ISS offer a space to know many other cultures and countries through other students’ experiences, food, stories and personalities
Ximena Alexandra Argüello Calle from Ecuador
2019-2020-MA - Human Rights, Gender and Conflict Studies: Social Justice Perspectives (SJP)
Name: Ximena Alexandra Argüello Calle
Major: Human Rights, Gender and Conflict Studies: Social Justice Perspectives (SJP)
Background: Before coming to ISS, I finished my Bachelor in Multilingual Business and International Relations. I also worked in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Ecuador and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). On one side, as a public servant I acquired great experience in understanding the public sector procedures and international cooperation dynamics. On the other side, FAO taught me to understand cooperation agencies’ perspective while offering economic and/or technical assistance to governmental institutions.
Together, my professional career and working experience, made me realize the actual necessity of integrating critical thinking of development in national institutions, non-governmental organizations, and any other body working on development. Working in any Organization (regardless of its nature) can always be a space to contribute with new proposals.
Scholarship awarded: Organization of American States Scholarship (OAS)
Any advice on getting that scholarship?
One denial does not mean that all opportunities are lost. It is important to keep trying as many times as it takes.
Recommendation forms and motivation letters are a great part of the process. I strongly recommend students to check them several times. Ask for advice and comments to friends, professors and colleagues. All ideas and contributions are enriching.
Why study abroad?
Doing a MA is already an enriching opportunity. Doing a MA abroad turns to be not only a professional learning process but also a very personal one. Studying abroad poses several challenges that improves people’s resilience and solving-problem capacity. Being abroad brings a space of reflection about the ‘self’, expectations and self-conceptions, that can help us to clarify our personal and professional path.
Why ISS?
ISS is an amazing community conformed by students coming from all around the world. Knowledge and experiences are constantly exchanged not only during classes, but in ISS corridors, extracurricular activities, student housing, and so on, when students live and explore together. ISS offer a space to know many other cultures and countries through other students’ experiences, food, stories and personalities.
Additionally, ISS offer a variety of approaches to problematize ‘mainstream development’ and look for new alternatives. ISS is not a place to find answers but to question what has been done and what needs to be challenged. By formulating questions, ISS provides a set of tools to integrate a critical thinking in studies, practices and initiatives that involve development.