Alexandra Duffy, 22, a graduate of Tulane University, with a dual degree in international development and finance, has her sights set on a career promoting financial literacy and reforming global lending practices. “I don’t just want to see the world,” she says. “I want to lead it.” With the support of EF and IE University, she aspires to be “a driver of change.” As a budget policy intern for the New Orleans City Council, Alexandra developed a report that made recommendations for the city’s 2021 budget cycle. Responding to public outcries related to the police, she identified misreported funding, resulting in budget reallocations to support alternative approaches to public safety. Alexandra wants to widely share knowledge of personal budgeting, saving, and the sensible use of credit. She believes in the importance of advancing financial literacy globally, particularly with women, who lag behind men in financial skills and opportunities. One response to the gender gap has been the rapid growth of the largely unregulated microcredit industry, proving a boon to many women-owned businesses but prone to predatory practices. For Alexandra’s EF project, she wants to increase access to financial education, especially for women utilizing microfinance through the creation of an online global platform featuring video financial-literacy tutorials and curated digital information.