Alumna Pursuing Career in African Business Development and Law

Jaimy Rippe ’18 immersed herself in research, studying abroad, and internship opportunities at the University of New Haven that expanded her worldview and enabled her to explore her interests in policy and law.

November 19, 2019

By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing & Communications

As a student, Jaimy Rippe ’18 studied in Paris with Chris Haynes, Ph.D., exploring how French immigration policies affect first- and second-generation North African immigrants. Her research focused on understanding the resulting inadequacies in youth employment opportunities and training.

Now pursuing her Juris Doctor at Quinnipiac University, she plans to pursue a career in law that, she hopes, will enable her to make a meaningful difference for African businesses and young entrepreneurs.

Most recently, her interest in law brought her to Ghana, a country she had long been interested in visiting. She completed two month-long internships at business law firms in Kumasi and in Accra, conducting complex legal research and prepared and reviewed legal documents.

"I participated in a series of transactional, negotiation, and litigation efforts focused on the enrichment of economic prosperity in Africa," said Rippe. "I like to think of myself as a results-oriented person, one who is passionate about the harmony of corporate social responsibility, fiscal sustainability, and innovation – and, now, venture capital for Pan-African development."

Rippe, who traveled throughout Ghana during her visit, speaks Twi, one of the more common local dialects of Akan, and she is learning two other languages that are commonly spoken in Ghana.

"As soon as I took the first step forward, the University of New Haven community encouraged and guided me the rest of the way. I was well-equipped to choose whatever career path I wanted." Jaimy Rippe '18

Interested in the legal representation of African businesses, international corporate branches, and individual entrepreneurs based in Africa and their dealings with American companies, Rippe plans to return to Ghana in May 2020. She will begin a summer associate position at an international law firm based in Accra, Ghana.

Rippe, who hopes to teach at the university level, credits her worldview to her involvement in the University’s Model United Nations program, which she was introduced to by Dr. Haynes. She considers her experience as a delegate to be among her most rewarding experiences as a Charger.

"Model United Nations allowed me to become someone who intertwined her passions with her career goals," said Rippe, who earned a degree in English. "I was so inspired to lead and encourage younger students to immerse themselves in MUN that I directed the inaugural Charger Model United Nations Conference, which gathered high school students from all over the state to research and engage in mock simulations during a day-long event."

Rippe, who served as assistant chair and director of business outreach for the University’s Mayor’s Advisory Commission for West Haven, interned in State Representative Dorinda Borer’s office in West Haven, researching public health and small business initiatives throughout the state.

She also worked with Dr. Haynes, who, she says, was an important mentor, on an independent research project, analyzing the behavior of the 2016 presidential candidates on Twitter to better understand the political implications of their content.

"As soon as I took the first step forward, the University of New Haven community encouraged and guided me the rest of the way," said Rippe, who also plans to pursue her MBA with a concentration in global capital markets or a Master of Laws in international trade and banking governance. "I was well-equipped to choose whatever career path I wanted."