DATE: Tuesday, October 24, 2023
TIME: 7:15 P.M.
COST: Free!
LOCATION: Ascent Victory Park (2588 N Houston St, Dallas, TX)

For event questions, contact Linda Kern

Nate Houghton `11 is the Co-founder of the Congo Leadership Initiative, which develops the next generation of leaders to be catalysts for peace and prosperity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has a long history of community involvement, including at Cornell where he led the Interfraternity Council’s community outreach initiatives and managed the United Way Student Campaign. The only school that Nate applied to was Cornell, in large part because of its institutional mission and history of service to Ithaca, the State of New York, and the world at large.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a huge nation in Central Africa with a long history of corrupt and inept leadership. Despite tremendous natural resources (70% of the coltan mined globally in 2022 came from there), the DRC has struggled to develop and modernize. It remains one of the five poorest nations in the world.

Nate first visited the DRC during his sophomore year and was impressed by the talent that young people demonstrated when discussing ideas for the future of their country. CLI began in 2010 with a 5-day training program for 16 youth. Today, CLI has trained over 7,000 youth who have gone on to professional success as entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors, professors, and more. In 2023, five CLI graduates are running for national parliament.

Nate will discuss how his Cornell education influenced his community service pathway, provide a brief overview of the complex history of the DRC, and his future goals for his non-profit.

Nate lives in Dallas and is a serial entrepreneur. He enjoys running on the Katy Trail, attending Mavs & Stars games, and relaxing with his lazy cat Roger.