Empowering young talent
At IE University, we believe that everyone who wants to learn should be able to do so. Whether it’s gaining new knowledge, developing your skill set or pivoting to a new direction, we offer the right support to help you meet your goals.
María José Jaramillo experienced this firsthand. Ever since she was a young girl growing up in Medellín, Columbia, she knew she wanted to study abroad. “I saw so many opportunities for growth outside of my home country,” she explains. After high school, María José was ready to leave the nest and set out to find the right opportunity that could make her dreams a reality.
She soon discovered the Celsia-Cubico Young Talented Leaders Scholarship at IE University. Offered by IE Foundation and funded by world-leading renewable energy providers Celsia and Cubico Sustainable Investments, the scholarship gives outstanding Colombian students the chance to grow in a unique international experience.
“For me, it seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime,” says María José. She understood that gaining an international education would open many doors not just during her academic journey, but also in her professional life. And with her strong work ethic, rigorous standards and history of accomplishment, she was just the kind of candidate the scholarship was made for.
A complete international experience
It wasn’t long before María José made her way to Spain to join the Dual Degree in Business Administration & International Relations. Now in her fourth year, she says the program has been “one of the best things that has ever happened” in her life. Living on her own for the first time was a steep learning curve, but the rewards have been immeasurable. “I have become more mature, more responsible and I now have clear goals for my future,” she states.
María José has taken to the IE Community like a fish to water. Laser-focused on her goals, she’s relished the chance to put every resource to good use. Not only has she made friends from many different cultures, consequently gaining a broader global perspective, she’s also excelled in the classroom—so much so that she was selected as an IE Foundation Fellow, a distinction that recognizes academic excellence. Throughout the program, she’s taken advantage of the vast array of academic, personal and professional opportunities that IE University offers, as well as accessing an extensive network of faculty and peers. As she says, “It is amazing to have so many knowledgeable people surrounding me.”
Ambitions realized
When María José first joined IE University, she saw it as a valuable chance to start building a successful life abroad. However, her mind is always back home, finding ways to harness her new-found skills and knowledge to help her local community.
Similarly, she was excited for the chance to show another side of Colombia. What most people know about Medellín comes from movies or the news, but the City of Eternal Spring has so much more to it. From its perfect climate, good food, great music and more—María José has added her own unique mark to the mosaic of IE University’s vibrant international community. “I’m grateful for the platform to share my culture and change people’s opinions on Colombia and, more specifically, Medellín,” she says.
The recipe for success
Thanks to our extensive global network of corporate partners, students like María José are able to bring new hope to their local communities, using their learnings to catalyze change. As she states, “I knew that leaving Colombia would allow me to grow personally and professionally, giving me a range of knowledge and skills that I could use to benefit the future of my country.”
As she approaches the final moments of her Dual Degree in Business Administration & International Relations, she looks back fondly on her IE Experience so far. She’s become more open-minded, explored different worldviews and learned so much more about herself and what she wants to accomplish in her career. The Celsia-Cubico Young Talented Leaders Scholarship merely opened the door, but María José is walking boldly through it to a successful future.
