Alumni Testimonial

With more than 15 years of international experience working at the Organization of American States (OAS), Ignacio specialises in political-electoral processes across the American continent as an international observer and cooperation agent, promoting free, fair and inclusive elections. He has participated in more than 50 electoral cooperation missions on the continent. He also served as the Chair of the UWC Uruguay National Committee from 2005 to 2008.

UWC gave me the opportunity to learn and understand different cultures, listen to different opinions and perspectives, and encourage dialogue to resolve social conflicts. UWC also teaches the importance of living in community, in diversity, accepting differences and coincidences, and respect for human rights and plural access and inclusion of people.”

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Meredith Andrews (Bermuda/UK, UWC Atlantic 1993-1995) is a Bermudian photographer and artist with nearly 20 years of professional experience. Her focus lies in portraying untold stories of everyday people and exploring surrounding cultures and societies. Andrews’ work has been featured in dozens of international exhibitions such as the 2009 and 2019 Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize at National Portrait Gallery in London, UK, the Portrait of Humanity, the Royal Photographic Society, OpenWalls Arles, the Copenhagen Photo Festival and a solo show at the Bermuda National Gallery in 2021. In recent years Meredith has turned her attention to Bermuda’s delicate natural environment and the global problem of plastics in our oceans by creating images and sculptures crafted from reclaimed ocean plastic.

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH ON THE UWC HUB

*The UWC Hub is an online space for members of the UWC community to meet, connect and collaborate; it is open to UWC students (in the IBDP years), alumni, staff, national committee members and participants in UWC short courses.

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Diego is the Chief of Social Policy at UNICEF Tanzania, and founder of b1gplay, a social enterprise bridging talent with educational opportunities. Having established the UWC national committees in Malawi and the Lao PDR, Diego now serves as Chair of the Uganda National Committee. His areas of expertise include poverty and vulnerability analysis, as well as the ability to leverage technology and innovation as catalysts for inclusive growth.

CONNECT WITH DIEGO ON THE UWC HUB*

*The UWC Hub is an online space for members of the UWC community to meet, connect and collaborate; it is open to UWC students (in the IBDP years), alumni, staff, national committee members and participants in UWC short courses.

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Cristina brings a unique blend of expertise to her work. With a background in Molecular Biology from Princeton University and a PhD in Molecular Biomedicine from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, she is well-versed in scientific research. However, her passion extends beyond the laboratory. In 2013, she co-founded Escuelab, a social enterprise focused on making hands-on scientific education accessible to all. Through Escuelab, Cristina aims to inspire a love for science and equip students, particularly those facing social challenges, with skills for the future. Her efforts have impacted over 25,000 students across several countries, earning recognition such as the National Education Award and the UNICEF Enterprises Prize

CONNECT WITH CRISTINA ON THE UWC HUB*

*The UWC Hub is an online space for members of the UWC community to meet, connect and collaborate; it is open to UWC students (in the IBDP years), alumni, staff, national committee members and participants in UWC short courses.

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Having just graduated from UWC East Africa supported by a UWC-Haggar Group scholarship, Alshimaa from Gezira State in Sudan is now a proud member of the UWC alumni community. Alshimaa has excelled as a residential leader, volunteering to improve the residential experience for students and organising weekly meetings. She also launched a project to teach local Tanzanian girls how to sew reusable pads. Additionally, she embarked on a personal mission to climb the highest peaks in Tanzania while raising awareness about the war in Sudan. Alshimaa has accepted an offer to attend  Wellesley College in the USA, where she plans to major in Astrophysics and minor in Business.

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*Join the UWC Hub to connect with UWCers worldwide by location, profession and interests. Give back by mentoring or offering opportunities; seek advice and support; and engage in projects and stay informed about events. Embrace the UWC spirit – complete your profile and start connecting today!

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Fellow UWC South East Asia alums, Ju Shen Lee and Jeevan Sellappah decided to set up a private, self-funded UWC Ideals in Action project to photograph the remarkable people they come across on their travels to remote locations in Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Nepal. They hope their project will inspire individuals, organisations and agencies to visit, create jobs and build businesses that foster sustainable growth, development and prosperity for these communities. Ju Shen’s award-winning ‘Real . Life . Photos’ document long-standing social responsibility, environmental sustainability and ecological regeneration practices at work in these remote communities. Through this project, Ju Shen and Jeevan hope to open people’s eyes, hearts and minds to different cultures, and to encourage people to share skills and contribute time to these communities.

