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James Hoddell | Bristol, England
MIPP Candidate (BC10)
After nearly two decades as a real estate developer and entrepreneur, James Hoddell has exchanged his businessperson's briefcase for a student's backpack. He's in the Master's of International Public Policy (MIPP) program, a one-year degree for mid-career professionals.
"I have always had a profound interest in global affairs and the effects of history and geography on politics and culture. These interests have not always been met by my role as a small-scale developer, and I yearned for the opportunity to expand my knowledge and raise my awareness through learning," James says.
James has planned and developed major real-estate projects in countries throughout Europe, including Austria, Ireland, Italy, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. His most recent position landed him in Bologna where he was managing director for a London-based firm that developed a major retail project in the city. When the business sold for a profit, James decided to return to school with a view to moving from real estate development to international development.
"I felt the need to learn again, to recondition my mind from the experience I had received in the business world to a more disciplined, concentrated learning. The MIPP seems fundamentally more interesting than an MBA and provides a unique credential in the workplace."
James says he chose SAIS because of the opportunity the MIPP program gives to people like him who are at a turning point in their careers. The intensive year of study was particularly attractive because he would not be away from the workplace for long, especially with three young children to look after. He believes that his business skills and international experience coupled with a degree from SAIS will position him for a new direction.
"Even though I have international experience," he says, "I am not as marketable to an NGO, a consulting firm or other institutions in international development as I want to be. I hope the greater understanding that the MIPP will help break down the barriers and open up the opportunities in these sectors. Alternatively, the degree could give me the opportunity to reenter the private sector at a more influential level."
Degree: B.S., University of Reading
Major: Land Management with a specialization in development
SAIS area of concentration: International Development
Languages: Italian
Other interests: Good food, skiing, sailing, hiking, travel
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