Binayak Raj Pande ’17 (Nepal) is a living example of how lasting the UWC impact can be on a person. He arrived in Costa Rica nervous and filled with uncertainty, but with a suitcase full of dreams.
He is quick to point out that attending UWC Costa Rica would have been impossible without scholarship support, calling the experience the “ultimate catalyst for his subsequent academic and professional success.” He views UWC not merely as an education, but as a special place, “a sort of dream world that has defined the ambitious, values-driven reality he now works to build globally.”
After his two transformative years at UWC Costa Rica, he went to study at Northwestern University in Illinois (United States), with the support of The Davis UWC Scholars Program. There, he specialized in Economics and Cognitive Science.
Binayak’s journey is one of interdisciplinary innovation, the type of experiential learning UWC Costa Rica seeks to cultivate in every student. He proudly supports the Scholarship Fund as a recurring donor, firmly convinced that more people should have the opportunity to become agents of change.
The Opportunity for Change
You received a scholarship to attend UWC Costa Rica. How did that financial support impact your ability to attend and your overall experience?
There’s no way I would have been able to attend without it. It would have been impossible. I’ve had the chance to live a life that feels like a dream in many ways, yet it also profoundly influences my reality. It was definitely the ultimate catalyst for everything else that happened in my life. The way I think about things I care about, the value I place on what I want to give, and the type of world I want to create really made me feel more ambitious because I saw this Special place. And then I went out in the world and realized the world wasn’t as great as that. But having already experienced that, I can build a similar world. And I’ll work the rest of my life to make that a reality.
What is one specific memory or tradition from your time at UWC Costa Rica that you still think about often?
Wow. There are so many. I’m trying to come up with a good one. (He thinks for a while!) Awareness. Not necessarily a tradition, but being exposed to so many different people, from so many different backgrounds, at such a young age really taught us a lot. Different cultures show how people might perceive things differently from you, and that’s something I practice every day of my life. That’s made my life a lot easier because you’re just so exposed to it. This significant aspect has definitely given me a major advantage in life, especially since my work is also international.
Considering your diverse academic path, from Economics and Cognitive Science to Design Thinking, how did UWC Costa Rica’s emphasis on intercultural understanding and critical thinking prepare you for such varied fields?
Early exposure at a young age. As you age, learning becomes increasingly challenging. But if you’re exposed to it at a young age, it can make a big difference. I also appreciate how UWC goes above and beyond to push for unprecedented levels of inclusion. It’s a really powerful strength. It’s also because there are various ways to connect with other people, beyond just class. It’s about your leisure time and activities. It provides multiple ways to connect with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, a rare occurrence in the world. In UWC, people from various backgrounds constantly surround you, and they’re very different from one another. Now, I am proactively searching for that in my work. My work is very global, and it has made me much more culturally aware of things. But it’s not just the cultural side; UWC’s socioeconomically diverse nature is equally important. In universities, you’re exposed to cultural diversity at a similar level, but not to socioeconomic diversity, which really changes people’s views.
“It is my mission too.”
We were so grateful to see you become a recurring donor to the Scholarship Fund. When we thanked you, you mentioned your giving is motivated by the impact UWC Costa Rica had on your life. Could you elaborate on that impact and why you feel compelled to give back now?
I wouldn’t have the confidence to be ambitious if it weren’t for UWC Costa Rica. The confidence was not just my own, but also that of my classmates. I saw my firsties starting out shy, but they ended up discovering who they were and really living extraordinary lives. And that is one of the most inspiring things witnessed, and more people deserve to see others find their voice and discover their true selves. UWC was an amazing place where many people discovered themselves. And we’d live in a better world if more people could do that. So that’s part of the donation mechanism and the idea behind it.
What does being a recurring donor mean to you, as opposed to a one-time gift? What impact are you hoping your sustained contributions will have?
My entire life would not have been possible without the efforts of others, so the impact is that it’s not necessarily about being seen. I don’t know who donated money to fund my scholarship. I don’t know those people, but I’m always gonna be grateful to them. And I hope that these things contribute to someone having an education who, in turn, passes it on to others. UWC has impacted me in a way that makes it the only reason I can afford to take care of myself. So, beginning to give back is helpful.
Why, specifically, is it essential to you to support UWC Costa Rica and its mission?
Because it is my mission too, and it’s how I want to see the world. So it definitely doesn’t feel like something that stopped after graduating for me.
Today, Binayak is an experienced professional known for navigating the complex intersection between technology and human-centered design, with a career spanning consulting, entrepreneurship, and product management. Convinced that his life would be different had he not been part of UWC Costa Rica, he is committed to collaboration, holistic thinking, and decisive action to spread the UWC mission throughout the world.