Carolina Villanueva, born in Asturias, Spain, spent her final high school years in New York.

When she was around 16 years old, the head of showjumping for the Royal Spanish Equestrian Federation reached out to Carolina to see if she would represent Spain. The one thing she had to keep in mind before making a decision was her path to higher education.

Passionate about horses, international relations and law, IE University was the perfect fit.

She discovered the opportunity to study a dual degree, the Dual Degree in Laws + International Relations, while balancing her training and competition schedule as an elite athlete. The flexibility of IE University and the support of the IE Sports & Well-being department, allowed Carolina to pursue all three of her passions.

Aiming to represent Spain in the Olympic Games, Carolina is serious about her training. But she’s equally serious about her studies. She’s considering pursuing a master’s degree and is ready to face whatever challenges come her way in the future.

Listen in to hear Carolina talk about her personal, professional and athletic goals.