Creating a Culture of Sustainability

Dear Community,

We are tremendously thankful for your support as you continue inspiring our growth. From the latest event to exciting milestones, here is a summary of the past semester. 

Graduation

On May 19th we hosted our 18th Graduation, where 104 new graduates were sent off to new adventures as new alums and ambassadors of UWC Costa Rica.  700 attendees joined us in person and over 2,000 friends, family members, and alumns celebrated virtually. 

The day before graduation, we were honored to welcome the families of our 2nd-year students to our beautiful campus. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to get to know our environment, bond with each other, and reconnect with their children and friends. 

We shared perspectives on the incredible change each student has experienced during their two years at UWC Costa Rica. We also enjoyed moments of laughter and tenderness as we looked at photos of them as babies.

We cheered, laughed, cried, celebrated all the Determined Generation's accomplishments during their 2 years at UWC Costa Rica and welcomed them to our Alums Family. With lots of gratitude, we also thanked our leaving staff for all their compassion and commitment during their years working for the College. We celebrated this year's Educator Award, the Outstanding Leadership Award (OLA) winners, and the first-ever Empathy Reciprocity Accountability (ERA) Award. This last award was inspired by the new values launched this year as we continue to align our everyday work with our new mission too. 

"As we grew together, our generation stood determined to accept each other for justice for all. Among our differences, we cultivated the opportunities to be ourselves. See unity through commonalities" - The Determined Generation.

We Are United and our New Campus

A second incredible project publicly launched this last semester was our We Are United Comprehensive Campaign. March 14th, 2024 will be a milestone date for the book as we told the world our plans for the new scholarship endowment fund and the construction of our new campus.

Casa Solera shone once again, this time as the educational epicenter of Costa Rica, hosting part of our community and with the privilege of having Faith Abiodun, Executive Director of UWC International.  Focusing on expanding scholarships and setting a new standard in sustainable construction, we're not just making history; we're shaping the future. The "We Are United" campaign is not just a call to action but an invitation for the public and private sectors to join forces. Together, we can pave the way for a more sustainable and equitable tomorrow for future generations. Learn more at united.uwccostarica.org. 

Finally, we are so proud to announce that with 82% of the goal accomplished so far, we broke ground at our new campus property on January 15th! Stay tuned for more details on this major milestone.

Thank you for your support and for making our mission possible. 

Why support UWC Costa Rica?

UWC has earned its second Nobel Peace Prize nomination.

UWC Costa Rica is not only the only UWC school in Latin America and the Caribbean but is one of the best 10 schools in this continent.

We have been appointed as the second of two Ashoka Changemakers schools. 1st in the UWC movement.

The Excelligent Magazine named us the Best international school in Costa Rica.

UNHCR awarded us for serving youth in conflict areas.

So far, we have graduated 1,409 alums who have become real agents of change capable of deeply impacting their lives and the lives of surrounding communities

At UWC Costa Rica, we continue to ensure that our fundraising model fits within our new Sustainability Framework:

• The Impact Fund puts CARE for people and the planet at the center of our decisions and actions.
• The Scholarship Fund draws together an inclusive, resilient, and DIVERSE student COMMUNITY by focusing on their potential regardless of their socioeconomic context.
• We transform fundraising and philanthropy so they are grounded on SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE and are inspired by the 10 principles of Community-Centric Fundraising.

With deep appreciation,

Jose Pablo Rojas-Brewer

Development Director, UWC alum, and proud Impact Fund Donor

P.S. We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on fundraising and sustainability!  Email us at development@uwccostarica.org!

P.P.S.  Remember that every recurrent donation is matched by GlobalGiving, you can join our GEM program and help us sustain our fundraising efforts in support of our scholarship program!

Links:

• We Are United Campaign
• 2nd Nobel Peace Prize Nomination
• Community Action Recap