Home Country: Colombia
Program: Political Science
University: Nacional de La Plata
Pronouns: he/him
Languages: English, Spanish

I am a social scientist in training. I grew up in Medellín – Colombia, where I studied journalism and communication studies. Throughout my bachelor degree I became obsessed with the idea of discovering the world and a month after graduation I moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, escaping from a regular 8-to-5 office-job. I lived in the south for almost four years, and obtained an MA in History and Memory at Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Although I succeeded in building some work experience in advertising and web marketing, I failed to master the art of tango dancing. I then changed a cosmopolitan city with almost 3 million people for Morgantown, a small town in rural West Virginia with 30k residents. Regrets? None. I had an amazing experience at WVU. Not only did I make new friends, improved my English skills and obtained a second master's (this time in Hispanic literature), but I also developed an invaluable understanding of the US culture, its values and drives. Working for West Virginia University, and living in the US to a large extent, changed my professional path both drastically and positively. Thanks to this experience I envisioned a career in international relations.

After Morgantown, my next stop was Washington D.C. where I had a unique opportunity to work as a contractor at the US Department - Foreign Service Institute. Working as a language and culture trainer for diplomats was a priceless opportunity to learn more about geopolitics, and to further understand how the US positions itself globally, a necessary knowledge for anyone intending to build a career in international relations.

Seven years after leaving Medellín, I decided to go back home and I was fortunate to land on a dream job as an International Cooperation Advisor for the second largest university in the country. I worked there for 2.5 years coordinating binational alliances and scientific exchange agreements; obtaining government and international grants for research development; organizing diplomatic visits; representing the university in international events; and more importantly, contributing to change the lives of economically unprivileged students who, just like me more than a decade ago, see education as a life changing deal. As much as it hurt to leave this job, I realized that I needed to take a further step in my training, and thanks to a Fulbright Scholarship I am now pursuing a PhD in Political Science. I am currently studying how violence affects voting behavior and political preferences, using statistical and data analysis techniques. After my doctoral studies, I plan to work somewhere between the academic and the practitioner world.

On Rice:

Rice University is incredibly efficient and supportive. It is impressive how personalized the relationships with the Faculty and the Administration are. This level of one-to-one contact hardly happens in larger institutions. This facilitates not only the communication, but also the solution of unexpected administrative issues, which are rather common for international students. Last but not least, Rice truly values the Fulbrighters. We are greatly spoiled here. :)

On Fulbright:

Fulbright has been an incredible experience for both personal and professional enrichment. First, the program provides the opportunity to meet amazing people. I have been very fortunate to get to know individuals with super interesting life stories, whose personal experiences have encouraged me to be a better person. Second, the expansion of the professional network is exponential when you join the program. You get to connect with very smart professionals in multiple fields from different countries. This network is critical for me, as I plan to work in international relations.

Fun Fact:

I would give up everything to become a professional racquetball player.