The Columbia University School of Professional Studies and the Luksic Foundation are pleased to announce that Camilo Avilés and Victoria Escribano Piazza have been awarded the 2025–2026 Luksic Scholarship for Sustainability at Columbia University. Now in its second year, the scholarship supports talented students enrolled in the Master of Science in Sustainability Management (SUMA) program.
"From the first cohort of Luksic Scholarship recipients: Brenda Rain and Roberto Beltrán, we have seen how this program and its comprehensive international experience can shape professional pathways and strengthen contributions to Chile,” said Isabella Luksic, Board Member of the Luksic Foundation. ”We hope the same for Camilo and Victoria as they embark on their journey. We are also grateful that all four Scholars are members of our Luksic Scholars Community."
The Luksic Scholarship reflects the foundation’s long-standing commitment to Chile’s sustainable development and its dedication to connecting emerging leaders with global academic communities. By fostering collaboration across borders, the Luksic Foundation aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to confront urgent environmental challenges. The scholarship—covering full tuition and providing a living stipend—is awarded to students who have lived or worked in Chile and who demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing sustainability initiatives.
(l to r): Luksic Fellow Victoria Escribano Piazza; SPS Senior Vice Dean and Program Director of SUMA Steve Cohen; SPS Dean Troy Eggers; Luksic Fellow Camilo Avilés.
“The Luksic Fellows recruited to our program this year are wonderful examples of the talented and mission-driven students that have made our Sustainability Management program a community of problem solving sustainability professionals,” said Steve Cohen, Senior Vice Dean of SPS and director of the M.S. in Sustainability Management program. “I am certain Victoria and Camilo will be transformative leaders in our field, and will have a lasting impact on Chile and the planet.”
A native of Santiago, Camilo Avilés has spent the past decade working across Chile’s energy sector in policy, consulting, and large-scale development. With recent work centered on giga-scale green hydrogen and ammonia projects, Avilés joins Columbia’s Sustainability Management program with the goal of bridging his technical expertise with the social and policy dimensions of the energy transition. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and an M.S. in engineering from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
“Pursuing the M.S. in Sustainability Management at Columbia is a natural next step, giving me the tools to link the technical and human sides of the energy transition and to help make it more equitable and sustainable across Chile and Latin America,” says Avilés. “Receiving the Luksic Scholarship is a true honor, and I’m deeply grateful for the support that allows me to dedicate myself fully to this transformative experience. I look forward to returning to Chile and applying the knowledge and skills I gain to help drive meaningful change in my country.”
For Victoria Escribano Piazza, Chile’s 2010 earthquake was a defining moment. At 15, she volunteered in the recovery effort and discovered the power of collective action—an experience that would shape her path toward sustainability. After earning a degree in business and economics from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, she worked in customer experience and data analytics before shifting her focus to corporate sustainability. As corporate sustainability chief at Parque Arauco, she led regional ESG, climate, and social investment strategies across Chile, Peru, and Colombia. At Columbia, she plans to deepen her expertise in biodiversity, data, and governance.
(l to r): 2025 Luksic Fellows Victoria Escribano Piazza and Camilo Avilés (center left and right, respectively) met with 2024 Luksic Fellows Roberto Beltrán (far left) and Brenda Rain (far right) in front of Low Library on the Columbia University campus.
“Sustainability isn’t just a career path for me; it’s an ethic, a lifelong commitment to care and give back,” says Escribano Piazza. “Receiving the Luksic Scholarship has been one of the most meaningful moments of my life, and I’m deeply grateful to the Luksic Foundation and to the many people that have supported me along the way.”
“I’m excited to keep learning and growing alongside inspiring peers and professors who share the same purpose. In this critical moment, true commitment matters, and I’m ready to be part of that effort,” she added.
Sonal Pande, associate dean of Alumni Relations and Development, emphasized the meaningful impact this year’s scholars are poised to make to the program and their communities.
“Victoria and Camilo are exemplars of the principles we seek to instill through the Sustainability Management program,” noted Pande. “Their passion for sustainability and their commitment to fostering meaningful change in Chile are deeply inspiring, and we are thrilled to see how they will shape the field and what their time at Columbia will bring. We also want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Luksic Foundation whose generous support makes this fellowship possible, enabling scholars like Victoria and Camilo to pursue transformative work and advance our shared mission for a more sustainable future.”
About the Program
The Columbia University M.S. in Sustainability Management program, offered by the School of Professional Studies in partnership with the Climate School, provides students with cutting-edge policy and management tools to help public and private organizations and governments address environmental impacts and risks, pollution control, and remediation to achieve sustainability. The program is customized for working professionals and is offered as a full-time and part-time course of study.
The program fosters creativity and adaptability by equipping students with the skills to tackle real-world sustainability challenges through an interdisciplinary approach from the world’s premier sustainability academics, researchers, and practitioners. The up-to-the-minute curriculum and flexibility prepare graduates for careers in the dynamic and rapidly changing field of sustainability.
The priority application deadline for the M.S. in Sustainability Management program is January 15, with a final deadline of May 1. Learn more about the program here.
About the Scholarship
Columbia University School of Professional Studies is proud to offer the Luksic Scholarship for Sustainability for students in the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program. The scholarship, supported by the Luksic Foundation, covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition and living expenses. Students who have lived or worked in Chile and who are committed to working on sustainability efforts in the region are eligible for the scholarship.
