Montserrat Cuetos de Prado
On paper, I am a well-traveled global citizen. I’m a Mexican, Spanish and American national and have lived in Singapore too; yet, I think I would fundamentally identify myself as mostly Mexican. I’m in my third year in the first-ever cohort of my dual degree program, which I chose because it offered in-depth knowledge in a broad range of interrelated subjects.
When I first joined IE University, I was looking for a club that could help me meet new people, pick up interesting learnings from diverse backgrounds and develop my own skill set. I was excited to join the IE Debate Club, which has provided all this and more during my time here. For leisure, I love to read, hang out with friends and learn more about history and art.
"Nowhere else would I have had the opportunity to study such a complex and multifaceted bachelor’s degree."
Making a name on the global stage
Montserrat Cuetos de Prado’s is a very classic IE University background story. A citizen of three countries, she’s lived and studied in Mexico, America and Spain at various points in her life. She’s also had the opportunity to spend five years in Singapore—a very cosmopolitan profile indeed.
However, only one thing could get this globetrotter to set some roots in Spain: the Dual Degree in Philosophy, Politics, Law & Economics + Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.). As she explains, nowhere else would she have had the chance to study such a complex and multifaceted program, covering what she believes are “the most important subjects to learn in order to understand how the world works.” Exploring such a diverse mix of topics under the tutelage of the incredible professors in the program has proven to be the most educationally enriching experience she could have hoped for.
Montserrat joined IE University at the height of the COVID-19 crisis, but this didn’t stop her from making the most of her experience. Her first step was to find a club that would allow her to not only meet and learn from interesting people, but also develop both personally and professionally. Thanks to the IE Debate Club’s astute marketing tactics, she found a new home for her passions in her first semester.
Montserrat appreciates the flexibility offered by the IE Debate Club. “I could become super involved and participate in all of the events, or I could go to one event a semester and join a chill debate about current events over drinks,” she explains. Since joining the club, she’s held numerous leadership roles, from the Head of Delegations to Finance officer and Head of Finance. She’s also chaired the committee organizing the IE University Model United Nations (IEMUN) conference, hosted annually by the club.
Montserrat highlights the incredible academic rigor needed to prepare for such a high-level competition. For instance, her committee tackled how indigenous communities interact with international law, enabling her to apply many of the concepts she had already learned in class to an extensive debate. The conference also opened up networking opportunities with other students from all over the world—and, most importantly, allowed Montserrat to sharpen her professional skills in areas ranging from negotiation and teamwork to public speaking and more.
As the club’s finance officer, Montserrat worked extensively with various schools at IE University prior to the conference, ironing out the details and advocating for sponsorships in order to make the opportunity equitable to students from all economic backgrounds.She credits IE Campus Life, IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs and IE Business School with playing a major part in this endeavor, providing invaluable resources and logistical support to get the project off the ground.
When not debating, Montserrat is also heavily involved in the IE Policy Lab as well as the IE Charity & Social Awareness Society. She advises other students eager to take part in the Harvard MUN conference to become active members of the IE Debate Club, complete the club’s Training Program to learn the fundamentals and just have fun! “We view success as an inevitable consequence of hard work, so work hard, have fun and you will be rewarded.”
