Disciplined, dreamy and enthusiastic, these are three words to describe Samuel Ferreira De Souza, a Panamanian who currently resides in India, where he does diplomatic work for his country, and assures that wherever he is in the world he proudly shares that he is Incaísta.
For this 44-year-old professional, one of the formulas that has led him to fulfill his dreams is to combine discipline with proper time management; creating a balance between his professional life and his personal and family environment.
"God gives you the wisdom and intelligence to follow what you want. I always have very well defined what are the important things, the most critical and from there the less important ones, in order to distribute my time," Samuel emphasizes.
Many questions crossed Samuel's mind before entering INCAE, he analyzed the time factor, work, family and the health emergency that the world was going through with the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite all these factors, his determination and desire to forge a better future gave him the push he needed to pursue the Executive Master in Business Administration (EMBA).
"It was a decision to make the most of the time and to see among so many challenges an opportunity for growth. This is what I recommend to my other classmates, colleagues and master's degree candidates; that they make a decision with awareness, planning and discipline, so that they can successfully complete it (the master's degree)," Samuel emphasizes.
The commitment of this Panamanian and his vision to make the most of his time at this Business School led him to study three specializations (supply chain, advanced finance and business management) simultaneously with his master's degree. "It was not easy, but thank God I have reached this point after almost four years, with many professional and academic achievements. I can proudly say that I have on my wall several degrees and diplomas from INCAE Business School, that definitely has no comparison," he adds.
Every year new students from different countries of the region and the world enter the classrooms of INCAE with the same purpose with which Samuel arrived, to become Incaísta and a transforming leader for Latin American society.
He, better than anyone, knows that this process is challenging in many aspects, but in the course of the classes he met excellent classmates with whom he still has good communication and with whom he shared on a cultural and academic level.
Another supporting and fundamental element in this experience was the faculty. Samuel remembers that in class he always asked questions, gave his point of view and debated with his professors, because he wanted to take full advantage of the knowledge and experiences that they could transmit to him.
He is very fond of each of his professors, but he is especially fond of two of them, since both motivated him to study for his doctorate: Esteban R. Brenes and Roy Zúñiga, "Professor Brenes and his strategy classes marked my professional life, they changed my way of seeing the master's degree and the work itself, within the framework where I was", emphasizes this Incaísta.
For the new generations and students who are currently on campus, Samuel recommends that they put all their energy and passion in the academic process they are living, because from the moment they were accepted to study a master's program they should consider it as a milestone that will mark them forever, they should see themselves as people who are creating success.
"Future graduates have to begin to understand that the purpose of studying at INCAE is to make a difference in Latin America and the world, because this is what the Institute was created for, for that purpose," adds Samuel.
When this Incaísta reaches a goal, he has already thought about the next challenge he will take on. One of these was to study for a doctorate in business administration in Switzerland, which he recently completed, and to continue specializing in current topics such as artificial intelligence applied to his area of work, innovation and digital marketing at Harvard University, where he is currently studying for another Master's degree, before moving on to his new professional destination.
Samuel is proud of the country of his birth, and through diplomatic work in India he is contributing to the development of his nation.
"My work in the corporate maritime, diplomatic and business strategies, this is also part of the pride of representing your country and being Panamanian. Tobe able to give back to your country what it has honorably allowed you; to produce income and resources that can be returned for the benefit of our Panamanians, such as quality education, infrastructure, among others," concludes Samuel.
