,” he says. “You read about something and think through a potential fix to it. But when you're actually boots on the ground, things are a lot different than what you think or read about.”

The experience has reaffirmed for Ryan the importance of forming a global perspective. During his eight weeks in Nairobi, he learned how economic research translates to a corporate setting and how a city with a different infrastructure from the US operates and succeeds. Beyond growing as a student and having more experience to add to his resume, he also recognizes the holistic growth that has come out of his time in the GRE program.

“The development of my character throughout the process was something that I don't think I could get at any other experience I had in the summer,” he says. “I would wholeheartedly say that I'm very confident that I chose the right thing to do this summer.”

Originally published by Jessie Carson at studyabroad.nd.edu on August 19, 2025.