Shamarukh Mohiuddin: alumna and leader dedicated to women’s economic empowerment
Shamarukh Mohiuddin is a self-described optimist, entrepreneur and dreamer, and has a goal of making positive social change.
The native of Dhaka, Bangladesh graduated from the University of Maine in 2003 with a degree in international affairs in economics, a second major in financial economics and a minor in studio art. Today, she is the director of the Economic Empowerment Program at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in Washington, D.C.
“I work with global businesses to address challenges faced by society,” says Mohiuddin. “My focus lately has been to help businesses design programs to support women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion.”
The programs she helps design are intended to “help the business community learn about the underlying causes of social challenges and to help use their core competence in solving these challenges.”
“Women still don’t have equal access to economic opportunities and two billion people in the world still lack access to modern financial services,” she says. So she is working to overcome these issues through her career.
Mohiuddin is inspired by “leaders who can make tough decisions and bring others along.” In turn, she tries to inspire others by being a strong leader herself.
“At UMaine, I not only had a chance to learn about the subject matters that I work on in my career, but also had a chance to hone my leadership skills.”
While at UMaine, she was vice president of the International Student Association and co-president of the Economics Student Association.
“In my leadership positions with student organizations I built community with the members, generated interest in global cultures and traditions and provided inspiration for those studying economics by organizing career trips,” says Mohiuddin.
She received the Outstanding Student Leader of the Year Award in 2003 from Campus Activities and Student Engagement, an award given to students who demonstrate great accomplishments in activities outside of the classroom.
Mohiuddin’s education at UMaine prepared her well to continue on her career path of international business and development, and her mission of making the world a better place.
“It gave me the tools I needed to succeed in my career,” she says.
She gained further hands-on professional experience while at UMaine through an internship position as a research assistant at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Mohiuddin later earned her master’s degree in international economics from Johns Hopkins University in 2013.
Looking back on her time at UMaine, she fondly remembers Friday international student coffee hours, cultural events, sports, art classes and her time with new friends. “I love my friends from Maine and they remain a big part of my life,” she says.
Contact: Margaret Nagle, 207.581.3745