I have lived in Lisbon, Portugal my whole life, but my international lifestyle started from birth. I am half Portuguese and half German, and attended a German school in Lisbon. Thanks to my upbringing, I speak Portuguese, German and English fluently, and am professionally proficient in Spanish and French.
My older brother is a fourth-year undergraduate student at IE University, and watching his experience, plus knowing he’d be close by, further solidified my decision to apply. IE University was the perfect opportunity for me to study abroad, and its international, vibrant atmosphere gave me something to look forward to both in and outside the classroom. I am a lot like my dad in that I have a lot of interests—we have similar ideas and I look up to him in a lot of ways—so deciding which one to focus on for my future career seemed to be a difficult task. But when I saw the Dual Degree in Philosophy, Politics, Law and Economics & Data and Business Analytics, I knew it was a perfect fit. The program truly intertwines my academic passions: politics, law and economics—they all go hand-in-hand.
The dual degree is admittedly a lot of work. It’s very time-consuming. But, it’s also incredibly interesting. I believe that if you enjoy what you’re doing and are interested in what you’re studying, you’re in the right field. I think I made the right choice. During the first year of the program, I noticed how important it is to use data to drive decision-making. But more than just numbers, it’s important that we understand humans and how they think; how political institutions came to be; how we use laws; and how all of this influences human behavior and relationships. It’s imperative to use a 360-degree view, and this program pushes us to think through things from varying perspectives. My experience so far has been both fulfilling and enriching.
Outside the classroom, the IE Community has been my rock. I joined the IE Women in Business Club, allowing me to meet a lot of like-minded students, as well as network with speakers, attend events and test the waters of the business world. I’ve found that this experience has helped me grow both personally and professionally.
In my personal life, I really enjoy going for walks, running and simply being outside. The natural beauty throughout Segovia really pushes me to do so. I rode horses for about 10 years in high school, and that passion for the outdoors carried over into my life in Spain. I also love reading, writing, and cooking meals with my friends. As for my future, I’d be interested in doing something in journalism, something involving impact investment, or perhaps something to do with data analysis. Because in the end, I think my program is opening a lot of doors for me and I’m excited to continue exploring. After all, I want to fearlessly say yes to as many opportunities as possible while I still can.
