LL.B. International & European Law, 2024

I am bittersweet to share this happy moment: I’ve graduated with my LL.B. in International & European Law at De Haagse Hogeschool / The Hague University of Applied Sciences . These past four years taught me so much more than I ever could have imagined (and I imagined a lot, moving from Argentina to the Netherlands in the middle of a worldwide pandemic in August 2020).

My first year was marked with many personal developments, the most notable of which being befriending Yasmine Hoogendijk , a brilliant fellow graduate without whom I would probably not have even passed the first year. Struggling with subjects I thought I was comfortable in my knowledge of really shook my confidence, and made me reevaluate many things about myself. The loss of our classmate, who I’d befriended in the Model MUN project just two weeks before, Maarten Huizenga, did not make it any easier. But friends, classmates, and lecturers came together to move forward from the loss. Wij zullen altijd aan jou denken, Maarten.

Somehow, we made it through the first year, and I was overwhelmed by options to switch universities, to Tilburg, Groningen, or Maastricht University. We can only guess what the next three years would’ve been, but I have no regrets. My second year at THUAS allowed me to grow exponentially, both professionally and academically. I was elected by my peers to become a student representative in the Degree Advisory Program Committee (DPAC) for a two year term (2021-2023). This allowed me to learn how the management mechanism behind the university works, and instilled in me a deep love for the institution, seeing how hard all our teachers and staff work to improve our education every day; Lia Nijzink , William Worster , Karen Hennessy-Massaro , Tanja Milolaza , and of course Program Director Clair Moore , to name but a few.

Strangely, luck struck twice for me in 2021, as I was also chosen to be part of the THUAS 2021-22 team for the European Law Moot Court Competition (ELMC). With the coaching of Dr Calum Young, our team made it to the regional finals in Madrid, where I was one of the youngest pleaders in the competition. This experience taught me not only the skill of mooting, but the invaluable skill of legal research and teamwork.?Furthermore, and thanks to the time flexibility of COVID-induced hybrid work environments, I was able to join several extracurriculars. I was an active member of the Hague Chapter of the International Law Students’ Association (ILSA) in the Main Events Committee. Throughout the three years I was a member until my graduation, I worked with three brilliant ‘Heads of Committee’: Carolina Savonitto , Maria Kostro , and áron Moravecz , where I both helped and took responsibility over various events and projects. It was an incredible experience to be able to learn so many skills guided by such talented fellow graduates (and future graduate)!

Moreover, I was an Alumni Network Assistant from 2021 until my graduation, where I had the opportunity to help Aurélien Lorange and Miera Veni Montero maintain contact with the alumni of the program. I am eager to one day be a guest of the alumni events I used to help organise so fondly.

Year 3 of my Bachelor’s studies took me further than I expected, in more ways than one: I had the opportunity to go on an Erasmus+ exchange during the Fall semester to Université Catholique de Lille, where I was able to take six courses at the LL.M. level. I am particularly thankful for the opportunity to have classes on International Litigation with Francesco Romani , Non-State Actors in Global Law with Valentina Volpe , International Arbitration with Moritz Schmitt , and especially the course on EU Legal Proceedings and Master’s research seminar under the supervision of Dr. Aurelien Raccah .?

In the second semester of my studies, I took two minors essential to my academic interests and progress: Conflict, Peace & Security at the Law program, with amazing lecturers such as Andreea Manea , Szilvia Csevár , and David den Dunnen ; and Challenges to European Governance from the International Public Policy course, with Ashley Richard Longman . These two courses shaped my interest in international global affairs and the EU governance policies which influence external relations.

The last year of my studies led to a great development in my professional life, and even surprised me with skills I was unaware I had myself. During the course of conducting my Applied Research Project (ARP), I discovered a great interest in academic research. I had the opportunity to conduct my ARP with the Campaign to Uphold Rights in Europe (CURE) on the topic of EU Accession to the ECHR. Researching such a complex topic in my Bachelor’s was a big challenge, and I found the guidance from Dr. Calum Young to be pivotal in my journey. This project ignited a deep interest in academic research.

Throughout the 2023-2024 academic year I joined the Young European Federalists (JEF) association as a board member at JEF Rotterdam-The Hague. I have since been elected to the national board, as JEF Netherlands’ Policy Officer. This has been an exciting step up in responsibility, as I’m involved in shaping the organisation's policy agenda, developing and advocating positions on European federalism, and working to influence both national and European debates. It’s been an incredible opportunity to expand my impact and contribute to democracy discourse on a larger, national platform.

I conducted my graduation internship at Broken Chalk , an Amsterdam-based NGO working on combating human rights violations which endanger the right to education. In my capacity as a legal researcher and team lead of an EU project, I learned a variety of skills. From writing journal-style legally accurate reports on human rights, to managing a small team to submit an application for funding in a short time-frame, my time at Broken Chalk helped me grow professionally in many unexpected ways.

These past four years have had more twists and turns than any of my anxious, sleepless nights could’ve predicted. But along the same path it brought amazing people, friends and colleagues into my life, and incredible opportunities I never would have imagined, like listening to the Ambassador of South Africa refer to the ICJ South Africa v. Israel case thanks to an ILSA event in my beloved alma mater, personally meeting the UN Rapporteur on the Right to Food Michael Fakhri at the 2023 T.M.C. Asser Instituut 's 8th Annual Lecture, or having the unique opportunity to discuss EU external relations and youth opportunities in the field with the Ambassador of France to the Netherlands, H.E. Fran?ois Alabrune . I am beyond thankful for the opportunities The Hague University of Applied Sciences has given me, and I hope to remain in touch through the years to be able to give back. I look forward to continuing my academic studies at 荷兰莱顿大学 's LL.M. in European Law, and to continue growing personally and professionally through the many opportunities out there!