get to know our iamcbob scholars

​My name is Valentina Lopez Rincon, I am 21 years old and I am studying Human Resources. I became an IAMCBOB Scholar in 2018. The scholarship has helped me a lot financially through the course of my studies with transportation, food, supplies, and more. More than this, it has helped me improve my capacity to serve and to help those who need it, share my abilities, and to do things with love. I was motivated to go to college because I have a desire to continue learning and growing professionally. I would also like to help my family financially in the future. I chose this career because I found all the topics that it covers and all the things you can learn about a business very interesting, as well as the human aspect that this career entails, and the opportunity to improve personally and professionally. When I finish my career, I want to specialize in Human Resources to increase my knowledge and be able to exercise this career. The plan is to continue improving and studying so I can help my family in every aspect.

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​My name is Erik Johani Mejia Uribe, I am 26 years old and I am studying Biological Engineering. I became an IAMCBOB Scholar in 2011. The scholarship has helped me support myself and my monthly expenses. It has also helped me with 75% of my university financial necessities, including tuition every semester and monthly expenses. I really like biological sciences, and academic areas that are not common in everyday, life like molecular biology, immunology, and microbiology. My plans are to enroll in an entity where I can implement informatic tools coupled with genetics to study bioinformatics. If this is not possible, I would also like to do biochemical analyses or analyses in areas that align with my interests. My ideal job is to be in a field where I can learn about the things that surround me and work hard to maintain the ecosystems alive without harmful interferences. I would like to do pro-conservation work, teaching everything I can to contribute to human growth, and I would add a lot of research because I like knowing the reasons behind everything.  

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My name is Luisa Bedoya Castrillón, I am 22 years old and I am studying to obtain a Bachelor's degree in Literature and Spanish with a double degree in Hispanic Philology.  I became an IAMCBOB Scholar in 2017. The IAMCBOB Scholar scholarship is a great help to continue studying; it’s a great opportunity to not give up, in spite of the financial difficulties. The scholarship allows me to pay for the expenses of an average student in a public university in Colombia, such as, transportation, photocopies, books, and  food. The scholarship also allows me a permanent cultural exchange by staying in contact with the director of CBOB. I believe that education is the only way to create a society that thinks and fights for change. A college education allows me to break barriers and interact with all types of people. In addition to starting a job in the future, I would like to do a master’s degree in a subject related to linguistics. I would also like to do an exchange, whether it's to perfect a second language or to expand my academic knowledge. I would like to start working as a Spanish teacher at a public high school in my city. Additionally, I would like to work in other fields, editing texts in magazines, newspapers, editorials, and promoting reading or teaching Spanish as a foreign language. 

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My name is Jeison Alexander Orrego Togo, I am 24 years old and I am studying Civil Engineering. I became an IAMCBOB Scholar in 2012. Apart from financial support, the scholarship has connected me to incredible people, from which I have learned thousands of great things for my life. I decided to continue with my studies because of my desire to help my family have a better future and give them a better life. I chose this career because since I was 13 years old, I have worked in construction with my dad and I liked the art behind it. After finishing my career I hope to start my own business in construction and obtain an education past undergraduate. My ideal job would be one in which I can dedicate time to my family and friends, and at the same time offer employment to other people. In five years I see myself in a farm outside of Medellín, waking up every day to my own company and seeing my family live without any concerns. 

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My name is Andrea Milena Cano Monsalve. I am 18 years old and I am doing my studies at the technical college in commercial and operational support in financial entities. I became an IAMCBOB Scholar in 2017 and I am very grateful for this scholarship because I see more opportunities to make my dreams come true. Initially, the scholarship helped me with school supplies, food, and transportation. It helped me pay for an entrance exam required for the UdeA. Unfortunately, I was very close to passing it and now the scholarship helps me pay for technical school. Thanks to the scholarship program my dreams are more clear and I have the possibility to achieve them, and that makes me very happy! The program has never denied us help and is always there for us. I chose to study International Business because I want to learn about how businesses operate, new international markets, other cultures, and  how to create new commercial strategies that are viable for a company. I started with this career because this is a way for me to learn about my interest in businesses and everything that makes them successful. After graduating I hope to have a good job, start my own business based on my studies, give my family what we have not had until now, and start a small foundation to help kids and young adults that have been victims of violence. 

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