Making an Impact on a World Stage
Randall Dobayou is proof positive that learning is a lifelong journey. Having already attained professional distinction as Deputy Executive Director at Environmental Protection Agency Liberia, he wanted to pursue a master’s degree to discover new solutions to his country’s multiple environmental issues.
“Liberia is very tropical,” he says. “I wanted to analyze our climate and environmental issues by looking at the science, policies, and values surrounding them.”
Dobayou says he chose a degree from the department of Sustainability and Social Justice because of the university’s cultural and academic diversity, as well as its reputation for research and the practical application of knowledge. He appreciated the small size of the school and its ambition to create positive change in the world.
The practical negotiation skills Dobayou developed through his master’s program were invaluable to him. As the designated national authority on environmental and climate-related issues in Liberia, he and his team attended multiple United Nations climate change conferences focusing on assessing progress towards meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
“Clark equipped me to make a big impact.”
“I adapted practices I had learned at Clark to make progress on our Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs,” he says. “We also established an MRV system for Liberia, which measures, reports, and verifies climate change.”
When you ask Dobayou what word comes to mind when you mention Clark, there’s no hesitation. “Diversity,” he says. “Before I applied, colleagues from West Africa praised Clark, describing it as a welcoming place. And they were right. Most of my classes consisted of people from diverse backgrounds.”
Dobayou recommends Clark wholeheartedly. “It was a phenomenal place, especially with faculty always available and ready to help you through any challenge. I was able to close professional gaps that I had,” he says. “If you are looking for a small school with a supportive environment, Clark is for you.”
