MBN USA

February 23, 2023

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Graham is an HBCU student and Navy veteran

Nonprofit lender and small business support system Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF) has selected Jaquetta Graham as the inaugural fellow for its research collaboration with the Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI), an independent think tank. This new partnership aims to generate insights on inclusive finance and entrepreneurship in the United States and global markets.

Jaquetta Graham is a Ph.D. student in Business Administration at Morgan State University, a historically Black university. Her doctoral research focus is Black entrepreneurship and women's entrepreneurship. Prior to pursuing higher education, Graham spent six years in the U.S. Navy.

“We are excited to have Jaquetta join our team as the first AOF/CFI Research Fellow. Her background and passion for financial inclusion will be a tremendous asset to our work as a financial support system for small businesses that advance racial, gender, and economic justice for all,” said Dr. Joshua Miller, Vice President of Policy and Research at Accion Opportunity Fund.

As an AOF fellow, Graham will design and lead original research focused on best practices of small business owners in Ghana and how entrepreneurs in the United States can apply them to achieve greater success. Ghana’s economy has seen a lot of growth in the last decade, turning it into an emerging startup innovation hub where nearly half of the entrepreneurs are women. Graham gained extensive knowledge on the subject while serving as a Fulbright Research Fellow in Ghana, where she studied the social and cultural influences that support women’s entrepreneurial success.

“I am grateful for this opportunity to continue my research and apply cross-cultural lessons that can strengthen American entrepreneurship. Over the next year, I look forward to working with the AOF and CFI teams to generate new insights on how to build inclusive financial systems,” said Graham.

Graham will receive guidance and support from experts at AOF and CFI. Her findings may be released via the CFI blog, CFI publications, conferences and events, Financial Inclusion Week, and more.