The Institute for Leadership in the Americas (ILA) in Santiago, Chile was founded in 2008 and is the newest international program of The Fund for American Studies. Fernanda Tejada Levy, a native of Bolivia, is an alumnus of the program having attended ILA in 2012.
“ILA is perfectly designed to help students strengthen and apply their leadership abilities. By interacting with different cultures in this academic setting, it allowed me to develop social and political skills,” said Levy.
Levy has kept busy since graduating from the program, working for her family’s law firm, where she handles international arbitration and corporate counseling, and working as a weekly columnist at Diario La Prensa, a national newspaper in Bolivia. Additionally, Levy has been studying for a master’s degree in insurance and risk management in Madrid, Spain.
According to Levy, TFAS affected her life and career immensely.
Now I have a more profound vision of what life in a free society is – not only because I discovered a vast network that has opened many doors in my career, but because now I have the chance to use the tools that were taught in the program on a daily basis in my career,” said Levy. “I can irrefutably say that thanks to ILA, I took an important step on my way to becoming a leader in my country.”
When asked about her favorite memory of ILA, Levy said: “Every lecture I attended was great. Every opportunity I had to interact and learn from different cultures, every chance I had to meet new people… all in all, ILA, in its entirety, is my favorite memory!”
According to Levy her philosophy on liberty was also strengthened through her involvement with ILA. Levy says she believes liberty allows a person to live independently, without being dominated by others, and she says she believes it’s a fundamental element that contributes to creating a fulfilled and strong person, both individually and socially.
“Liberty is one of the most important (and difficult to achieve) conquests of our time. Therefore, protecting it is our duty,” said Levy.
We at TFAS are proud that TFAS alumni like Levy will be at the forefront, protecting liberty for future generations.