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Thomas A. Thekkekandam

Biography

When he graduated from college two years ago, Thomas Thekkekandam was already a successful venture capitalist. He co-founded Nourish International, which creates student-run business ventures and channeled over $30,000 in profits to projects addressing malnutrition and disease in Bolivia, India, Uganda, Guyana, and Argentina. Thomas sees his future in similar endeavors. "My long-term goal is to develop and lead sustainable businesses and provide start-up investments that help impoverished communities build wealth and resources."

Thomas, who currently works for an international market research firm, is pursuing a dual-degree in international law and business. His experiences at Nourish International convinced him of the value of a sound business education. Likewise, during a summer volunteering for a development organization in Ghana, he saw how a legal background could influence the success of his community human rights and business development initiatives.

Thomas won the prestigious Morehead scholarship to the University of North Carolina, which covered full tuition for four years and four summer leadership activities, with the trip to Ghana proving the most pivotal. Though acquainted with poverty from frequent trips to India, the two months he spent in Ghana improving a non-profit library and building student programs was life changing. "My success in Ghana convinced me that I could make a tangible impact and motivated me to pursue a career in finding solutions to address poverty."

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