At UWC, our work would not be possible without the dedication and hard work of volunteers. Every year, over 150 UWC national committees (NCs) across the globe, made up mostly of volunteers, give their time, skills and energy to identify young people with potential, ensuring that students from all backgrounds and financial circumstances can access a life-changing education. Many of these volunteers are UWC alumni who have experienced the transformative power of a UWC education and remain involved to make sure others can access the same opportunities.

One such volunteer is Carlos Hernandez Tellez, a member of UWC International’s ARDEI (Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) Steering Group and a long-time NC volunteer. From 2020 to 2023, Carlos served as Chair and Partnerships Director of UWC Brazil, helping to drive growth, inclusion and opportunity across the national committee. His remarkable journey is a testament to the life-changing impact of UWC and the dedication of its volunteers who continue to give back to the movement.

Carlos’s UWC journey began as a student at Li Po Chun UWC of Hong Kong (2008–2010), a life-changing experience for the Venezuelan native and his first time living abroad. After graduating, he earned a Davis-UWC Scholarship to study at Vassar College in the United States and later built an international career across Asia, Europe and Latin America before settling in Brazil.

Carlos remained deeply connected to UWC by volunteering with the Venezuelan NC and later joining the Brazilian NC, where his role steadily grew. Ultimately, he became Chair of UWC Brazil, leading the organisation to new heights and strengthening its impact.

Creating opportunities and promoting diversity

For Carlos, volunteering with UWC is both personal and meaningful. His own life-changing experience at UWC inspires him to create similar opportunities for others, while his journey as a migrant has strengthened his commitment to supporting diversity and inclusion. Reflecting on what motivates him to dedicate his time and skills, Carlos shares:

"UWC changed my life on a deep and fundamental level, and it continues to impact it in so many ways today. Even though Brazil isn’t my home country, it has welcomed me with open arms, and I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had. I want to make sure others have the same opportunity."

As Chair of UWC Brazil, Carlos worked to make UWC more inclusive by reaching students from remote or under-represented areas who might not have known about UWC.

“We wanted students who might not have applied to see that they too could be part of UWC. Seeing diverse representation on the NC team itself was also important - it showed students that they belonged.”

The Brazilian NC also used the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to grow. With more people able to volunteer, the team scaled up their efforts, including fundraising and promoting UWC through social media. “We played to everyone’s strengths,” Carlos says. “I’d worked in digital design and with start-ups, so we used tools like Instagram takeovers to encourage young people to apply. In just a few weeks, our social media following grew by 40%. Now we receive over 3,000 applications every year—double what we were getting before the pandemic.”

A lifelong commitment to UWC’s mission

Balancing his NC work with his day job hasn’t always been easy, but Carlos finds it incredibly rewarding. “Making those offer calls to accepted students is such a privilege,” he says. “It’s energising to connect with young people and see how they are thinking about the world. UWC is all about bringing young people together and giving them the chance to be part of something bigger than themselves. There’s no better motivator than that.”

Carlos’s story is just one example of the many volunteers who keep UWC’s mission alive. On this International Volunteer Day, we celebrate Carlos and all the volunteers around the world who dedicate their time and energy to making UWC a force for positive change. Thank you for all that you do!