Ana Claudia F. Manuel is an international student from Angola and a two-time Mason alumna. She holds a BA in economics (2023) and an MA in finance (2024). During her graduate year, she embraced opportunities outside the classroom, including participating in the CFA Research Challenge and serving as an MSF 2024 cohort leader. Manuel is passionate about advancing her knowledge of the financial sector, exploring new avenues and instruments to bridge the gap of finance for development and unleash the dormant potential of the real economy. She aims to secure an internship position in the field and pursue a PhD program.