Sofia Kritikopoulos

Sofia is an American student of Greek and Vietnamese descent from Silicon Valley in the United States. Her cultural background and diverse hometown have shaped her passion for forging international connections and ignited her love of languages. She currently speaks English, Greek and Spanish, and is taking a course in Mandarin at IE University.

At high school in the United States, Sofia participated in a number of on-campus and wider community activities, serving as class president for three years and student body president in her final year. Passionate about promoting gender equality, she founded a club called Girls Empowerment Project, which expanded to six chapters in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sofia also served as the Lieutenant Governor for the Bay Area region of the service organization called Interact.

After graduating in 2019, Sofia moved to Segovia to begin the Bachelor in International Relations. She credits IE University’s diverse environment with influencing her choice, while also exposing her to new opportunities and challenges away from home.

Sofia is heavily involved in campus and community activities, having been appointed as class delegate and serving as the Rotaract Club President. In her first year, she created and became coordinator of the Sustainable Development Goals Club, which now exists in both Madrid and Segovia. Sofia was also part of the organizing group behind IE University’s Sustainability Committee, regularly attends events for the Women in Business Club and is a mentor for the Mentorship Society. Her track record as a community driver was recognized during the 2020 IE Club Awards when she received the IE Spirit Award.

Sofia is naturally curious academically and has taken part in optional on-campus seminars such as “Islamic Law and Finance” and “Digital Skills for Success.” In her first year, she participated in the IE Economics and Data Lab where she compiled data sets for the Madrid firm Arcano Group, and was offered a research assistant position with the IE School of Global and Public Affairs in her second year. During this experience, she was given the opportunity to work on a data set regarding populism and technology in the United States. She has also served as a researcher for an EdTech startup created by IE University students called GLOOBL.

Sofia is extremely dedicated to her community and being a leader of change. IE University pushes her to continually expand her comfort zone and tackle challenges with an innovative approach. When she does have a moment to herself, Sofia likes to unwind with friends, taking in the beautiful sights of Segovia.