Gerardo Rojo de Miguel

Gerardo Rojo de Miguel’s story starts not far from IE University, in Valencia. After building up a foundation of ambition and self-discipline through high school and an exchange year in Ireland when he was 12 years old, Gerardo discovered a passion for entrepreneurship and international cultures. These interests, plus an enduring drive toward self-actualization, led this ambitious student to the Dual Degree in Business Administration + International Relations at IE University. Through this program, he’s learning how to boost his potential—and his career prospects.

Gerardo was drawn to the dual degree program because of its comprehensive scope of study. He wanted to attain the skills necessary to pursue both of his dreams: starting a business and exploring different cultures. That’s one reason why he was attracted to the diversity of our student body, he admits. "After some investigation, IE University came across as the perfect match—a renowned business school in Madrid, where students from all around the world share classrooms to become future leaders." The connections he’s forming with fellow students provide a foundation to build a global professional network.

From the start of the program, Gerardo has been inspired by the university’s teaching faculty. He finds the holistic and contemporary approach to learning to be unmatched. Specifically, he has enjoyed looking at politics through a scientific lens in his Comparative Politics course, and in Aid, Development and Social Entrepreneurship, he’s had the chance to learn how businesses can be a tool for positive global impact. These courses haven’t just sharpened Gerardo’s skills and insight, but they’re also influencing his thoughts on what direction he’d like to take in the future.

Outside of the classroom, Gerardo is making the most of the program’s extracurricular experiences. He took part in the Transformational Leadership Journey, spending two weeks in the Himalayas building leadership skills through hands-on experiences with like-minded peers. He was also selected to receive an IE Foundation scholarship and join the IE Foundation Fellows Program in recognition of his stellar academic achievements.

Finally, Gerardo is giving back to the IE Community through the Mentorship Society. He started off as a mentee himself; but the now third-year student serves as a mentor, helping incoming learners feel supported as they familiarize themselves with life at IE University.

He believes the Dual Degree in Business Administration + International Relations is truly the best of both worlds. He gets to experience outstanding education provided by two of the university’s largest schools: IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs and IE Business School. "I believe this interdisciplinary approach has equipped me with invaluable tools that will allow me to excel in whatever path I decide to pursue," he says.

Gerardo’s advice to anyone thinking about studying a dual degree program is to consider the workload. "We have a much higher workload than single-degree students, but we also gain a wider perspective; it is definitely worth it." That being said, he believes that students who are interested in the experience should go for it. The personalized learning and ability to actively explore multiple interests provide an opportunity to pursue multiple career paths, or just engage in one with the benefit of multiple lenses.