The place for those who want to stand out from the rest.
The place for those who won’t give up.

Why not make your passion your job?

Inma Bermúdez went to Germany as part of the Erasmus scheme and it was a real turning point in her life: that is where she did a work placement in IKEA’s design department. After that, her career reads like a list of big brands. But, in her own words, what she does is also her hobby, because it’s what she’s most passionate about in life. Your passion and your job can be the same thing.

Why not innovate with the latest methods of communication?

Today’s communication technology is changing the world we live in every day and Paula is passionate about innovation and change. These are the concepts which have been central to her career, having spent more than 10 years building on the opportunities created by these new communication channels.

Every year, she comes back to the University to share her expertise with those students who want to be tomorrow’s leaders in communication. It’s a real pleasure and source of pride for the University to see our alumni come back to our campus to tell us about their plans for the future.

Why not move on to get the job you want?

Noelia Úbeda was already working as a solicitor for one firm, but then she saw a new job advertised on the University’s Career Center. She didn’t think twice: she applied for the job and prepared well for the whole selection process. Now she’s working in the area of medical professional liability for the firm Fornes Abogados.

Just like Noelia, many of our alumni got their first job or have taken their career in a different direction through our Career Center. This is a resource open to all CEU Alumni to help them stand out and achieve their dreams.

Why not come back to the University to take your career in a different direction?

Navigating the job market can be unsettling and make you feel unsure of yourself. You have to believe in yourself, register on different job search websites, get expert advice on your profile and prepare each application carefully.

Roberto Higón had to relaunch his career and he chose to use the service that CEU Alumni offers. He signed up for Career Center and, after a whirlwind selection process, he is now back in the journalism business.

Why not make a short film which stimulates all five senses?

Miguel Ángel Font knew exactly what he wanted to do: make a short film accessible to all. He then overcame all the obstacles in his way and made Xmile, a short film which can be seen and heard, but which can also be smelt, tasted and touched. Miguel Ángel has worked with the University’s GIDYC research group to study the effect on those who view – or rather, experience – the film. He has also presented his film to the Culture Commission of the upper house of the Spanish parliament, the Senado.

At CEU Alumni we want to support everyone who wants to make their dreams a reality. .

Why not make people’s homes an integral part of urban planning?

What would you do with a million euros? What kind of architectural project would you create with this money? Would you design a run-of-the-mill home? Andrés’s answer to these three questions was just one word: Designable.

Andrés knew that his kind of architecture would be something different. He wanted to go against the grain and stand out, by creating new kinds of spaces – like an airport for drones on terrace roofs. He wanted to create architecture that was ground-breaking: clients should be at the heart of everything, communal areas of buildings should be places for people to come together, and new buildings should not jar with the surrounding area. To do this, he set up Designable, a pioneering company which uses cutting edge technology and which sets trends rather than follows them.

Why not go from taking holiday snaps to directing your own film?

At just 12 years old, Joecar Hanna began experimenting with imagery and when he went on holiday he was already past making simple holiday snaps to thinking about how to frame an image. At 25, he made his first feature film. Recently, he has made promotional pieces and taken part in the editing of the film Bike, nominated for a Goya in 2019.

His next projects include bringing out an album of music and a short film. For those who want to stand out, limits and genres mean little. That is how you can gain the creative freedom to make something original.

Why not go abroad to boost your career?

Pablo Rubio has always wanted to stretch himself. With just some basic English, he decided to head off to London to continue his development as a nurse. He took with him a positive attitude and a willingness to work hard.

His attitude and his decision have both been vindicated, as he is now the Lead Nurse for the Recovery area of the Royal London Hospital, a leading hospital trust in the UK. Personal growth is easier when you don’t impose limits on yourself.

Why not help a village in the desert become self-sufficient?

Lola Martínez knows that sometimes in life you have to roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty. Her aim is to make a real contribution to society, even if only a small one. Her colleagues in the NGO Formación Senegal feel the same way and together they want to help Ndem, a village four hours’ drive from Dakar, to become self-sufficient. They want to establish a nursery, a training centre, a vegetable garden and a medical centre. Standing out from the rest means that you don’t see things such as borders as important, but you do see who really needs help.

Why not start again from scratch to make your dreams a reality?

