“When the plane took off, I shed some tears,” recalls Andreas Guillén Meza, a young graduate of the Instituto Nacional in 2019, who moved to the city of Poitiers, France, on September 10th, to begin his studies in Social Sciences at the esteemed University of Sciences Po.

The emotion came as no surprise: this 19-year-old, from the Colbún commune in the Maule region, had never flown before or had even been outside of Chile. After being awarded the Sciences Po Quiñenco Scholarship for Chile, Guillén began a journey that will keep him living abroad for at least the next five years.

Andreas says that he has always known he has wanted to study political science. From his early years in elementary school, he had a love for history, geography, and cartography, which later developed into a hobby of making presentations on the composition of parliament, the political forces within ministries, and public policy debates.

“While I was at the Instituto Nacional, I was part of many debate groups which helped me to broaden my view and meet and interact with people from very different political positions. This helped to enrich my view of the political spectrum, break down previously-held myths and even debate better”, remembers Guillén.

Another one of his hobbies is vexillology: a discipline consisting of the study of flags. Today, Guillén is part of the nascent Chilean National Vexillology Corporation, which he has been a member of since 2018. He has a collection of nearly 100 flags that he took to France to decorate his room with; truly materializing his passion for the international arena.

Alongside a clear path of interests, this young student also had another dream: to study in France. “At the National Institute I took French classes which allowed me to learn the [French] language. In addition, my teachers supported me in completing the DELF at various levels to continue strengthening my knowledge of the French language and culture. I knew that I wanted to study there at some point in my life”.

October 9th, 2019 is a date that Guillén remembers very clearly. That day, representatives from Sciences Po University and the Luksic Scholars Foundation came to the National Institute to present a program to the students that would allow for one, young Chilean to study at said university with a scholarship financed by Quiñenco.

“I had never heard of Sciences Po, but I immediately knew that this was the perfect program for me: a scholarship to study political science at one of the best universities in France,” Guillén recalls.

From that moment on, he focused on complying with the requirements to apply [for the scholarship] while preparing for the PSU. However, he knew he could also not leave his future in the hands of one, single alternative so he continued working on his admissions process to the University of Chile.

Alas, his efforts did not go in vain. He was the first Chilean to submit all of the necessary documentation to apply to the Sciences Po scholarship and after a promising interview with representatives of the university, Andreas felt for the first time that his dreams could come true.

“At the end of April I began studying at the University of Chile, which is a great college, so I was able to come to terms with the situation. If the scholarship worked out, fine; but if not, I would give it my all to have a good career here in Chile, ”says Guillén.

The same day he started classes [at the University of Chile], he received a message from Sciences Po University letting him know that he had been selected to study Social Sciences at the headquarters in the city of Poitiers, specializing in Latin American studies. Two or three weeks later, he would receive a second email from Sciences Po claiming that he was indeed the recipient of the Sciences Po Quiñenco Scholarship for Chile program.

“My mom tells me that while I was reading the email I didn’t show any signs of emotion. I just kept quiet. I remember we hugged and probably shed a few tears. 2019 was not an easy year for us in terms of family life and personal matters so this was great news to start a new year with,” recalls Andreas.

From that day on, everything turned into preparation for his new life. Today he lives far away from his family with other students in Poitiers, a city located in the heart of France that boasts a strong university tradition and has about 90,000 inhabitants. It’s here where he will study for the next two years.

Adapting to this new stage of life did not come without its difficulties. Shortly after Andreas arrived in France, the first outbreaks of coronavirus started to appear in the Old Continent. As a result, Andreas now finds himself in a school routine that combines in-person classes with some remote classes, while at the same time, trying to personally settle in a new place that will be his home for the next 24 months.

After this period of two years is up, students then have to choose a country, other than France or Chile, to complete their third year of undergraduate studies, before going to Paris for two more years to complete their postgraduate studies.

