Karolina Bernhard

Despite having clear ambitions to become a lawyer, Karolina was attracted to the broad scope of IE University’s Bachelor in Philosophy, Politics, Law and Economics. The program gives her time to narrow down her interests within various fields: public policy, corporate jobs or giving legal advice to non-governmental organizations. Karolina saw this as an opportunity to gain a foundational understanding of how our world functions, while also opening the door to work in a range of sectors.

Karolina’s interest in debate began in high school, where she participated in Model United Nations (MUN), chaired the school debate club and attended several conferences. When considering her university application, the presence of an active debate club was naturally important to her—so IE University was an obvious choice. After talking to other students at the beginning of her first semester, Karolina immediately knew that she would make the IEU Debate Club her priority.

One of the most important parts of her extracurricular life, MUN is something she was certain she wanted to continue at university. She enjoys the fact that she is now not only involved with MUN, but also with other debate events, such as the traditional debate between the Spanish Royal Artillery Academy and the IEU Debate Club. Additionally, she’s taking up her duty as an events officer this semester, allowing her even greater involvement in the planning processes and organization of debates.

Summing up her experience of participation in the Harvard Model United Nations debate, Karolina says, “Four days of intense debating can be a really bonding experience.” For her, MUN is a place where she can meet different people from all over the world, make important network connections and form close friendships. Undertaking such a trip with her delegation, keeping all the training and preparation in mind, was a life-changing experience for Karolina. “We have become such a close group, and it's amazing to see everyone grow and cross their own limits throughout the process,” she notes.

Although Karolina acknowledges that it can be very challenging to leave your own values behind and represent another country's policy, she feels this is what makes the Harvard Model UN debate different from any other academic project. “It's about community and finding common ground,” she says. In addition to sharpening her debate skills, the conference also enabled her to negotiate and develop her social skills—which, for a student of politics and economics, was an ideal opportunity to apply her studies to real-world situations. Indeed, she never felt there was a point where she had learned enough or didn’t need to improve further.

Karolina was impressed by the way in which IE University supported her delegation with the debate training led by coach Kevin Febres, whose trust, encouragement, and teachings she credits with her success at the conference. She feels that all the events in which she participated, such as the IE University Model United Nations, prepared her well for what to expect in Harvard, and adds that IE University’s generous sponsorship of the trip ensured that all students had the chance to compete and represent their institution at the conference. 

Karolina’s advice for students aiming to participate in MUN is not to be intimidated. ”I still remember my beginnings and my first conference and how scared I was to speak amongst all these incredibly talented students, but I have also made friends for life,” she says. She emphasizes the importance of approaching former participants and warns against underestimating the amount of time needed for preparation. “Research and training took up my weekends and holidays from December through to February when we went to the conference,” she notes, adding that MUN “can be like an extra subject” in terms of workload, but ultimately it’s a commitment to yourself, to the delegation and to IE University.

However, for Karolina, the extra work and organization was all worth it. “Obviously, it's a lot of work and also some pressure, but in my experience, it's also a lot of fun, and the outcome is always so rewarding,” she explains.