Karla Mena Soto (Class of 2000, Costa Rica) believes that with the right tools and collaboration, agriculture can be a climate-friendly industry. As the country’s first female National Director of Agricultural Extension and the Climate Change representative to COP, Karla has played a key role in driving Costa Rica’s sustainable agriculture agenda forward. Despite her impressive titles, Karla measures her success based on the impact she has made in the lives of others. Karla’s credits her EARTH education for the ability to accompany producers to implement solutions that are simultaneously beneficial for their production and for the planet.

Juan Claudio De Oliva Maya (Class of 2010, Bolivia) founded his internationally recognized company, GreenCloud, during his fourth year at EARTH. To date, GreenCloud has supported over 150 organizations in 22 countries to achieve and manage carbon neutrality. Juan Claudio credits the impact he has been able to generate to the entrepreneurial spirit and critical thinking skills instilled in him at EARTH. Studying at EARTH allowed him to build an impact startup that focuses not on pure economic growth but achieving sustainable environmental impact.

From Cuba to Mexico to the United States, the story of Frankys de la Osa (Class of 2002, Cuba) is one of relocation, learning, and constant reinvention. Frankys transformed his curiosity into practical tools to build, innovate, and begin again, first through a family citrus business and now through a new agricultural project in Florida. His journey reflects how education, memory, and adaptability can take root anywhere.