“It is still unclear to me which specialization courses I will take, or which country I will go to for my third year, but I still have time to analyze and evaluate all the factors that will influence my decision,” says Andreas, while also commenting that the surroundings of Poitiers remind him of his native Colbún. “Their fields and rivers are very similar. It gives a bit of nostalgia”, he concludes.

• Luksic Scholars Foundation announced a new scholarship fund for up to 10 Chilean beneficiaries per year who have already been admitted to the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics.
• The university will be in charge of the students’ admissions and the distribution of financial aid from the fund provided by the Foundation.

With the aim of fostering leadership and contributing to the development of individuals, Luksic Scholars Foundation announced in August the creation of a new scholarship fund, supported by the Luksic family, at one of the most prestigious universities in the United Kingdom, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

The fund, intended for Chilean students admitted to the School of Public Policy of the LSE, whether in the Master of Public Administration (MPA), or the Master of Public Policy (MPP), will provide financial aid for up to 10 beneficiaries per year.

Both master’s programs have a special focus on public policy and administration, taking into consideration a global perspective and placing emphasis on training professionals in applied economics, statistics and quantitative methods, political science, political philosophy, and other social sciences.

The Executive Director of the Luksic Scholars Foundation, Jeff Swiryn, points out that “with this new scholarship fund at LSE we emphasize our interest in promoting opportunities for Chileans to pursue advanced degrees at some of the best universities in the world.”

Professor Andrés Velasco, Dean of the School of Public Policy at the LSE, stated that “we look forward to welcoming the first generation of Luksic Scholars to our school. This is an extraordinary opportunity for young men and women with a strong commitment to public service to acquire the skills and know-how they will then put to work improving lives and livelihoods in Chile.”

LSE is in the stage of defining its candidates. The university is in charge of the admissions of its students and the distribution of financial aid, and these decisions are made exclusively and independently after the evaluation of each case, since it is a needs-based award.

This opportunity will be available to some of the candidates who are currently being evaluated by the university, and also for the next academic session, 2021-2022, whose applications cycle will be stipulated by LSE.

With this new scholarship fund, Luksic Scholars Foundation has now consolidated 20 programs to date that offer study opportunities for outstanding students and professionals mainly from Chile.

Luksic Scholars Foundation held a webinar called “Entrepreneurship in Changing Times”, especially for the members of its platform, in which the entrepreneur Matías Muchnick, CEO and co-founder of NotCo, one of the fastest growing food technology companies in Latin America participated.

Lasting 45 minutes, the event was moderated by Felipe Magofke, Luksic Scholar since 2012, who is part of the more than 1,500 beneficiaries of this network created 20 years ago.

With a degree in finance and a business background, Muchnick assembled a scientific team that succeeded in creating a machine learning algorithm that enabled the development of plant-based products faster and more accurately than any other player on the market. With operations in Chile, Argentina and Brazil, and with four categories of products in the market, NotCo, a company founded in Chile in 2015, plans to land in the United States to continue conquering the world with its products.

“You always have to invest in technology and people, talent. Make sure that your human capital is specialized, capable. This is difficult to find in Chile, where not everyone has the mindset to dare to found a start-up. So, we need things to happen for others to happen, as in a kind of contagion … And act as a “pay it forward””, he commented, adding that it is important for him to have a diverse work team to achieve the goal of becoming a global company. “That is another issue that I notice in Chile: companies are thought to be only from and in Chile, instead of scaling internationally.”

The CEO of NotCo commented on the various aspects that a Chilean entrepreneur must consider to find their own formula for success. In that sense, he stressed the importance of leaving the comfort zone, and of being curious: “You have to think about what comes next,” he said.

At the webinar, Muchnick delivered four practical tips for entrepreneurs. First, he referred to the so-called “self-awareness”, and explained that it is important to know who you are as a founder, and who you need to hire. He said that it is necessary to have a team of people who complement each other and who are aligned with the vision of the founder. To this, he added that one had to have a “disruptive vision” to understand what success is and thus be able to define it and communicate it to the rest. Finally, he stated that “good ideas without execution are worth zero; money and all resources are worth zero. It all comes down to being a visionary and working with those who can execute that vision for you”.

