Honor Society® member
Estefania Acuña Lacarieri
Policy and Communication Intern at the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN) at The FMCN is a nonprofit that is dedicated to supporting projects that conserve Mexico's biodiversity. As an intern at FMCN, I revise climate change adaptation projects, write multilateral funding proposals for the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and conduct research to identify adequate consulting firms for sustainability initiatives.
- Political Science, Communication, and Latin American Studies.
- Class of 2024
- Stanford, California
Member since August 2023
About
I am an international student from Mexico City who is passionate about public service, human rights, international relations, and activism. I will soon complete the requirements for my undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Communication at Stanford University. As a coterminal Master's student at Stanford University, I will pursue a graduate degree in Latin American Studies during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Education
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Stanford University
Master's Degree in Latin American Studies
2023 – 2024
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Stanford University
Double-major in Political Science and Communication
2019 – 2023
Honors and awards
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2023 J. E. Wallace Sterling Award for Scholastic Achievement
Stanford University presents this award to the top 25 students of each year’s senior class who majored in a Humanities and Sciences department or program.
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Lunsford Oral Delivery of Research Presentation Honoree
This award recognizes students who demonstrated excellence in multimedia and oral presentations during their Program in Writing and Rhetoric class, a required writing course for all Stanford undergraduate students.
Goals and interests
- Career goal
I aspire to attain a career in public service, as a leader that will advocate for ethical governance and sustainable development across the globe, specifically in Latin America. Hence, I desire to work in government agencies and nonprofits that are dedicated to protecting democracies and the environment.
- Graduate school interests
I was accepted to a Master’s degree in Latin American Studies at Stanford University. I will pursue this degree during the 2023-2024 academic year because I wish to deepen my knowledge about the political, social, and ecological challenges facing Latin American governments. In particular, I look forward to delving deeper into the issues threatening Latin American democracies, such as clientelism, corruption, and populism.
- Outside the classroom
In my free time, I enjoy reading news articles and biographical books. I also love journaling, painting, skating, and spending time outdoors.
Experience
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Policy and Communication Intern at the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN)
The FMCN is a nonprofit that is dedicated to supporting projects that conserve Mexico's biodiversity. As an intern at FMCN, I revise climate change adaptation projects, write multilateral funding proposals for the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and conduct research to identify adequate consulting firms for sustainability initiatives.
Jul 2023 – Sep 2023
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Madrid Program Ambassador for Stanford's Bing Overseas Studies Program
I helped prospective Stanford students through the study abroad application process. I conducted a series of outreach and marketing efforts to connect with students. I also planned events that were tailored to answering students’ questions and helping them navigate their study abroad program.
Sep 2022 – Jun 2023
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Writing Fellow for Stanford's Hume Center for Writing and Speaking
I helped students write, brainstorm, outline, organize, and polish their essays for two classes about deliberative democracy, taught by Dr. James Fishkin.
Sep 2022 – Mar 2023
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Research Assistant at the Deliberative Democracy Lab
I organized an online deliberative event in collaboration with the Bank of America Student Leaders Program and the Close Up Foundation. I wrote the recruitment materials for this event and served as the main liaison with the events’ experts. I also conducted qualitative research with Excel and Otter to understand participants’ views across various Deliberative Polls that were carried out in Peru and the United States.
Jun 2022 – Dec 2022
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Research Assistant at the Bill Lane Center for the American West
I researched solar development on California’s working lands, conducted qualitative research with NVivo, and interviewed farmers to uncover landowners’ perceptions of global warming and their decision-making process, particularly as they face challenges related to land restoration and climate change. I co-authored a paper published in Environmental Research Communications titled “Landowner decisions regarding utility-scale solar energy on working lands: a qualitative case study in California.”
Jun 2021 – Aug 2021
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Note Taker for Stanford's Office of Accessible Education
I completed a Note Taker Training to assist students with disabilities and obtained a certificate from the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes.
Oct 2020 – Mar 2021
Volunteering
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I was a hotline volunteer at Freedom for Immigrants (FFI), where I helped immigrants find legal assistance.
Freedom for Immigrants (FFI)
Apr 2023 – Jun 2023
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I was a volunteer English Tutor at the Youth Institute, also known as the Instituto de la Juventud (INJUVE), an organization that protects the human rights of young individuals in Mexico City. I participated in an educational program designed to support low-income youth through English classes and advising.
Instituto de la Juventud (INJUVE)
Jul 2018 – Aug 2018
Languages
- English (US) Advanced
- Spanish Advanced
- French (France) Fluent
Additional information
Organizations
