“ISA allowed me to unlock my academic potential. The teachers and curriculum grew my passion for learning and for learning how to learn.”

Meet Grégory von Boetticher, ISA Class of 2019 graduate who just graduated from Leiden University College where he studied World Politics.

What were your most memorable experiences at ISA?

I would have to say that, my first school trip in grade 10 was the most memorable experience I had at ISA. The friends I made there and kept throughout the years, even after having graduated, are the most special people.

How did your time at ISA impact your life?

Firstly, ISA allowed me to unlock my academic potential, the teaching methods and most importantly the teachers themselves grew my passion in various academic fields and most importantly my passion for learning and learning how to learn (which I had previously struggled with). 

Secondly, the welcoming community made me feel at home immediately, even after having been accustomed to the setting of Frankfurt my hometown for most of my life. The people I met through ISA and the friends that I made opened me up to perspectives and opportunities that I would have otherwise scarcely come by. 

Lastly, the incredible support system the school provides set me up to succeed with my university studies (particularly in an anglophone context, as English became second nature to me).

What is your current career, and why did you choose that path? What advice do you have for others looking to enter into your field of work?

I just graduated from Leiden University College where I studied World Politics (which the Global Politics HL at ISA prepared me for nicely). My studies comprise mostly of international relations, with my chosen focus being on (political) philosophy which I am also most likely going to pursue in graduate studies soon. As part of my studies, I also completed an internship at a consulting firm in Munich and was able to go on exchange at the National University of Singapore where I took mostly philosophy courses. Additionally, I will intern at the lobbying firm EPPA in Brussels until July 2024.

What advice or insights do you have for our current ISA students?

My advice to current students is: make the most of the opportunities offered to you at ISA, both in and outside the classroom. ISA represents such a widely connected community and you will gain so much from getting to know your peers and teachers better by investing time into engaging conversations in class but also outside of it in the hallways or free periods.

The ISA Alumni Spotlight series aims to showcase the journeys of individuals in our student, teacher and parent alumni communities. We ask them to reflect on how ISA made an impact on their life, and to share their advice on how to carry the mission of international understanding.