CONNECT WITH CHRISTOPHER ON THE UWC HUB

*Join the UWC Hub to connect with UWCers worldwide by location, profession and interests. Give back by mentoring or offering opportunities; seek advice and support; and engage in projects and stay informed about events. Embrace the UWC spirit – complete your profile and start connecting today!

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Christopher Schrader is a remarkable figure in the fight against modern slavery and a successful entrepreneur. At just 16, he founded the 24 Hour Race, driven by a passion to engage students worldwide in combatting slavery through endurance sports. Today, the 24 Hour Race stands as the world’s largest student-led movement against slavery.

Beyond this, Chris co-founded GraphEQ, an emotion recognition technology and played a pivotal role in establishing the presence of the mobile app, Surkus, in Hong Kong and Singapore. He currently serves on the board of the 24 Hour Race while expanding his latest venture, FoundLost, an expedition company. A Harvard graduate and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Chris’s journey exemplifies the UWC spirit, where no idea is too ambitious and a global network of students is always ready to embrace challenges.

CONNECT WITH CHRISTOPHER ON THE UWC HUB

Join the UWC Hub to connect with UWCers worldwide by location, profession and interests. Give back by mentoring or offering opportunities; seek advice and support; and engage in projects and stay informed about events. Embrace the UWC spirit – complete your profile and start connecting today!

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Robin has been a volunteer with the Royal National Lifeboat Service (RNLI) in the UK since he was 16, working on the lifeboat at UWC Atlantic during his student years. Over the past nine years, he has volunteered with various NGOs to help save lives in the Mediterranean and the Aegean Seas and is the Founder and CEO of Atlantic Pacific International Rescue Ltd. 

Based in South Wales, London and Northern Japan, Atlantic Pacific is dedicated to reducing global drowning, which is the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths worldwide.  Established in 2016, Atlantic Pacific offers the UK’s only publicly accessible training for search and rescue at sea, covering areas such as Search and Rescue at Sea, First Aid, Psychological First Aid and Migration Studies. The organisation aims to train as many individuals as possible to address both the current drowning crisis in the Mediterranean and future crises.

CONNECT WITH ROBIN ON THE UWC HUB

*Join the UWC Hub to connect with UWCers worldwide by location, profession and interests. Give back by mentoring or offering opportunities; seek advice and support; and engage in projects and stay informed about events. Embrace the UWC spirit – complete your profile and start connecting today!

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Nosipho Gwebu Storer is the founder and director of Goshen, a shelter for women and children in Eswatini. With over 20 years of experience in public health and community development, Nosipho has pioneered programmes in paediatric HIV care and community-based health initiatives. In 2020, she established Goshen to provide comprehensive support to women escaping gender-based violence, offering immediate safety, counselling, medical care, economic empowerment and legal aid. Goshen’s mission is to help survivors heal from trauma, regain stability and rebuild their lives for a more secure future.

CONNECT WITH NOSIPHO ON THE UWC HUB*

Join the UWC Hub to connect with UWCers worldwide. Find mentoring opportunities, seek advice and support, engage in projects and stay informed about events. Embrace the UWC spirit – complete your profile and start connecting today!

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“My seven years at UWC cemented my understanding of just how lucky I am, and therefore just how important it was for me to spend my time helping others who are not so fortunate.” 

UWC South East Asia alumna, Heron Holloway is a highly experienced communications professional with over 20 years of expertise in the humanitarian and environmental sectors, specialising in developing and implementing effective strategies.
Heron holds a BA in Anthropology and Sociology and an MA in International Relations from Durham University. Her career spans roles at the British Red Cross, serving as CEO for Habitat for Humanity in Hong Kong and working as a consultant for UN-Habitat. She joined WWF-Myanmar as Director of Communications and Advocacy and now serves as Head of Communications and Advocacy for WWF in the Asia-Pacific region.

CONNECT WITH HERON ON THE UWC HUB*

*Join the UWC Hub to connect with UWCers worldwide. Find mentoring opportunities, seek advice and support, engage in projects and stay informed about events. Embrace the UWC spirit – complete your profile and start connecting today!

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