Architecture and Primary School Education are two very different kinds of degree programmes, but they come together in one person: María Amparo Serra. She chose to study Architecture because she’d always liked maths and physics and been curious about how things worked. After she graduated, she began working at a building engineering and architecture studio. She enjoyed her work, but felt something was missing and decided to go after her dream. She left her job and decided to sign up for a degree in Primary School Education, so that she could do what she was really passionate about. She now feels like the luckiest teacher in the world.

Why not cross the pond to work in the world’s capital?

Valencia, Amsterdam and now New York. That is the journey David Navarro has undertaken to fulfil his dream of telling stories in any format: on film, through design and through drawings. He has learnt a lot from each stage of this journey, but more than anything he has enjoyed the ride. Standing out from the rest for him has meant not being fussed about what the format was: the important thing was to achieve his objectives.

Why not make a short film about situations from everyday life?

Patty Bonet feels like she was born to tell stories and she’s a true movie buff too. The genetic condition she has led her to bring together her two passions and to write and direct the short film ¿Lo ves? (“Do you see?). It shows the everyday situations experienced by people with albinism.

She’s shown that the old adage is true: where there’s a will there’s a way. She set out to make it happen and to make being different a normal part of life. She did it.

Why not travel around the world doing what you like best?

Teresa Blasco graduated as an architect and was sure she didn’t want to stay in Valencia. She tried Paris, then New York and finally, thanks to a Leonardo grant she obtained via the University, she went to Copenhagen – and stayed. She now leads a team of 75 people in an architectural studio there and she comes back to visit ESET to share her expertise with other alumni via the Conecta programme.

Why not share your expertise with students at the University?

She loves London, is a devotee of typography and design, and has always dreamt of working with the big brands. Lucía García, an Audiovisual Communication graduate, works as a creative researcher at a well-known production company in London. To achieve this, she combined her studies with work experience and placements in London and she was gradually able to build a niche for herself in the London industry. Now, every time she comes back to Valencia, she visits the University to share her expertise with other University alumni and students.

Why not share your expertise with students at the University?

Jeanna Viargues came to Valencia to study Veterinary Medicine. When she graduated, she returned to France and then left for Dubai to further her career. All this globetrotting was done with one goal in mind: to work with race horses. She was determined to achieve this and was going to do everything in her power to do it. Now she works for the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI). Dreams can come true.

Why not give help to those who most need it?

Helping is about working with others and providing assistance and support. That is exactly what our Physiotherapy graduate Julio Araujo set out to do when he decided to go to Eidomene. He knew that he wanted to help and improve the health of some of the refugees in this village in Paeonia (Greece). He swapped the hospital for a tent and used gestures to communicate with his patients: that’s how he managed to improve the posture of a child with reduced mobility, Osman. When you strive to give help to those who really need it, you really stand out.

Why not work to make society more inclusive?

It’s not hard to see situations in which society ignores the needs of people with a disability. CEU graduate Alma Paula Aranda has been aware of this for a long time and after graduating in Physiotherapy she chose to take part in inclusive projects that sought to make the full participation in society of people with a disability less extraordinary. In breaking down these barriers, she brings to bear her professional expertise on the issues she is passionate about. Her hard work to achieve these objectives makes her a truly standout person.

Why not make the world a better place through art?

Alba Silla draws to express her emotions and tell stories. She’s a graduate in the Dual Degree in Advertising and Public Relations and Audiovisual Communication. She started working in the industry, but was dissatisfied and decided to try something else, something she was passionate about. She hasn’t looked back. Her decision took her to Mexico, to participate in the Ciudad Mural project, which aims to strengthen the social fabric and rehabilitate degraded spaces through art. This was a life-changing experience, making her stand out more from those around her, as well as more determined than ever to focus on the things that make her happy.

Why not create a different kind of advertising agency?

Over his eight-year career, borders have been practically invisible for David Rodríguez, and he’s worked in variety of cities, including Buenos Aires, Barcelona and Madrid. He’s also been an entrepreneur and worked for prestigious agencies. His standout career is still on the upward curve, as he is now Director of Strategic Planning for Cheil Worldwide in Spain. From this position, he seeks to create a different kind of advertising agency model, using creativity to solve business problems.