At 15, I received a scholarship to study at one of the 18 schools that the organization United World Colleges (UWC) has around the globe. UWC has national committees in most countries in the world that select and give scholarships to study the last two years of high school. The aim is to select widely to be representative of the socio-economic, religious and ethnic diversity that exists within countries. Old enough to have roots yet young enough to still be in their formative years, students have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect with each other.

At a personal level, going to UWC was a very enriching experience that has deeply shaped how I interact and view the world. At a professional level, my background as a social scientist has taught me that systemic issues of social inequality are better addressed through high quality public education systems and a strong welfare state rather than through private organizations. 

There is no easy way to reconcile these two perspectives. My solution has been to join other alumni as volunteer in the selection process and to promote the goal that the socio-economic profile of the Spanish students who apply to and are selected by UWC should be representative of the socio-economic reality of the country.