Leslie De La Cruz MartÃnez
My name is Leslie De La Cruz Martinez and I’m a first-year student in the Bachelor in Philosophy, Politics, Law & Economics. I grew up in the Dominican Republic and have lived there all my life before moving to Spain. I studied at a bilingual English-Spanish school, where I also learned French. In general, I’m a very active person and in my free time I enjoy debating, modeling, reading, dancing and writing. I played volleyball for over 12 years but since injuring myself and developing a condition I have been unable to continue. My broad interests mean this program is perfect for me, and I hope to go on to have a varied career in high-level positions.
"I absolutely love IE University because I'm certain I'll be able to acquire the perspective and knowledge to understand complex global dynamics and issues that interest me."
Sometimes, we know something is right from the moment we discover it. This is exactly what happened with Leslie and the Bachelor in Philosophy, Politics, Law & Economics. The program effectively merges four subjects that complement her passion, which she says is the study of individuals and social relationships. Combined with the remarkable professors, excellent facilities and extracurricular activities, IE University is the perfect environment for Leslie to grow and gain the skills and experience to achieve her incredible ambitions.
Each aspect of the program appeals to Leslie for a distinct reason. She traces her interest in politics to the reality of the situation in the Dominican Republic, where she says corruption and injustice are widespread. Her interest in the legal side is closely related to this, but she believes it will help her develop a broader perspective, allowing her to understand the complex issues underlying equality, fairness and justice at a global level—which can then be applied to encourage change in the Dominican Republic.
The final two subject areas, economics and philosophy, will provide her with a holistic skill set and deeper perspective of our reality. Whether leveraging economics to offer strategic solutions to government and non-governmental funded entities, or using philosophy to trace complex problems to their origin, Leslie is confident that these two subjects will help her achieve her ambitions.
From the handling of the pandemic to providing administrative help to the program itself, Leslie is overwhelmingly positive about her IE University experience. She credits the university with helping her choose the right program, get her documentation sorted and even keep her up to date with what’s going on in the institution. With this help, Leslie managed to arrive in Segovia in September despite the pandemic. All her classes offer both in-person and virtual options and, embracing the university’s Liquid Learning ecosystem, Leslie often attends them in both formats.
Outside of classes and her community commitments, Leslie enjoys debating, modeling, reading, dancing and writing. Although an autoimmune condition has stopped her playing volleyball, Leslie hopes to be able to take it up again someday. In the meantime, she is focusing on her studies and the university experience, something that will stand her in good stead with her future plans.
After graduating, Leslie hopes to make a name for herself as a global policymaker, CEO of a nonprofit organization, an expert in government and societal development and a diplomat. These interconnected ambitions are all part of a plan to help her achieve her ultimate goal—to become the first female president of the Dominican Republic.
With a few internships under her belt and a drive to continue learning, growing and impacting change, we’re confident we will hear more about Leslie in the coming years.