After dropping out of college in France, Sonia Arias worked as a teacher for several years before making her way to Washington. D.C., where she enrolled in and completed a certificate program in the School of Languages and Linguistics at Georgetown University. But she still did not hold a bachelor's degree, and she had little interest in entering an undergraduate program with eighteen-year-olds. The Liberal Studies Program was the answer — the opportunity to pursue a truly liberal arts degree and fill gaps in her educational background. One philosophy course changed her life, prompting her to pursue a career in international development. "It made me decide that I wanted to do something to change the word, rather than criticize it," she explains.

Since graduating wither bachelor's degree, Sonia has earned two subsequent master's degrees and travels extensively, working to improve educational systems by training teachers to conduct their lessons in a more student-centered fashion. Reflecting on her experience, she says, "Broadening your mind is worth any and every sacrifice."