Pilar Moreno López

Pilar has been practicing track and cross country since she was eight years old. Whether at home, in school or on the street, she has always enjoyed running. As she got older, her parents decided to enroll her in a track club to have some fun. Nowadays, she still enjoys her sports and follows a strict regimen; Pilar trains six days a week for at least an hour and a half.

As a world affairs enthusiast, Pilar chose IE University because the Dual Degree in Economics and International Affairs appealed most to her. Not only does it include competitive subjects like programming, but it also seamlessly incorporates contemporary issues and current events. Pilar believes these two branches complement each other and offer a deep understanding of today’s society. Furthermore, by studying at the Segovia campus, she was able to continue training with her current athletics coach.

Combining sports and academia for the last ten years has helped this student-athlete improve her time management and organizational skills; she has no problem balancing both. She sometimes has to adapt her training routine according to her classes, however. Luckily, her coach is a great planner and they adjust their schedules accordingly.

As for competitions, Pilar does cross country in the winter and track events during the outdoor season, with a special focus on the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Normally, she competes for Image FDR—where she’s a club member. Now, Pilar also represents IE University Athletics in various races. According to her, everyone on staff has always been supportive and the professors are quite understanding when she has needed to compete during class hours.

From the beginning, Pilar has felt a strong connection to IE University Athletics. Specifically, she says that Juan Barrio—the director of IE University Athletics and Student Relations—has always supported her. For Pilar, being part of this community has meant creating unique bonds with other colleagues and feeling like she’s part of a team, even though her sport is more individual. She appreciates that IE University also provides coaching, clothing and state-of-the-art facilities to train at whatever level you feel most comfortable.

So far, Pilar has enjoyed learning about Game Theory in her economics class this past semester. The subject is part of her dual degree program and analyzes strategic interactions between decision-makers. She particularly liked the different methods used to solve problems; it was an entertaining process—like solving a puzzle. The professor also made sure Pilar and her classmates practiced and applied game theory concepts to real-life situations such as the oil market or geopolitics.

Conversely, her professor’s approach to a unique subject made Political Theory her favorite international relations class. Pilar appreciated how students were taken on a journey through different “isms” while the instructor defined what makes them modern.

If anybody is wondering what a typical Bachelor in Economics and Bachelor in International Relations student looks like, Pilar contends that they’re pretty much the same as any other. Both groups can always be seen with their laptops, perhaps analyzing data in R Studio or reading about world history.

In her opinion, previous knowledge in subjects like mathematics isn’t a prerequisite to completing the Dual Degree in Economics and International Relations. The program explores these two branches from a defined starting point, allowing you to learn the basics and catch up easily. Moreover, Pilar would also recommend learning more about IE University’s library and how it works; she stresses that it will become handy for your assignments.