Empowering Schools and Communities: A Summer with the Jackfruit Network

This past summer, Dani Parra del Riego Valencia 25BBA traveled to Nairobi as a Business & Society Institute Social Enterprise Fellow. As an intern Chief of Staff with Jackfruit Finance, she worked directly with leadership to advance projects that strengthen schools and communities across Kenya. In our Q&A, Dani reflects on her experience and the importance of purpose-driven work.

Let’s start with an introduction. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?

My name is Dani Parra del Riego Valencia, and I graduated from Emory University in May 2025 with a double major in Business and International Studies. Passionate about civic engagement from the start, I got deeply involved with the Young Democrats of Emory and worked on local and national political campaigns, as well as voter engagement efforts. Along the way, I realized how valuable a business degree, particularly from Goizueta Business School, could be as it relates to building a more equitable society, which led me to explore how the private sector influences the world we live in. Goizueta’s Business & Society Institute (BSI) allowed me to explore the intersection of social impact and the private sector through its unique courses, tight-knit fellowship, and immersive extracurricular activities such as the Emory Impact Investing Group. Moving forward, I’m excited to build on this foundation and pursue work that merges my interests in policy, purpose, and the private sector.

What inspired you to pursue your current internship or project this summer?

I wanted to spend the months before my full-time role in a way that felt both purposeful and growth-oriented. Additionally, I was really inspired by the ways in which previous BSI fellows have made a positive impact through the Summer Stipend Program. A key mentor for me at Emory, David Kyle, one of BSI’s Executives-in-Residence, had previously supported fellows in working with the Jackfruit Network. I was thrilled when David suggested spending the months before starting my job in Nairobi working with the Jackfruit Network; the organization’s mission, in addition to hearing about the on-the-ground work from previous interns, made me excited to explore the opportunity. More than anything, I went in with the intention to learn and absorb as much as I could in my 12 weeks of work in a new environment and job function.

Tell us about the organization you’re working with and your role there.

The Jackfruit Network began in 2021 with its lending branch, Jackfruit Finance. These loans help schools build new capabilities and manage their cash flow with calendar-synced working capital and secured loan options. Over time, Jackfruit developed a robust community of directors seeking to improve their offerings. Recognizing that external philanthropic organizations needed a conduit to connect to schools and that schools could benefit from improved access to educational materials, the Jackfruit Foundation and Hub, respectively, were born.

As intern Chief of Staff, I supported Jackfruit during a pivotal period of growth. Working closely with the CEO, I collaborated across departments on exciting new projects aimed at advancing Jackfruit’s mission of empowering schools and communities. This role allowed me to gain hands-on experience at the intersection of strategy and operations, while contributing directly to the organization’s impact.

What impact are you hoping to make—or already seeing—through your work?

One of the many pieces I worked on included leading pilot projects related to a banking offering meant to help schools manage their finances. This included surveying schools to identify pain points in banking, develop a communications plan to reach out to schools, and oversee the onboarding of the first handful of schools onto the program. Being involved in launching a completely new offering, which has the potential to make everyday operations easier for schools while advancing Jackfruit’s mission, has felt both challenging and incredibly rewarding.

I also had the privilege of supporting Jackfruit in preparing for a fundraising round. As soon as I joined, I helped map out internal processes to align and inform leadership, researched potential investors, and supported the creation of a deck to showcase the best of the company to potential investors.

How has Goizueta prepared you for this experience?

Goizueta’s immersive and comprehensive curriculum prepared me with the soft and hard skills I needed to succeed. There’s not a single area of depth that I didn’t see represented in my time at Jackfruit, from Marketing to ISOM. Most importantly, Goizueta’s BSI courses helped me develop an impact-first mindset that became a constant guide throughout my work.

It is also abundantly clear that Goizueta invests tremendously in its student life beyond the classroom. The leadership roles and special projects I had the chance to take on gave me the confidence to take ownership of my responsibilities and the skills to manage my time well, even as I balanced multiple projects at once.

Why did you choose Goizueta, and what has the experience meant to you so far?

As somebody who came to Emory with no intention of studying business, Goizueta’s reputation for equipping students with a tangible and well-rounded skillset encouraged me to pursue a BBA. More importantly, it was Goizueta’s BSI-related offerings that allowed me to find a place within the business school, and what excited me most about arriving on campus every day.

Goizueta is very intentional about fostering meaningful connections between students and professors across disciplines and degree programs. From experience and group-based learning in the classroom, to cultural traditions such as KEGS (a weekly social event on campus), Goizueta creates an environment for every student to find communities composed of people with a wide range of interests. This intentional approach creates a campus environment that feels both inclusive and vibrant, allowing everyone to find their place and grow alongside others.

What advice would you give to future students who want to pursue social impact or climate-related work?

Firstly, grounding yourself in the purpose behind your work is vital for maintaining motivation and engagement, especially in fields like social impact or climate action. Personally, I find that seeing the tangible impact of my work is a major source of inspiration. Firsthand exposure to how my work can make a difference motivates me not only to keep pushing forward, but it also encourages me to think about new possibilities and imagine what could be.

Secondly, having a deep understanding of what motivates you is important to guide your approach. Figuring out what issues and causes resonate most with you will help you identify the best opportunities to satisfy your desire to create impact.

What’s next for you after the internship ends?

I’ve started as a Strategy Analyst at Deloitte out of the McLean, VA, office. I’m super excited to continue to explore the DC-metro area, and I look forward to pursuing my passion for impact both in and outside of the workplace!

Interested in pursuing a business degree? Learn more about the unique programs Goizueta has to offer.