Juliana Rojas
My name is Juliana Rojas. I’m passionate about social justice and living a meaningful life, and being part of a big Latino family has shaped my sense of community. Coming from Colombia, I’ve seen how inequality shapes people’s experiences and access to opportunities. I always try to lead with empathy—life is already challenging, let’s not make the journey harder for one another. My desire to empower my community and a passion for social justice drove me to pursue a dual master’s degree at IE University.
"I have a huge passion for community empowerment and social justice, but I’ve seen how great social projects are not sustainable in the long run. I wanted the skills to target this gap."
Dual degrees, one purpose: building sustainable futures for Latin America
Juliana Rojas is a family-oriented, community-focused changemaker. Her unique upbringing imparted a deep sense of social responsibility, and exposure to the inequality in her home country of Colombia lit a passion for social justice within her. Learning early on that racial and class differences heavily shape people’s experiences, Juliana has been fortunate enough to benefit from opportunity.
She’s also passionate about giving back to her community. Juliana wants to dedicate her life’s work to ensuring that no one is limited simply by where they are from. "We all come from different backgrounds and experiences, so I strive to approach life with empathy," she explains. This people-first approach played a big part in leading Juliana to IE University.
She was looking for the next step in her social project management career, and the Dual Degree International MBA + Master in International Development seemed like the perfect fit. While she’s a proponent of community empowerment and social justice, Juliana has also seen many great social projects fail to become self-sustaining in the long run due to a dependence on international aid. "I wanted the skills to target this gap." Looking to gain an edge in business administration and finance—as well as perspective on the development sector in an international playing field—Juliana knew this program would be her future.
Her past as an academic and professional background in law and public policy certainly lay the foundation for this growth. With qualifications in law, public policy and development, and over four years’ experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, Juliana gained insight into the ins and outs of the local landscape. She also worked on high-impact projects focused on gender justice, human rights and post-conflict development in Colombia for most of her career, managing budgets, coordinating with stakeholders and training over 150 social leaders.
These skills became invaluable when she joined the Dual Degree International MBA + Master in International Development. They allowed her to develop deeper interdisciplinary skills in development economics, policy evaluation and sustainable project management—all of which the program emphasizes. She was also looking to enhance her ability to combine field experience with business acumen and strategic frameworks in order to scale up community-driven development projects across Latin America. Luckily, the program has been helpful here, too.
"The Dual Degree International MBA + Master in International Development has been a great step in shaping my professional path by helping me connect my field experience with a broader, global understanding of development." Juliana has sharpened her knowledge of key development frameworks, as well as tools for impact measurement and sustainable policy design. All this has enhanced her ability to scale her work in Colombia to a regional or international level.
Looking to her future, Juliana sees herself leading high-potential development initiatives across Latin America. She hopes to work at the intersection of community development, gender equity and innovative financing to design and implement solutions that create a lasting impact. "The dual degree program provides a strong foundation in development theory, policy design and impact evaluation, while equipping me with practical finance and data analysis tools," she notes.
Beyond the skills gained, Juliana has built meaningful relationships with friends from around the world. She’s met people with diverse perspectives and experiences who challenge and inspire her daily, contributing to "eye-opening" experiences throughout this learning journey. "The program has opened my mind, exposing me to diverse perspectives, global development challenges and alternative approaches."
Juliana would advise anyone interested in pursuing the Dual Degree International MBA + Master in International Development to come with an open mind and a willingness to unlearn and relearn. "The strength of this program lies not only in its academic content, but in the diversity of the people you’ll learn alongside. Don’t underestimate how much personal and professional growth can come from these exchanges."
She also encourages future students to take full advantage of the program's interdisciplinary nature. "From public policy and social entrepreneurship to impact investment, there’s space to explore and combine unique paths." The academic side is incredible, but Juliana feels one of her most valuable assets is her new IE Community.