Jason Forauer (far right)
IDSC/M.A. '02

1. Please describe your present professional position?

I recently began working for a small NGO called First Voice International (FVI) in Silver Spring, Maryland. FVI is a unique NGO in that 5% of the Worldspace satellite capacity has been allocated to it. As a result, FVI has established the Africa Learning Channel in Africa and the Asia Development Channel in Asia and has a Multimedia Service across both Africa and Asia. This is important as it allows for audio and multimedia information transmission via satellite to remote areas that may otherwise be unserved by FM and shortwave radio. 

I’m working as Program Associate at the moment. However, FVI has just won a $900,000/5 year grant from the Kellogg Foundation to help install satellite technology at five of their ‘zoom sites’ in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. As this program comes on line early next year, I will be closely involved with program implementation. 

www.firstvoiceint.org

2. What do you find satisfying about your position? 

I find this position uniquely satisfying in that there is a lot of potential for the organization to grow and for my role to change. As I mentioned we’ve recently won a multi-year grant in Southern Africa. I’m looking forward to taking on more of a project manager position in helping to implement this project. 

Also, we are housed in Worldspace office space, which means that we are in constant contact with Worldspace staff. It is somewhat cool to be working in what is essentially a radio station that broadcasts around the world.   

3. How did the IDSC program at Clark University help to prepare you?

I feel that the expansive nature of the IDCE International Development and Social Change program helped prepare me for a variety of different challenges in my professional life as well as unique positions. Clark University's focus on grassroots development was key in helping me to understand the challenges involved in working with satellite radio and multimedia services in a development context.

4. Why should prospective students enroll in the IDSC program at Clark University?

Not many universities with development programs offer Clark University's focus on grassroots development. There are many reasons for students to choose Clark, however, for me the key issue was having colleagues with a similar level of experience. 

5. Did you have an internship as part of your Clark education? If so, how did it help to connect you to your current career?

I conducted three internships. One on FGM with an organization called TOSTAN in Senegal, one on community development with an indigenous NGO called PARED in Ghana and one on Fair Trade with Oxfam Canada in Montreal. The internships helped me broaden my experience in grassroots development. While none were directly related to my getting my current position, I think because I chose to try and broaden my experience by working on grassroots development, gender related issues, fair trade and microfinance, they really helped me.    

6. What was the topic of your research while at Clark University?

Female Circumcision in Senegal, West Africa. While my focus on Africa has remained, I'm now working on livestock marketing and pastoral livelihoods in East Africa. This shows you how broad a field development is. When I graduated, I was worried that my lack of focus on a specific technical issue would be a handicap. However, I think by trying to gain experience with different aspects of development I was able to show that I could tackle a variety of issues.   

7. Is there anything else you would like to add?

When I left, things were in the process of changing at the IDCE department. The department expanded; the number of students expanded as well as the course offerings. I always loved the fact that as a student focusing on International Development I could take GIS courses and courses from other program within IDCE. I think the diversity of choice in terms of courses and mentoring is there for those wishing to study development.