The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) welcomed 60 students from 21 countries, including Panama, Venezuela, Argentina, the United States and beyond, to Chile for TFAS Santiago 2025. The intensive two-week program teaches young leaders critical lessons in economics and political theory in Latin America.
Learning Liberty in Latin America
Students engaged in rigorous coursework and discussions at Universidad de los Andes (UANDES) while experiencing Chile’s rich culture and history through excursions to La Moneda, the home of the Chilean Government and President’s residence, the neighboring port city of Valparaíso and other notable sites. This year’s classroom sessions covered Political Economy and American Studies and Latin American Economic and Political Development.
This year’s outstanding faculty included:
- Juan Ignacio Brito: professor of communication at UANDES
- Antonio Campaña: director of the Columbia Global Center in Santiago
- José Piñera: former secretary of labor and social security for Chile
- Daphne Posadas: associate editorial director at the Foundation for Economic Education
- Isidora Puga: professor of history at UANDES
- Anil Sadarangani: director of Innovation at UANDES
- Nikolai G. Wenzel: professor of economics at Universidad de las Hespérides
- Karin Jürgensen: dean of faculty of Economics and Business Administration at UANDES
Longtime TFAS international faculty member Nikolai Wenzel guided students through topics like the purpose of government, American constitutionalism, Austrian economics and public choice theory.
Professor Nikolai Wenzel’s classes stood out as particularly transformative. His exploration of the history of political economy provided me with a fresh perspective on Austrian economics and Public Choice theory.” – Odette Ferrer Aldana ’25 from Mexico
Faculty from UANDES led coursework on political developments in Latin America, each bringing unique expertise to the program. Professor Juan Ignacio Brito kicked off the program with an overview of the current political situation in Chile and Latin America, while Isidora Puga led sessions on the historical developments in LATAM. Professor Puga’s sessions were a favorite as she challenged students to think through the evolution of U.S.-Latin America relations and even explored the pros and cons of manifest destiny.
Students also attended classes off-site at the leading free market think tank, Libertad y Desarrollo. The cohort welcomed José Piñera, former Chilean secretary of Labor and Social Security, as a guest lecturer. He outlined 10 principles of economic reform that were implemented in Chile in the 1980s and illustrated the country’s remarkable GNP growth since then. Hearing directly from one of the Chicago Boys – a group of Chilean economists trained under Milton Friedman and the Chicago School of Economics – was a memorable experience for our students and a powerful testament to the impact of the economic way of thinking.
INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGE
Students also attended a roundtable dinner reception with more than 15 TFAS alumni during the first week of the program. Each table featured a TFAS alumnus who facilitated discussions, learning about students’ professional and academic aspirations while sharing valuable insights from their own experiences.
A core component of the program is the intercultural exchange. Students are paired with roommates from different countries to foster cross-cultural dialogue and learning and learn about different cultures throughout the program. This culminates with one of the most anticipated events of the program, the cultural presentations. At this event, students wear traditional attire, perform music and dances, and share dishes from their home countries — creating an evening of vibrant exchange and appreciation.
It was an experience that made me appreciate diversity even more and learn from each culture.” – Araceli Gonzalez Montero ’25 from Argentina
Araceli Gonzalez Montero ’25, a student from Argentina studying at Gaston Dachary University, reflected on the impact of the cultural presentations.
“The cultural presentations were amazing,” Montero shared. “They allowed us to discover the differences and similarities between our nations. It was an experience that made me appreciate diversity even more and learn from each culture.”
TFAS Santiago is a testament to our mission to empower the next generation of leaders to uphold the principles of liberty, free enterprise and civil society in every corner of the world. Through this transformative experience, these 60 emerging leaders gained the tools to think critically, lead courageously and champion liberty in their home countries and around the globe. TFAS is grateful for the generous donors, volunteers, faculty and alumni whose support makes this impactful program possible.