At the closing remarks, Muchnick again mentioned the importance of the composition of the teams. “Have the best people in your company to be the best company,” he said confidently.

After 20 years, Luksic Scholars has now become a foundation: with a total of 25 programs to date, more than 1,500 beneficiaries of scholarships and programs, and the establishment of four foreign university centers in Chile.

The Luksic Scholars initiative has become the “Luksic Scholars Foundation”, recognizing this way 20 years of the Luksic family support of scholarships and programs for more than 1,500 beneficiaries in Chile and Latin America, the United States, China, Croatia, and the United Kingdom.

Luksic Scholars promotes academic development, collaboration, and internationalization through programs dedicated to educating, inspiring, and connecting people around the world, in partnership with a dozen global universities for undergraduate and graduate studies for students, professionals, academics, and leaders.

Additionally, Luksic Scholars  has facilitated the establishment of four foreign university regional centers in Chile, including Harvard, Columbia, MIT, and Tsinghua University.

The Luksic family began this journey at the end of the ’90s, seeking to connect people, talent, education, and leadership.

The Luksic Scholars Foundation is part of the Luksic Foundation; the first and oldest of the Luksic family foundations that brings together and supports much of the philanthropy carried out by the Luksic family. The Luksic Foundation began its activities in the late 1960s and since 2005, has been chaired by Paola Luksic Fontbona, daughter of the foundation’s founder, Andrónico Luksic Abaroa.

Last Friday was the first time Luksic Scholars has collaborated with ChileMass Alliance with a webinar that rendered an intriguing conversation about the challenges of urban micro-mobility and new technologies that connect Chile and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States.

Have you ever thought about reimagining new neighborhoods or what the future of mobility will look like, and what those challenges might be? This was the topic of discussion during last week’s virtual conversation, organized by Luksic Scholars and ChileMass, in which two Luksic scholars were featured: Isabel Brain (Urban Sociologist, Ph.D. (c) in Urban Planning from University College of London) and Luis Valenzuela (Doctor of Design from Harvard University Graduate School of Design).

Pablo Allard, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts, Universidad del Desarrollo, moderated the event and started us off by introducing us to the first speaker: Michael Lin (Ph.D (c) and Master of Science from the MIT, research lead for mobility projects at the MIT Media Lab City Science GroupMedia).

INNOVATION & THE FUTURE: Michael showcased how transportation innovations will re-shape our future mobility landscape and will help solve problems like pollution and parking in big cities. Some of these concepts include CityCar, MIT RoboScooter, GreenWheel (a wheel that can easily turn a bike into a motor device), a self-driving car (announced by Google), and most notably, the MIT PEV (Persuasive Electric Vehicle). PEV is an electric tricycle invented by Michael himself, alongside his team at MIT; it aims to solve last-mile transportation and improve mobility system efficiency and roadside safety [reference image below].

Through this extensive research, Michael hopes that we all are provided with the right tools and knowledge so we can build and contribute to our own auto-mobility as we move forward; merging ideas of affordability, autonomy, and mobility.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? Isabel took a different spin by presenting a realistic picture of what the here-in-the-now looks like for cities and mobility with a case study of Santiago, Chile.

She acknowledged the current COVID situation and how this has produced a window of opportunity to introduce long, overdue changes to cities but now with a certain urgency. And although this may be an opportunity, it certainly comes with its challenges. How do we find the middle ground between a large city/population and social distancing?

In most LATAM cities, there are dense inner-city areas mixed with a high dependency on public transportation and extreme social segregation – and Santiago is no exception. Isabel proposed to invest in a city-wide network of cycling paths, distribute shared bikes and scooters, widen sidewalks, and incorporate more social spaces where people can meet safely, such as parks and public libraries.

HERE ARE THE FACTS – THE “FIRST MILE”: While Michael talked about technology, innovation, and robots, and Isabel discussed the density of neighborhoods and its challenges, Luis wanted to hit on a third point which is “what do you need?”

