Ben Dwork
I’m Ben and I’m originally from California in the US. Before coming to IE University, I studied in New York and have lived in Brooklyn, Los Angeles and Johannesburg. I’d describe myself as ambitious and entrepreneurial—I prefer to take chances and work for myself—such as going back to study to change my career and move to a new country. I’m independent but also understand the value of collaboration and partnerships.
"The Master in International Relations was a whirlwind year, but I came away from the program with a deeper and more analytical understanding of the world. "
Driving positive change after IE University
Before coming to IE University, Ben graduated from New York University with a degree in film and television production. He then worked for NYC & Company, the marketing and tourism agency for New York City, where he produced, filmed and edited videos for tourism marketing, press conferences, public service campaigns and initiatives to support local businesses.
Later, he worked as a TV producer in documentary and unscripted series, before founding his own production company and moving into journalism where he focused on human interest and feature news stories.
In 2019, he’d been considering a career change, but wasn’t quite sure which direction to pursue so in January and February 2020, he took time off to travel to Kazakhstan and Turkey and pursue personal interests. He decided to take part in a month-long language immersion program in Nice, France with a plan to go back to South Africa and decide on a new path in March 2020.
It was around this time that he discovered IE University on a list of the best international relations programs in Europe and was drawn to IE University's Master in International Relations because of its accelerated program and the option to undertake the Capstone Project. To aid his decision, he reached out to several alumni on LinkedIn and they were great ambassadors, answering his questions and recommending the program. This pretty much convinced him of his decision.
While at IE University, he enjoyed how the professors were all working professionals and brought their experience into the classroom, which was especially vital for international relations as the field is constantly changing.
I was challenged academically, and I appreciated the chance to focus my studies on specific regions and topics.
Currently, Ben is working with IE Insights on a new initiative focused on jumpstarting discussions on how universities can be catalysts for problem-solving in cities. Together, they are working on events and screenings of the new documentary “Rethinking Cities.”
He also currently consults with Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) as their senior media advisor. LAW is an independent, non-profit focused on bringing justice to gender equality and sexual and gender-based violence. His work focuses on helping them raise awareness and visibility of their work in human rights.
Shortly after graduation, Ben launched a consulting firm with a business partner—CGO (Chief Global Officers), with a dual mission of connecting businesses to the African market and helping strengthen organizations through strategic communications. They developed the idea during Venture Lab, and this experience helped to motivate them to move forward with the business post-graduation. They’ve already taken on work for a philanthropic organization in New York, formed a limited partnership with a media communications agency in Johannesburg to bid on a project with the African Development Bank, and are in the early stages of developing a platform to directly connect MSMEs in Africa with businesses and organizations abroad.
The Master in International Relations, and especially courses like History of International Relations, Comparative Politics, and International Relations Theory gave Ben a solid background on the mechanics of international relations. Specialization courses like African Politics and African Business and Economics gave him the opportunity to dive deeper into subjects with which he had some practical familiarity but hadn’t explored on an academic level.
To prospective students of the Master in International Relations, Ben recommends doing your research. Understand the program, reach out to alumni and have a very clear reason for wanting to study this program. For him, it was that every job posting he found—from the UN to NGOs—required at least a master’s degree in international relations. He knew that he had practical experience in the field but needed a master’s to fill in the theoretical and academic knowledge.
He also suggests asking questions in class, using your professors’ knowledge and making time in your busy schedule for events across campus. Introduce yourself to people, talk to IE Talent & Careers early and take advantage of the opportunities that IE University offers. After you’ve graduated, you’ll never wish you did less of these things.
