When Dastan Imanaliev (MPIA ’25) attended our annual Washington D.C. Career Trip in April, he visited government offices, think tanks, and international organizations alongside his classmates. However, there was one stop that stood out among the rest.
“It was during our visit to the World Bank Group that I became impressed by the scope and impact of their work,” he recounted.
A Fulbright Scholar from Kyrgyzstan concentrating on International Political Economy here at Pitt, Imanaliev came to D.C. having recently been selected as a 2024 Edmund S. Muskie Fellow. The Muskie Fellowship is a professional development program funded by the Department of State to provide Fulbright Scholars from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia an opportunity to gain real-world experience to enrich their graduate studies, with a full-time summer internship in the participant’s field of study among its key components.
“Surprisingly, and maybe coincidentally, I received an email from the World Bank's B-Ready project with an internship offer the day after our trip finished,” he shared, explaining that while he was also offered a position at a non-partisan think tank, “The trip provided a clear picture of the working environment and culture of the World Bank, which ultimately gave me more confidence to proceed with that opportunity.”
He spent the summer working on the World Bank's Business Ready (B-READY) project, the Group’s new flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. The B-READY report replaces and improves upon the World Bank’s longstanding Doing Business project, introducing a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on the pillars of regulatory framework, public services, and operational efficiency. The first edition of this annual report was released to the public earlier this month.
Imanaliev served on the team focused on International Trade, where he spent his days analyzing data and contributing to the development of comprehensive trade assessments. While he was excited to contribute first-hand to this truly global initiative, noting with special pride his home country of Kyrgyzstan’s place among those economies featured in this year’s report, he also enjoyed the enriching aspects of his internship that took place outside the office walls. He attended numerous conferences and seminars organized by the World Bank Group and took part in opportunities designed to expand his professional network.
“It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career, working on a project with such a wide-reaching global impact,” he shared in a post on LinkedIn at the conclusion of his internship. “I’m incredibly grateful to the B-Ready team for their support, mentorship, and the opportunity to learn from some of the best professionals in the field.”
Imanaliev worked in public policy in Kyrgyzstan for seven years prior to joining the Fulbright program and coming to Pitt. However, he believes that his ongoing education, both in the classroom and through experiences like this summer’s internship, will allow him to have a more significant impact as he continues his career.
“I felt that I needed to broaden my knowledge and skills, especially in understanding best practices and current trends happening in public policy worldwide, including governance, political economy, and international trade,” he shared. “The challenges my country faces in its development make it crucial for me to gain new insights and approaches that I can bring back, and I believe the education I receive here will equip me to make a meaningful impact when I complete my program and return home.”
Curious about Pitt Public and International Affairs' footprint in D.C.? Information about the Pitt Washington Center, annual Career Trip and more can be found here.