His all-encompassing presentation was titled “Only 9%,” during which he referenced what Michael was remarking about the “last mile” and said, “let’s talk about the first mile: what do we have at our doorsteps? What is the proximity you’re looking for when you think about walking your dog, going to sports practices, doctor’s appointments…?”.

Luis revealed an astonishing fact: only 9% of Santiago’s municipal population is within 15 minutes walking to public and private amenities and services. A 15-minute walk is approximately 1 km or 1 mile in distance, thus where the “first mile” comes into play. In other words, only 9% (of a population of about 7 million people) can access their basic needs within a one-kilometer radius. Luis said, “this is a failure to our neighborhoods and to having abandoned one of the most needed networks in this context of what our livelihood is.”

THOUGHT-PROVOKING Q&A: This led to a nice transition to the finale of the event: a thought-provoking Q&A during which the panelists and webinar participants discussed potential solutions for urban mobility, delving deeper into the challenges we’re going to face, and contemplating whether or not COVID is ultimately going to be a burden or lead to more opportunities within this context.

In March, Luksic Scholars, driven by the Luksic family, established four new scholarship funds at Stanford University that will allow mainly Chilean students and professionals to access financial aid in order to carry out their studies at this world-class educational institution.

This support is the first that Luksic Scholars has established on the west coast of the United States (specifically in the heart of Silicon Valley), and will be distributed to people with varying levels of experience, providing scholarships for undergraduates, postgraduates, and professionals and academics with Ph.Ds.

The first fund, Stanford International Undergraduate Luksic Family Scholarship, is intended for international undergraduate students who have been admitted to Stanford and are in need of financial support in order to complete their studies. This fund is available to students from any of Stanford’s schools and covers 65 major fields of study.

Another, the Stanford Graduate School of Business Luksic Fellowship, will award up to two scholarships per year to Chilean students admitted to the MBA, MsX, or Ph.D. programs held at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Following suit, another opportunity at Stanford is at the Stanford Law School (SLS) through the Luksic Family Stanford Law School Fund. In this case, Chilean students who have been admitted to the SLS are eligible for financial aid in order to obtain their degree in the selective Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD) program, designed for those interested in becoming academics and teachers of law and social sciences.

Finally, the Luksic Visiting Scholars & Fellows Program at Stanford Center for Latin American Studies represents an unparalleled opportunity for distinguished academics from Chile, of any discipline, to conduct their research during a full term at the Stanford, California campus; being able to access a wide range of expert professionals, libraries and other resources, through the institution’s Center for Latin American Studies.

Jeff Swiryn, Executive Director of Luksic Scholars, notes that “Stanford University will exclusively and independently determine the admission and financial aid decisions for these Luksic Scholarship programs.”

Verónica Figueroa Huencho, our current beneficiary of the Luksic Visiting Scholars program at Harvard University’s David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, is a public administrator at the University of Chile, Ph.D. in Management Sciences (ESADE-Universidad Ramón Lull), Postdoctoral Officer at Stanford University’s Center for Latin American Studies.

Verónica has extensive experience in the academic field, in gender issues, and above all, in the search for the inclusion of indigenous people in Chile within public spheres and their access to better representation.

Her fundamental field of study elaborates on the formulation and implementation of indigenous public policies within contexts of diversity. She has publications in ISI indexed journals as well as books and chapters of books in both national and international publishing.

We sat down and talked with her to delve more into her main line of research and to understand the context in which we find ourselves in Chile.

What are the main challenges in terms of diversity and representation?

As for the representation of indigenous people, one of the greatest limitations that exists today, in Chile and the rest of Latin America, is that most states have taken on the nation-state model. Therefore, it is understood that when a state governs a territory it is done so in a homogeneous manner. This also has to do with the fact that when the Latin American states were created, the State of Chile in particular, there was this idea of what it would be like to form an ideal nation that was not going to relate to pre-existing nations (given that they were not contributing to development). Indigenous people were considered barbaric, savage beings, and the idea was to create a modern state; a state reflecting European society, therefore, making it a Nation-State -a group of people who share the same language, etc.- the State would being created on the basis of denial… That always, of course, has been a hindrance for indigenous people to be able to move towards more effective systems of representation.

