RIT on TV News: Amadou Dem

WROC-TV (Channel 8) reports on Rochester Institute of Technology alumnus Amadou Dem '80 (business administration) and the impact of his RIT education in helping him build a successful life in his native Mali, Africa.

Anchors: A man from Africa who came to Rochester thre decades ago and then returned home to become a political leader is back. He's Amadou Dem, and Megan Backus has the story of a 32 year old friendship.

Dem: Going to school here, working with the people here, having my first and only child here in Rochester...
Reporter: Amadou Dem credits some of his success to his experiences in Rochester.
Dem: You meet so many people differently with different experiences, different cultures. This also is a tremendous asset.
Reporter: Rochester formed a relationship with Dem's hometown in Mali in 1977. As part of the Sister Cities program, Dem was selected to study at RIT. He was expected to take what he learned back to his country.
Walter Cooper: At that time, Amadou was brought to Mali skills that in terms of management of businesses that were new to the country.
Reporter: Since then, Dem has become leader in Mali. In 1991 he became the Minister of Economic Development and helped foster growth in the country. Now at 55, Dem runs an import-export business. And he says what he learned at RIT, including the English language, has stayed with him.
Dem: It made for me much easier to be working around the world
Reporter: Elaine Spaull was one of his teachers. She's now a city councilwoman. She says Rochester has benefitted from Amadou's success.
Elaine Spaull: Having Amadou here and having us here what went on in his life, political strife and other kinds of governmental interactions, helps us think about government and how we function.
Reporter: Amadou plans on heading home morrow. But he says this won't be his last trip to his sister city.
Dem: I do consider Rochester my second hometown.
Reporter: Megan Backus, News 8.

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Education

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