December 08, 2009

Alumnus leads international development in Macedonia

Michael Fritz BA ’72, mission director for USAID Macedonia, discusses his international development work around issues of education, economic growth, and democracy in this profile.

In 2008, Michael Fritz BA ’72 became mission director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Macedonia. A year after taking the helm of the $20 million operation, Fritz discusses his international development work in a profile in his hometown newspaper.

Fritz traces his interest in international affairs to a Tunisian overseas program he experienced as a Lewis & Clark student. After completing his post-graduate work at Portland State University, Fritz continued his travels, eventually meeting USAID workers while visiting Zaire. Hearing about their work, Fritz was inspired to apply to the government agency.

In two decades working with USAID, Fritz has served in Cote d’Ivoire, Burundi, Ukraine, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. As mission director in Macedonia, Fritz manages a staff of 30, focusing on issues of economic growth, democratic modernization, and educational reform in the country of two million people.

Learn more about the work of USAID in Macedonia.