Kate Cambel
I grew up in the Philippines but I have also lived in Singapore, Thailand and Mexico. The ability to study a Dual Degree is one of the reasons that I chose to study at IE University after a career in human resources at Shell. I am currently pursuing my International MBA & Master in International Relations, and I enjoy participating in IE University’s extracurricular activities like Model United Nations and playing badminton at IE Tower.
"I value the moments in class when people speak from their experience or observations, and people build on those conversations."
Thriving in an international community as a dual master’s student
Originally from the Philippines, Kate Cambel grew up living in countries around the world, including Singapore, Thailand and Mexico. Being exposed to different cultures from an early age sparked Kate’s interest in international relations. Now a student in the dual International MBA & Master in International Relations, she hopes to build on her personal experiences by gaining new skills that will propel her forward into a new career.
Before coming to IE University, Kate worked in a variety of fields including the performing arts, television, technology, education and writing articles about travel. While studying for her undergraduate degree in communication arts, she worked for AIESEC, a youth-run non-profit organization that runs cross-cultural exchange programs for young Filipinos that focus on communications, marketing and branding. Kate reached a point in her life where she was looking to advance her career, so she decided to leave her most recent role as a human resources performance and improvement advisor at Shell to study at IE University.
Kate’s own experience as a ‘third culture kid’ showed her the variety of nuances that can affect intercultural interactions. She explains, “I always had an interest in international relations due to my background and have been enlightened by how small nuances such as the way you greet someone, react to a scenario, or choosing which language to speak always has an effect in terms of relations, and how global that effect could be when thinking of it in a bigger perspective.”
IE University was the perfect place for Kate to begin a new chapter, considering its diverse student population represents countries from all around the world. No stranger to navigating schools with diverse nationalities, Kate enjoys the way in which her classmates’ different backgrounds lead to some interesting class discussions. With so many points of view interacting, students at IE University are able to build on the class material and interpret it in different ways thanks to their own unique perspectives.
“In a diverse setting and as someone from the minority, you will realize how different you are, but so is each person in the community. You get to embrace your uniqueness!”
Kate’s favorite course from the master’s program so far has been Public Policy Design, which she took during her first term at IE University. She was pleasantly surprised to find that she enjoyed the class, having steered away from working with policies in the past. Along with stressing the importance of public policy, Kate found that the course’s professor was able to explain the complex field in a way that was more accessible and understandable. An advocate of the Sustainable Development Goals (especially those focusing on education, mental health, poverty and gender equality), classes such as Public Policy Design have given Kate essential skills to reach her professional goals.
Kate is taking advantage of all the opportunities at IE University. Last year alone, she was the logistics organizer for the IE University Model United Nations in Madrid and Segovia in addition to participating in the 2022 Global Case Competition at Harvard, where her group received an honorable mention.
On top of her classwork, Kate stays busy by serving as the careers representative for her section of the Master in International Relations. One thing she loves about IE University is the variety of ways she can advance her career and gain professional experience through extracurriculars. She has even had the opportunity to work with some startups including HelloChange and Impactury.
After a long week of studying, Kate enjoys staying active by playing badminton with other students at IE Tower on Friday afternoons. Thanks to Madrid’s location in the center of Spain with the rest of Europe just a train or short flight away, Kate also enjoys being able to explore other cities and countries—an essential part of any international relations student’s extracurricular activities.
As a very safe European city, Kate often stays in Madrid and enjoys all that the capital city has to offer. The vibrant and lively areas of Sol or Malasaña are two of her favorite parts of the city. But if you’re looking for something more tranquil, she recommends Retiro Park as a nice place to relax and enjoy nature.
Kate hopes that prospective students of the International MBA & Master in International Relations will embrace their uniqueness in their time at IE University. She says that it is this diversity that makes IE University’s community so rewarding in addition to its academic rigor and ability to truly challenge its students.