These types of very complex problems are not going to be solved from a single point of view. I suggest we try identifying, within the State of Chile for example, what the main dimensions or variables are that would change the rules of the game, and ultimately, favor the participation of the indigenous. This would lead to the construction of a more inclusive, diverse society; a society in which indigenous people are not seen as folkloric or annexed, but rather as people that enrich the Chilean nation and who have rights. These rights, moreover, have been progressively recognized within the international framework and the State of Chile has ratified these through various covenants and agreements, but its institutional adaptations have not been enough.

The big question for me is what model of governance should be implemented in Chile in order to consider the rights of indigenous people as political subjects and to favor, of course, a better coexistence which – I believe – is what we all hope for.

So, what is the main challenge with representation? It has to do with this logic between Western thought and non-Western thought, and therefore, the way in which the indigenous thinking is represented.

Perhaps the need for a cultural and mental change is also another element. As long as those who make decisions are only validating one way of thinking, it is more likely that their relationship with indigenous people will be established in a hierarchical, subordinate way, viewing them as possessors of alternative knowledge. Therefore, it seems to me that a cultural change, in terms of status, is also needed in order to equalize the value of knowledge that comes from indigenous people.

How do you think the issues related to equality and inclusion in Chile have evolved over the past decade?

“Representation of indigenous rights” is one of the most precarious terms and, compared to other Latin American countries and other countries worldwide such as New Zealand, Canada, and Australia, what we clearly see here is that states have ceded the spaces of rights for a representation of multiculturalism. We, as indigenous people, speak of the need for interculturality because within one territory there coexist different groups and these, of course, have distinct cultures. However, the rules of this hegemonic-culture-game have obviously incentivized the use of a single language and a single way of dressing. This has led the indigenous people to take our culture into the private sphere, mainly into the family realm and, therefore, leaving the public, educational, and decision-making spaces.

The indigenous do not have any specific system of representation in the institutional structure of the State nor in any of its powers. The law, in a rather limited way, refers to the existence of ethnic groups in the territory of Chile, which limits the effective exercise of rights that we have as a nation. It is a different legal concept by a different standard; a different status.

What can you tell us about “cohabiting and multicultural management”?

When speaking of coexistence and multicultural management in the here-and-the-now, we cannot avoid the approach to rights. This has been very powerful in being able to situate the demands of the indigenous people; to have them no longer seen as mere peasants or poor citizens of a territory, but rather, as subjects of differentiated rights and, therefore, with the right to have systems of differentiated representation.

Today, what we do not want happening is the idea that “indigenous” becomes associated with pre-modernity and, therefore, implying that we do not have anything to contribute to development. I believe very powerful ideas have emerged from indigenous knowledge surrounding flora and fauna, the management of territorial spaces, and other environmental contributions. This can become a means of improvement. We cannot allow our own developmental possibilities to be limited because we are incapable of valuing knowledge that comes from other spaces, such as those of the indigenous. We want to contribute, but not from a residual, subsidiary vision, but rather as key actors.

In today’s world and within this context, what makes a good citizen?

The ability to recognize intercultural diversity because there is no one single type of citizen, there is no one common good, rather there exists the same objective which is to create a good coexistence and have multiple ways of obtaining this. It has to do with the representation and participation of indigenous people; it has to do with a good citizen being an intercultural citizen.

According to your vision and experience, is there a lack of support networks and spaces for discussion in Latin America for people of indigenous descent?

Yes, there is [a lack]. What we are suggesting here is that the State’s paternalistic-welfare logic used toward our people has been quite harmful because it has generated an idea of dependency (this is how Chilean citizens and the Western society see us).

