World Bank Researcher Speaks With Leadership Students

On Thursday, March 27, 2025, the Buccino Leadership Institute welcomed Daniela Maquera Sardón, ’21, to speak with leadership students, offering guidance on five key aspects of her leadership journey that have led to her success as a junior professional associate in the Poverty and Equity Global Practice at the World Bank.

As an undergraduate, Daniela Andrea Maquera Sardón was a student in the Buccino Leadership Institute, majored in diplomacy and economics with a minor in Asian studies and was the valedictorian of the Class of 2021. In 2023, she earned a master’s degree in economics from Fudan University.

Maquera shared her experience and advice with students on maximizing their time in the institute and preparing to transition to the next phase of life, be it graduate school or starting a career.

I) Curiosity
Maquera encouraged the group that they should “be curious.” She emphasized that curiosity is continuous and needed for all aspects of one’s life. Personally, she was forced to be curious as an immigrant from Cuzco, Peru. At 15 years old, Maquera moved to Maplewood, New Jersey, and needed to immerse herself in American culture, which was not like the one she left in Peru. Although she encountered difficulties, including not having knowledge of the American college process, she expanded her worldview through exploration and learning by doing. She continued to foster this curiosity in her studies at Seton Hall and in her current career.

II) Resilience
Having graduated during the COVID-19 pandemic, Maquera’s senior year at Seton Hall was difficult to navigate. Nevertheless, she persisted, continued to try her best, acquired new techniques to offset the issues she faced and successfully persevered, earning valedictorian of her class. However, the difficulties of COVID-19 were not over, as it continued to divert her plan to study abroad in China to earn her master’s at Fudan University. While she was still able to pursue her degree with Fudan University, she was not able to travel and attend school in China until her final semester. Though that was not her optimal plan, Maquera stayed strong in her commitment to herself and found other ways to enrich herself, even if it was not experiencing life in a new country.

III) Flexibility/Adaptation
While Maquera was not able to attend Fudan University in-person, she actively searched and applied for various opportunities that would help her in her journey. Her classes for the master’s program were on China time — often extremely early in the morning or extremely late at night — giving her the availability to pursue other opportunities in her spare time. One opportunity was a remote developmental economics class on low- and middle-income countries taught in Stockholm. It was something that deepened her passion for international economics. Another opportunity was her involvement with Mercy Corps, which she also did while getting her master’s degree. She explained how she took on the intern position and truly tried her best to absorb as much knowledge as she could, even going as far as visiting her team at the farther away offices in Washington, D.C. When Maquera finished the internship with Mercy Corps, she decided to pursue full-time work, but she took a chance on an application for the World Bank internship just to see what could happen. Lo and behold, the Latin American and Caribbean Poverty and Equity team took her on, and once again, Maquera had to adapt and learn this new position and landscape.

IV) Growth-mindset
While some may complain about or find difficulty in the unknown, Maquera spoke of the new position as an intern with a gracious undertone. She elaborated on how this position at the World Bank reignited a passion even with its immense challenges. Through it, she learned how to code with STATA, expanded her professional writing skills and, overall, grew and sharpened her skill set. It was her approach to the unknown — with open arms and eagerness to gain more knowledge and skills — that differentiated her from others. Later, when a junior professional role opened up, not only was Maquera capable of handling the job with her skills and experience, but she was also the type of person they were looking for because of her hunger for learning and doing. Her commitment to grow and learn was evident in her time as an intern at the World Bank, as it was evident throughout her life, changing and shaping her into a leader.

V) Connections
Most leaders do not accomplish everything single-handedly, and it is important to foster good relationships with past peers, advisors and coworkers to gain insight from their experiences and help guide you on your own path to success. For example, Maquera, before taking on her internship at the World Bank, consulted with her old internship advisors from the New Jersey State Department and Mercy Corps. She also was a part of Research in Color, an organization that matches students from underrepresented groups with professors and faculty from Ph.D. and terminal degree programs. Within the program, she discussed potential academic and career paths with her mentor, helping her choose her journey’s trajectory.

Takeaways
Despite life’s difficulties, sometimes the application of small changes in perspective can illuminate your path and direction. Exploring with curiosity and a growth-mindset can be invaluable to your journey. Being open to the world and embracing the opportunities available is something everyone is capable of doing if you take the time to recognize that those opportunities are there.

The Buccino Leadership Institute is a selective and comprehensive four-year co-curricular program for undergraduate students at Seton Hall University. Anchored in experiential learning theory, the Buccino Leadership Institute delivers comprehensive, interdisciplinary leadership development that enables leaders to accelerate in any field they choose.

Categories: Alumni, Nation and World, Research