A Vision of Global Service and Educational Equity: Leticia Maoudonodji, ‘25

Leticia Maoudonodji, who is graduating with a double major in political science and global studies and minoring in French, is the recipient of the SBS Excellence in Leadership and Community Engagement Award for spring 2025, which recognizes a graduating senior who has demonstrated exemplary leadership skills through their involvement on and off campus and their impact on the lives of others.

“Leticia has an incredibly impressive quantity and quality of community-engaged experiences both on and off campus. Through these, she has developed a fantastic set of leadership skills that leave her poised to make very impactful contributions through public service,” wrote Professors Alex Braithwaite, Cameron Mailhot, Tom Volgy, and Jeff Winkleman, who nominated her for the award.

Evidence of Leticia’s leadership and public service is everywhere — locally and globally. On campus, Leticia is the conference coordinator for the University of Arizona Model United Nations student club, president of the African Student Association, and serves as the secretary for the Poets of Tucson. Her previous roles on campus included working in the bookstore, the international student admission office, and serving as a student ambassador for the U of A Peace Corps. 

Leticia is just as active in the Tucson community. Since 2022, she has volunteered with the Iskashitaa Refugee Network, providing translation assistance and supporting culturally diverse food workshops. She is a marketing intern for the Sonoran Institute, which supports environmental sustainability and conservation initiatives, and, in December 2024, began an internship in the Tucson office of U.S. Senator Mark Kelly.

During the summer of 2024, Leticia continued to hone her communication and problem-solving skills as an international development associate intern at USAID’s Partnership Incubator in Washington, D.C. But amid her many examples of leadership and service, Leticia’s most impactful contribution may be founding Golden Hope Future, a nonprofit that provides essential school supplies to children in Chad, her country of birth.

“I’ve always had a deep desire to make a difference, whether in small ways or on a larger scale. The opportunities I’ve had to serve and lead have only strengthened my commitment to global service, shaped by compassion, purpose, and integrity,” Leticia said. “Growing up in Chad with limited resources, I experienced firsthand the challenges so many children face in accessing a quality education. This inspired me to create Golden Hope Future — a nonprofit dedicated to removing educational barriers and providing children with the tools they need to dream, grow, and thrive. It’s still a small initiative, but it represents my broader vision: a future built on hope, equity, and lasting impact.” 

“Leticia leads these endeavors not because she expects recognition for her work but rather because of a deeply held commitment to serving the people around her,” wrote her nominators.

Fluent in four languages and passionate about international relations and development and public policy, Leticia has already built an impressive résumé and is well-positioned to pursue a career path in diplomacy and foreign service.

After graduation, Leticia will travel to Barcelona, Spain, for a public relations internship while she continues to grow Golden Hope Future. “Long term, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in foreign service and take the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service Officer exam,” Leticia said. “My goal is to represent and serve on a global scale." 

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