Marta García
I come from Madrid, but I would describe myself as a citizen of the world. I love to travel and open my mind by enriching my life with new cultures and people. I leave pieces of me everywhere I go, and I take back aspects and ways of living from other cultures. I think the world needs hopeful, driven people who keep working for good causes, and I’m a keen advocate for international development and humanitarian assistance. I’m keen on giving a helping hand to those who need it, and trying to find the bright light in any situation. I’m a caring, enthusiastic leader with high aims; I believe my passion, my work and my ambition will contribute to a greater mission, however idealistic that sounds.
“Enjoy the process and take the benefit of everything that IE University has to offer, including the network. The most important thing for me is to stay curious and follow your passion.”
Combining her passions in pursuit of a better world
As soon as you talk to Marta, it becomes clear how passionate she is about the power of small groups, or even individuals, to effect positive change. When she was looking for the right master’s program, she had in mind the ongoing need to spread prosperity around the globe, and the skills she would require to play her own part in building the sustainability and human-rights-based pathways that will achieve that aim.
She speaks about the opportunity that her two passions—sports and human rights—provide in combination as tools to promote development, social inclusion and economic growth, particularly in pursuit of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Regardless of geography, culture or politics, the things Marta is most passionate about are key drivers in ensuring a better future for all.
So it’s no surprise to hear that her professional aspirations center on securing a humanitarian role within an international organization. A career in conflict resolution, and building a sustainable peace, would allow her to work constantly with people and make a positive impact.
“The Master in International Development is the perfect mix of cultural diversity; I am surrounded by international students from whom I am learning about their culture and I am becoming more the world citizen I want to be.”
Indeed, Marta already has experience working at exactly the type of multilateral organization she has in mind for her career. Her academic background is in corporate communications as well as international relations, and she has developed specific knowledge in public relations, diplomatic protocol and multilateral relations, as well as the evaluation and monitoring techniques involved in the policy assessment work of international organizations.
Crucial for her understanding of how intergovernmental relations function, Marta has already gained work experience at the Spanish Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, the Spanish stock exchange and the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Madrid. These varied experiences served only to reaffirm her determination to pursue a career in the international development sphere, where she’s so keen to help vulnerable communities. What’s more, she gained valuable firsthand exposure to the realities of the sector, working quickly under deadline pressure and using her interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills to manage diverse teams.
The close links between our Master in International Development and the UNSSC, which brings UN experts directly to IE University to share their experience and insights, were a key part in her choosing the program for her postgraduate studies. Marta also cites the hands-on projects at international organizations as key in her consideration, naming the MENA Climate Week in Riyadh, which she was fortunate enough to attend as part of the program, as an outstanding example. She’s looking forward to building her international network even further, and working alongside top sector professionals, when she begins her capstone project for a UN Resident Coordinator’s Office.
In fact, Marta cites the program’s focus on designing influential strategies to tackle issues specifically raised by the UN as aligning nicely with the knowledge she’ll need to land her “dream job.” That, and the enormous cultural diversity of the international community with which she’s learning; IE University, she says, is fueling her dedication to create a more just and humane world.
Asked for any advice she’d offer to anyone considering following her into the Master in International Development, Marta emphasizes the soft skills that have stood her in good stead so far. She urges the development of cultural sensitivity, adaptability, communication and teamwork, qualities she cites as crucial in navigating the diverse environments and people that characterize the sector. Enjoy the process, she urges, and take advantage of everything IE University has to offer, including the network. For Marta, it’s important to stay curious and follow your passion.
When she finds the time, Marta is a very keen swimmer, both participating in and coaching synchronized swimming. The discipline and sacrifice the sport demands have, she says, both given her the motivation to face any challenge and taught her the value of effort, perseverance, commitment, a drive for excellence, fellowship, self-discipline and teamwork. She takes those values into every aspect of her daily life, both professional and personal, so we’re backing Marta to succeed in the pool, in her future career and in the wider world.
