Profiles

Born in Massailand, Kenya, George Saitoti ’67 had a difficult childhood, but his time at Brandeis as a Wien Scholar changed his life.

“I found it to be a University with a very intellectual, liberal atmosphere,” Saitoti said. “There was a great deal of interaction between students and professors -- and the student community was concerned about what was happening internationally. Wien Scholars felt very much at home; everyone was very friendly to us. This was important because we were far from home.”

While on campus, Saitoti studied math and economics, enjoyed spending time in Cholmondeleys (the coffeehouse in the Castle), and excelled at the high jump, ranking as one of the best in New England.

After graduating from Brandeis, Saitoti earned a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Warwick in England. In 1972, he returned to Kenya and accepted a position as a math professor at the University of Nairobi.

During an illustrious career as a public servant, Saitoti has held a variety of high-level positions in the Kenyan government, including vice president (1989-97, 1999-2002), minister of finance (1983-88), and minister for planning and national development (1997-99). He currently serves as minister of education, science and technology, a position he has held since 2003.

Saitoti was also executive chairman of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and served as president of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, helping negotiate a partnership agreement between the ACP and the European Union (EU).

Saitoti published a book, “The Challenges of Economic and Institutional Reforms in Africa: Contemporary Perspectives on Developing Societies," in 2002.

In 1988, Saitoti received the first Brandeis Alumni Achievement Award, the highest honor the University bestows upon its graduates. While back on campus, he visited with Wien Scholars. The experience was particularly meaningful because some of the scholars hailed from Kenya.

Saitoti credits the Wien International Scholarship Program and Brandeis with much of his personal and professional success. “It was a place of high, high academic quality. I think it also broadened our minds a great deal,” Saitoti said. “Being a Wien Scholar at Brandeis laid the foundation for the success I’ve had.”