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Finding your voice: Podcaster and DP alum Marcelo Galán

In the first Spanish-language IB Voices podcast, Regional Development Manager for Latin America Natalia Tieso connects with Diploma Programme (DP) graduate Marcelo Galán to hear about his IB education, advice to DP students and university experience.

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My name is Natalia Tieso, and I have worked for the IB for 8 years in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A few weeks ago, I connected with Marcelo Galán González, a graduate of the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey who successfully completed the Diploma Programme (DP) in May 2019.

We spoke about his academic experience and the different courses he took, and he shared the advantages of internal assessments (IA), especially given his current professional endeavors and during his university career.

Listen to the full interview on the IB Voices podcast (in Spanish)

Marcelo reflected on his personal and family experiences during the DP and highlighted the impact of his creativity, activity, service (CAS) projects. He also told us about how he practices daily meditation to achieve balance and emotional well-being.

In the midst of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, I am sure you will enjoy Marcelo’s story because it reminds us of the benefits of resiliency and of following our inner passions.

“[The IB] founded curiosity along with the determination to live in an ever-changing world in need of leaders willing to work together to expertly solve tomorrow’s challenges.”

The name’s Marcelo, but feel free to call me Chelo. When the just-got-into-IB-Chelo arrived at his first IB class, I was most surely not aware of the impact the IB would have on me. As due dates and assessments came and went, I found myself constantly thrilled at the challenges the IB threw at me.

My IB experiences inspired me to create @elcafecitoconchelo, a podcast where I share my voice by interviewing young leaders who choose to have a positive impact on their community, hoping to inspire through their voice and mine the willingness to defy the ordinary, create the change, and live fully.

The IB taught me resilience, as well as vibrant yet wary optimism for the future. It founded curiosity along with the determination to live in an ever-changing world in need of leaders willing to work together to expertly solve tomorrow’s challenges.

Without the IB, I would not be who I am today.

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Natalia Tieso has a Master’s degree in Education. She joined the International Baccalaureate Organization in 2012 and is currently the Regional Development Manager for Latin America. Her hobbies include running and going to spinning classes.

Marcelo Galán graduated from the IB with a bilingual diploma from PrepaTec Cumbres in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. In addition to being a full-time student, Marcelo hosts the Spanish-language podcast El Cafecito con Chelo, that shares uplifting stories from youth leaders. You can check out Marcelo’s podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and get more podcast updates on Instagram.

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To hear more from Diploma Programme (DP) graduates check out these IB programme stories. If you are an IB grad and want to share your story, write to us at [email protected]We appreciate your support in sharing IB stories and invite you to connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter and now Instagram!

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