Cynthia Fuentes is a current student for our Executive Program in Social Impact Strategy. Learn more about her impact area and her experience in the program. Sign up for our Executive Program in Social Impact Strategy Info session on August 10th.
We asked Cynthia to share a bit about her passion for her social impact work and some highlights from school, and advice for future applicants.
“I’m a passionate activist for social justice in Guatemala. I have been working for over a decade on social impact projects spanning the fields of gender equality, humanitarian assistance, climate action, and youth empowerment.
I currently work in Program Management at USAID/Guatemala in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning; Indigenous Peoples’ Engagement; and Gender Integration. Additionally, I’m a member of various international networks that seek to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
I’ve loved sharing with like-minded students with a passion for social justice. Particularly, one of my favourite moments with a classmate was a discussion we had on the importance of learning and adapting. We reflected on how the CSIS program provides amazing prompts for pause and reflection for organizations not only to learn and validate but also to rethink and shift.
I love working with my PAKS colleagues — great support group and such talented, smart, and passionate women!
The advice that I would give to future applicants is to have a “subject of study” in mind before you even apply! This is a very practical and hands-on program. Every week you learn a myriad of tools that are ready to be implemented for your social enterprise. No matter the type of enterprise you are leading or are part of, the tools would prove very useful. I believe that having a subject of study from the beginning allows you to fully harness the power of the amazing frameworks you are taught.”