It is important to consider that there are indigenous people today who have the ability and the knowledge to participate in forming policies and to better identify public policies with new visions and thus, improving the implementation of these policies.

It is very important to incorporate other actors as well and to understand that we are not asking for assistance; rather, we are asking for our legitimate right to participate and represent our people because we have the ability to do so. This requires communication with other actors, and the business world is fundamental; society itself is fundamental, as well as NGOs, in order to make progress in governance.

As a Mapuche scholar, what do you feel is your greatest contribution toward the debate surrounding the demands of the Mapuche people?

It seems to me that an opportunity like this [to be at Harvard University] has to do with decolonization and how one can contribute from such an elite and powerful space such as the one formed at this university. I think my main role is to provide arguments and information so that indigenous people, in this case the Mapuche people, have better tools to discuss, to argue, and to be represented before the State, before companies, and before different actors of power. It seems to me that this is where I can make an important contribution.

Professor Gloria Tapia, who currently works at the Instituto Agrícola Pascual Baburizza, in the city of Los Andes, Chile, was part of the first experience of the ChileMass Teachers program, with the support of Luksic Scholars.

ChileMass Teachers is an initiative through which teachers working in public education in Chile have the chance to take English courses and internships in public schools in Massachusetts, with the goal of observing how the classes are conducted in schools in Framingham, along with actively participating as students of the “English Language Studies” program at Framingham State University.

ChileMass is a non-profit organization that seeks to maximize social impact and the transfer of knowledge between Chile and Massachussets.
Gloria Tapia, having returned to Chile after her experience in the United States, shares the following about her experience:

“At Middle Walsh School I did class observation twice a week for two hours each day. My personal observation consisted in “observing” the methodology applied by the teacher in a certain subject. For this purpose, I took notes on the pedagogical aspects that were significant and/or “profound” in the teaching-learning process of the students, such as the clear and visible presentation of the learning objective(s), the three phases of a class (start, development and closing), how the use of technology positively impacts, or vice versa, the educational process, the role of the teacher who focuses its class on students and not on itself, student projects, the teacher-student relationship, the coordination of the directors with the teachers and the curricular proposal of the school.

During the last three weeks at the school I gave Chilean history and geography classes to the students.

As a student in the university’s ESL program, I underwent a written and oral exam to assess my level of English to decide which course was for me. I participated in the advanced course in which I had classes every day from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. Its aim was to improve English through public speaking, grammar, vocabulary, writing techniques and how to write an essay, and phonetics. In addition, we had to participate in tutorial classes once a week. The classes were made up of a maximum of 10 students from different nationalities, such as Brazilians, Salvadorans, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Italians.

I lived in the university’s international building, which facilitated me with access not only to classes, but also to all cultural events held at and near the university. Having lived in that building gave me the opportunity to share with students from different cultures and nationalities, and there was a healthy coexistence of respect and true interest on knowing other ways of life.

I also participated as an observer-doer teacher at Middle Walsh School, and I had the possibility to become a student again, thing that filled me with energy and sharpened my senses in how all students should be taught respecting their personal learning rhythm, their strengths, weaknesses and emotions, aspects that together are relevant when learning.

As a student, I enjoyed each class with a participatory attitude in each of them. It was an instance to generate friendship bonds with my colleagues. And the fact of being an English teacher increased the demand for me, so I really prepared myself so as to give credit to the University of Chile, where I studied, and the IAPB school as well.

This experience enriched me in my methodological approaches, which was the primary objective, and will allow me to put them into practice at school. Personally, there was also a significant personal growth, since sometimes it is necessary to make a stop in the daily routine… And I did it in the state of Massachusetts! One of the teachers in the United States, Karen, even gave me the opportunity to teach my classmates Phonetics and Grammar, and that made me immensely happy!

My experience as a teacher/student was highly significant and I recommend living it, mainly because it is imperative to improve our educational practices having in mind the 21st century education, for it is characterized for being for a generation highly gifted in technology and we, as guides and teachers, must know how to get directly involved with it in order to achieve all the advantages that it can generate for all of us.”

