Laufey Sverrisdóttir
My name is Laufey Sverrisdóttir—first name pronounced exactly like the Spanish leather brand, last name, well.. you can forget about the last name. I’m 23, and I was born and raised in Garðabær, Iceland, a town that’s essentially an extension of Reykjavík. I identify as female and go by the pronouns “she/her”. I’m about to start my last year in the Bachelor in Business Administration at IE University.
"Of course, your university is always supposed to aid you in your personal and professional growth, but IE University goes above and beyond."
From Iceland to Spain and far beyond
Laufey Sverrisdóttir has her eyes set on the future. While finishing up high school in her small Icelandic hometown, she knew she was destined for something bigger—she just wasn’t sure what. After learning about IE University and its immersive, international campus, she felt it was the place for her. And while she didn’t yet know what her calling was, she did know the Bachelor in Business Administration would open doors for her, no matter the role or industry.
Receiving both loans and a scholarship to attend IE University—which she previously hadn’t thought possible—she was off to Spain. She says that while every university should aid you in your personal and professional growth, IE University goes above and beyond. Laufey received support every step of the way, and believes that the most important university service that every student should know about is free therapy for students—not just a school counselor but a professional, outsourced psychology service.
Laufey immediately found herself in a world of new opportunities. Her first year on campus, she took part in the corporate mentorship program, receiving career guidance straight out of the gate. Her second year, Laufey and her peers had the chance to work on a marketing campaign for Atlético Madrid, the city’s professional soccer team. Her third year, she collaborated with a Nigerian startup on a new growth strategy. She describes both as “incredible experiences.”
This is around the time when Laufey felt she found some direction in her career. After having “examined just about every pathway” thanks to IE University’s career services and the many options for course electives, she discovered she was drawn to anything related to tech. She plans to continue down that path post-graduation, whether in a master’s degree or “whatever life brings.” In a couple of years, she sees herself in a tech company—preferably a startup—doing work that inspires her.
Academics and classmates aside, Laufey has also seized every opportunity to learn and have fun on campus. Between co-leading the Craft Beer Club and organizing IE University experiences and events as a student ambassador, the ambitious young student has had the chance to meet hundreds of fascinating people with diverse backgrounds.
Off campus, Laufey has leaned into her knack for making cocktails and her passion for yoga (fun fact: she’s a certified Ishka Kankueb yoga instructor). She also spends much of her free time reading and writing poetry, winning an award for poetry written in English at the 2020 IE Foundation Prizes in the Humanities. Looking into the long term, however, what she’s most devoted to is “the destruction of the patriarchy.”
Laufey says she’s grown a lot over the past few years, attributing that growth to IE University and the diversity of people she’s come to know here. While she doesn’t have any concrete plans for the future, she’s sure that her path will lead her to happiness, stability, constant learning and inspiration. We wish her all the best!