What can I do right now?
During his IB, Tomás took a class with a practical extracurricular portion that revolved around volunteering. “I devoted every Friday and Saturday afternoon to helping others and soon realized how much it filled my soul,” he says. Since then, he’s dedicated his time, energy and resources to various social initiatives making a difference in local communities. “That’s the impact I can make right now.”
Apart from personal fulfillment, the experience further clarified what he wanted for his professional future. Tomás was looking for a way to unify his long-held passion for geopolitics and international trade with a focus on social issues. He began searching for a university program that met his needs—and the Dual Degree in Business Administration & International Relations checked all the boxes.
“IE University is one of the few institutions in Spain that offers a business and international relations bachelor’s dual degree,” states Tomás. That, coupled with its diversity, innovative thinking and vibrant student life, helped seal the deal for this ambitious student. Now, in his fourth year of the five-year program, he admits, “I think it was the right decision.”
The full IE Experience
Tomás has built an exciting life for himself at IE University. He says, after all this time in the Dual Degree in Business Administration & International Relations, that the most noticeable change is the shift in how he sees the future. “[I’ve learned] to embrace change and be a part of it, not resist it or be afraid of it.”
Within the program itself, a natural flair for mathematics and organization made Tomás an ace in strategy and accounting subjects, but his favorite courses overall have to be those tackling topics to do with geopolitics and global conflict. As he sees it, “Understanding geopolitics nowadays is crucial for anyone working in the corporate sector.” Not only does it cultivate a global perspective, it also adds to one’s value in the job market.
Through a wide range of extracurricular activities, he’s also become an important part of the university’s ecosystem. Tomás is the sitting president of both the IE Charity Club and the IE Student Sustainability Committee. He also takes part in the Sustainability Townhall and works with the IE Center for Health & Well-Being in various sports initiatives.
Toward a conflict-free future
From Chile to Argentina, Brazil to Spain—Tomás is the quintessential global citizen. His unique background has laid the foundations for a similarly international career, which he intends to devote to shaping a more equitable, conflict-free world. “Conflict is always avoidable; conflict should be unthinkable. We’re better than that.”
In the end, he advises other students of the Dual Degree in Business Administration & International Relations to enjoy the full breadth of their IE Experience. “Make the most out of all the resources,” he says. “Each professor is bright and unique, each subject is different and exciting, and each class is eye-opening and fun.”
