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Liquid Learning: keeping the dream alive during the pandemic

Dominican Republic, 18 years old and first year Philosophy, Politics, Law & Economics student, Leslie De La Cruz Martinez, shares her experiences so far at IE University.

Why you chose to come to IE University?

I choose IE University because it had the right program for me, that merges four subjects that go hand in hand with my passion, which is the study of humankind and social relationships. The remarkable professors, well-equipped and positioned campuses, the international community, and extracurricular activities (labs, seminars, and clubs) were just a few of the things that blew my mind when I came across the university. I absolutely love IEU and my career of choice because I’m more than certain that here I’ll be able to acquire the perspective and knowledge to understand complex global dynamics and issues that interest me. The main reason why I choose my degree was because of the rigorous and nurtured direct focus on all four subjects it has in its multidisciplinary approach.

I decided I’d like a program with politics because I’ve always wanted to be aware of the system in which I as an individual am being recorded. With Dominican politics, a person can easily be fooled. Corruption and injustice are everywhere and, in some aspects, I’d like to make a change. I would really enjoy having the opportunity to learn and understand the political actions that leaders worldwide are now taking over certain problems that we are facing. Overall, I believe studying politics will help me extend my knowledge of the policies, political actions, and decisions that in cases members of a government or society take for me.

Which leads to also study law, since the career in itself will allow me to understand the complex issues behind worldwide equality fairness, awareness. Nonetheless, it will help me know my right and other rights, and it will allow me to strengthen the arguments I build as I grow as an individual. After all, with law and politics, I would be able to interact with people from all over the world and therefore, build connections that could indeed help me make a change in my country.

Correspondingly, the economics side of the degree will allow me to merge the financial side of law and politics, by enriching me with the study of design making and the proper use of scarce resources in a determined sector. Such a career will help me take proper economic decisions for me and my country, by always applying an economic analysis on any situation. With the economic side of the program, I’ll be able to have a better Dominican of how the economic side of political systems work while offering strategic solutions to government and non-governmental funded entities.

Lastly, philosophy will allow me to gain a deeper perspective of reality and think critically, logically, and ethically when considering the real-world societal implications of ideological approaches. By studying philosophy, I will be able to penetrate complex problems and concepts and understand their origin. My program has the whole package and it most certainly is the best fit for my personality and career path.

How IEU helps you with your personal and professional experiences?

IEU has helped me with everything: 

  1. Students Services with my NIE appointment and VISA documentation.
  2. Admissions Advisor with my picking the best program for me and assisting me in the Homologation process.
  3. Campus Life sends very useful newsletters that update me on recent events and activities inside and outside IEU. 
  4. Joining the Mentorship Society has allowed me to make new friends and explore adventures in the Segovia Campus

Those are a few of the things that IE University has provided me as a guide personally and professionally. The university also has a counseling department, language center and so much more to offer its international students

leslie

Are you doing online classes, in person or both?

I arrived in Segovia during the first week of September to take in-person classes. All of my courses offer sessions on campus for the students that arrived in the city and record the meetings or engage live with the students that are still abroad. However, I do take classes in both formats, when I do take online classes, they are scheduled through video conferences or non-class learning assignments to complete. I’ve really loved the university’s understanding and versatility with the students in times of crisis.

Are you part of any campus life experiences offered to students?

I’m a writer for the Segovia News and Spanish Opinion section at the Stork. I’m in the Debate & MUN Club in Segovia. I just enrolled in the Policy Lab and in two Advanced Seminars: Managing Humanitarian Crisis Response, and Gender Equality and Development. I love keeping myself busy learning and participating in activities enjoy!  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of the events provided by the Campus Life Department have been online, except during induction week. However, all of them have been pleasantly fun and interactive as well. Here at IEU, you’ll always receive assistance and new opportunities to exploit your potential.

What hobbies do you have? What do you like doing in your day to day?

Every day, I wake up around 9 am, prepare my schedule for the day, and get breakfast. After I work on any assignment I might need to complete and head out to lunch. My lessons are in the evenings because I come from America, and in case we must shift to the online-only methodology, I’ll be able to my classes without any inconvenience in terms of time. So, I head to campus around 2:30 pm and take classes until 7 pm. Afterward, I have dinner and catch up on college work, watch Netflix, and finally call my relatives.

My hobbies are debating, modeling, reading, dancing, and writing. I used to play volleyball for more than 12 years, but in 2019, I tore 6 muscles and injured my knee. This led to my diagnosis of an autoimmune condition that has since then limited my ability to highly perform in the sport. I really look forward to joining the volleyball team someday again with the same intensity, rapidness, and performance as before. Right now, I’m focusing on academics, college experience, and having some rest.

What do you want to do in the future?

In the future, I envision myself as a global policymaker, CEO of a nonprofit organization, expert in government and societal development, and a diplomat. This career path will allow me to develop and stimulate change in different areas of my country that need to be restructured in terms of underage marriage, corruption, poverty, high levels of unemployed, scarcity of resources, among others. My ultimate goal is to be the first female president of the Dominican Republic.

I’ve taken various internships, however, one of the one’s that stood with me the most was at an exchange company named Agente de Cambios Extranjeros were to make decisions for a group of people, one must put themselves in their shoes, aside from following guidelines or protocols. It really impressed me seeing individuals come and go in need of a loan so they could keep their house, feed their kids, or simply get through the day. Which made me analyze this major issue and understand how every problem comes from the root of something rotten, where change can be made, and a positive impact can shift society’s disparities. The other one was at a law firm, Jiménez Cruz Peña, where I witness my country’s unhealthy judicial environment while learning from honest leaders how to approach legal and corporate matters.

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Shakee was born and raised in Venezuela. She speaks Spanish and English.

She completed her primary and secondary education in Caracas, and later on was recruited to play for the women’s tennis team at Merrimack College in the United States where she graduated with honors as a student-athlete from her Bachelor degree in Business Administration with a double concentration in Marketing and Sports Management.

Shakee persue her Master´s degree at IE Business School in Madrid. There, she joined the IE Family Business Club and IE Marketing Club, and she also had the opportunity to compete in a sports management competition (called the Franz Competition) in Berlin, where she faced off against 250 international students and emerged victorious with her team.

After finishing her degree at IE Business School, she worked for Nike for three years before deciding to return to IE University, this time as a Marketing Specialist. Today, Shakee continues to work as a proud member of the IE University family.

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