In February, six students from the Faculty of Economics and Business of Universidad de Chile will fulfill their dream, and of many, of traveling and studying abroad, thanks to the “Luksic Scholarship for Chile-China Undergraduate Exchange” program.

These young students will travel to China for what is, perhaps, their first great adventure: getting used to another culture, language, big cities and, probably most challenging, to know themselves.

These scholarship recipients are Francisca Valenzuela Quezada, Rodrigo Delgado Finaldi, Vicente Alarcón Ávila, Marcelo Gómez Rojas, Constanza Castillo Durán and Catalina Gaueca Carrillo . The students, who are between 21 and 24 years, will be distributed in two destinations, three of them going to the Guanghua School of Management of Peking University, in Beijing, and three to Fudan University’s School of Management, in Shanghai. Both are globally recognized universities for their academic level and, together, have almost 70,000 students.

Luksic Scholars talked to the awarded students, who join 20 other young students who have obtained this scholarship in the past, to learn about their experience before they begin this incredible journey.

Vicente says:

“The Luksic Scholarship is not like any other scholarship. Unlike other traditional opportunities, it doesn’t merely focus on academics, since it requires a fairly attainable grades average. However, it has a high level of requirement in extracurricular aspects, evaluating how the student’s performance is in our personal development. It’s highly valuable that the scholarship rewards people for their cultural development, participation in student organizations and/or commitment to social matters. I hope this selection process remains as it is to continue giving the opportunity to cases like mine.”

Constanza points out:

“My application process started from the moment I entered university, because I always knew that studying abroad was a learning experience that I had to go through. However, many times I found limitations, such as having the resources or speaking the language. I knew that I had to build my path to that dream step by step and that, despite it was going to take time to fulfill it, I was definitely going to do it.

After I got over all those limitations, I realized that the problem was actually me, because I always told myself: “When I’m ready, I’ll do it”; “I still have to master this, and this too…” So, there was always something else that should be improved, until one day I wondered “Why not now? What prevents me from doing it?” I was studying English, I had the option of the scholarship, which facilitated my resources problem, and I fulfilled several of the requirements. At that moment, I stopped limiting myself and believing that everything should be perfect to just take the next step.

In particular, I was interested in the destination because for me it’s really incredible, something totally new and challenging. This, along with my fascination for Asian culture.

Even during the selection process I didn’t realize I was at the precise moment that I’ve always dreamed of since I first started college, considering that for me it was a dream difficult to achieve, because when you are used to certain living realities, sometimes, you don’t dream big, or try to adapt the parameters to your reality. Now that I’ve come to this point, I don’t have much to say more than thank you for believing in me and in my abilities. I hope to represent the university well so that many more other students have this possibility that is given to me today.”

This generation of Luksic Scholarship recipients share a common value as the most relevant part of the exchange: giving the opportunity not only to talented students, who will be future great professionals, but people with unique vision and effort, interested in intercultural development and who will definitely contribute to build a better Chile and a better world.

Recently, 20 students from the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University visited Chile in the framework of the Chilean Immersion Program for China. This is the second time that a group of undergraduates from a Chinese business school has come to Chile thanks to a scholarship funded by the Luksic family, in partnership with the University of Chile.

This trip represents a milestone for Guanghua, since it is the first time the school has sent undergraduate students to South America for a study tour, thus strengthening the growing academic bond between China and Chile.

The 20 young students had the opportunity to meet with their Chilean peers and other Latin Americans during their stay in Santiago, where they also took business classes and Spanish in the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Chile.

Likewise, this group made visits to relevant companies from various sectors, such as Banco de Chile and its innovation center, Viña Tarapacá, and more.

They also experienced cultural and touristic highlights such as the gastronomic offerings of Santiago, and the picturesque architecture of Valparaíso.

Congratulations to these young Chinese students for their interest and desire to venture across the world to learn more about Chile, its culture, its landscapes, and its people!