My name is Lourenço and I am a Portuguese student in the Bachelor in Business Administration program at IE University. Embracing different cultures is something that I have been fortunate enough to experience throughout my life. I was born in Washington D.C., then moved to New York, the Netherlands, Portugal and South Africa. Immersing myself in IE University’s multicultural community is something of second nature to me, having not only explored different countries around the world, but also having attended international schools. This has given me a wider perspective on life.

 

It’s all about balance

I truly see IE University as the path that will turn my aspirations and goals into accomplishments and personal successes. The university’s well-rounded atmosphere gives me the opportunity to not only gain a higher education, but also have a place to cultivate my creative, physical, intellectual and spiritual self. Before I started my Bachelor in Business Administration, I made the choice to take a gap year. And during that time, I learned that the most important thing in life is balance: to achieve personal excellence, you must respect and nourish yourself as a whole. I feel that IE University creates a space where I can practice all of this.

Another aspect that influenced my decision was IE University’s credibility. Ranking among the top universities in Europe, the opportunity to both learn from experienced business leaders and to make early connections with leading firms was incredibly convincing and ultimately helped me realize that this was the perfect place to turn my motivation into tangible goals. The Bachelor in Business Administration places importance on the balance between theoretical and practical work, giving my colleagues and I a complete understanding of what it means to put theory to practice.

The sense of community at IE University is another highlight, and I’m especially impressed by the campus life. It’s incredibly dynamic and there is always something going on, including sporting activities and a vast number of clubs. Personally, I enjoy playing football with my friends on campus, or going to the creativity center to play music and socialize. I’ve also joined the Italian club to improve my conversational skills, attended seminars in economics and finance, and even made the volleyball team.

Productivity is a concept I try to focus on—I view it not only as a tool to complete more university work, but also as something that can help me improve other areas of my life. I include hobbies in my goal to stay productive, so I devote some time every day to playing the guitar, engaging in physical activity and reading. Since arriving in Segovia, I’ve further cultivated my passion for cooking, which has helped me forge friendships with colleagues who share this passion. The multicultural environment at IE University has given me the chance to learn a lot about other cultures through gastronomy.

Professional development is another area that we are encouraged to focus on at IE University. To that end, I’ve taken the initiative to join the Young Corporate Program and have created a LinkedIn account to get a head start on researching jobs in finance and connect with like-minded professionals. I haven’t written off the idea of starting my own business either, especially as the Bachelor in Business Administration not only gives a thorough overview of the subdivisions of a business, but also has a focus on how to manage one.

If I were to give a piece of advice to anyone interested in applying to IE University, it would be to do everything in their power to really live out the full IE Experience. IE University’s core values emphasize the importance of becoming a balanced and self-sufficient professional, ready to handle real-life situations.

I try to live my life based on the idea that “water chooses the path of least resistance.” Many people choose the easiest path in life, and therefore miss out on opportunities. Swimming against the current means working longer and harder, but attaining the end goal you desire. The beauty of all of this is that you decide how far you have to swim against that current in order to reach your goal.

 

PULL QUOTE OPTIONS:

“The university’s well-rounded atmosphere gives me the opportunity to not only gain a higher education, but also have a place to cultivate my creative, physical, intellectual and spiritual self.”

“IE University’s core values emphasize the importance of becoming a balanced and self-sufficient professional, ready to handle real-life situations.”

“Swimming against the current means working longer and harder, but attaining the end goal you desire.”