Life After Bard College Berlin: Maia Villarica ‘24 and Renata Alvarez Leon ‘24 Share their Post-Grad Plans to Attend the London School of Economics and the University of Cambridge in the Fall

The end of the academic year is a bittersweet time for graduating students as they say goodbye to the campus they called home for four years and embark on their different post-graduation journeys. While many choose to remain in Berlin and take advantage of the city’s opportunities in tech, arts, and culture, others travel across the globe pursuing careers, further education, or other projects. Renata Alvarez Leon and Maia Villarica, graduates of the Economics, Politics, and Social Thought program, are packing up their lives in Berlin to pursue further education in the UK: Renata at the University of Cambridge and Maia at the London School of Economics. 

Renata, a student from Mexico City, will be pursuing an MPhil in Latin American Studies at the University of Cambridge starting in October. “It’s a very bittersweet feeling to leave the city where I’ve been so happy for the last four years,” she shares, “but I’m very excited that I get to continue learning and studying.” The title of Renata’s BA thesis is Reclaiming the Capital: The Politics of Women’s Activism in Urban Public Spaces in Mexico City, and focuses on the contemporary feminist movement in Mexico City and Latin America. “With my MPhil I hope I get the chance to develop these themes further. This project opened up my eyes to how much more I want to study and learn, and left me with many unanswered questions I hope to find out.”

BCB’s rigorous curriculum, with its emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, equips graduates to pursue higher education elsewhere after their four years of study. “I’m nervous but I also feel prepared for Cambridge,” she says. “These past four years have been spent reading and writing more than I thought possible, so I feel ready to tackle the next academic challenge.” 

Maia Villarica comes from the United States and the Philippines, and she has made the most out of her time in Berlin: “We have built a community here that makes it hard to leave, and I know it’ll be hard to recreate elsewhere. However, being sad about leaving just speaks to the wonderful times we were lucky enough to have here.” She will be pursuing an MSc in Gender, Development, and Globalization at the London School of Economics in the fall. “I feel that this program aligns really well with what I’ve learned here at BCB,” she shares, “Like BCB, it’s very interdisciplinary, so I feel that I have a strong foundation for it.” Maia’s BA thesis, titled Democracy and Disinformation: Addressing the Problem of Post-Truth in Social Media, reflects this commitment to addressing pressing political issues through an interdisciplinary lens. 

Maia, who chose LSE because she values being in an international environment, hopes to make the most of London’s international scene and global political importance. “One of the best parts of BCB has been the chance to make friends with people from all over the world. It’s not only very personally rewarding, but one of the biggest learning experiences one can have as a student.”

“If you can make it at BCB, you can make it anywhere,” shares Maia with a smile. Both she and Renata believe this wholeheartedly, and look forward to the exciting academic challenges they will encounter.

Post Date: 05-10-2024