When talent and effort are recognized, stories worth telling are born. We are proud to announce that Santiago Naranjo, one of our contributors, was selected to receive a scholarship that will allow him to attend DrupalCon Vienna 2025, one of the most important events for the global Drupal community.
To celebrate, Santiago wanted to share with us an article in which he writes about his experience in the community, his growth path with Drupal, and the opportunities that are opening up thanks to this ecosystem.
Reflections on receiving the DrupalCon Inclusion Scholarship
In the professional journey, there are always moments that mark a before and after. For me, one of those moments was receiving the Inclusion Scholarship Fund to attend DrupalCon Vienna 2025, an event that brings together the global Drupal community and will be held from October 14 to 17 in Vienna, Austria.
This recognition means much more than a trip: it is an opportunity to learn, share, and grow alongside professionals from around the world who, like me, believe in the power of Drupal to build high-level digital experiences.
What is the Inclusion Scholarship Fund?
It is an initiative managed by Kuoni Tumlare | Congress, where a global team of Drupal community members—which is renewed with each edition of DrupalCon—is responsible for evaluating applications and selecting the recipients. The scholarship partially covers the cost of admission to the event and provides support for transportation, accommodation, and meals during the conference.
Thanks to this fund, I will have the opportunity to represent my country and my company on one of the most important stages in our industry.
The application process
Applying for the scholarship motivated me to reflect on my career in Drupal, from my experience in development and support to my contributions to the community by translating resources and promoting events. It was an enriching process that allowed me to appreciate everything we have built as a team within the Drupal ecosystem in Colombia.
For the scholarship, they were looking for people with experience in Drupal and the community, clear personal motivations, a commitment to diversity and inclusion, transparency about financial limitations, and total availability to attend. In my application, I highlighted my work at Seed EM and my participation in translating conferences and promoting events. I also mentioned my passion for painting, the financial difficulties in paying for the trip, and my visual challenges, thus emphasizing the importance of accessibility in the technology community. In addition, I assured them of my complete willingness to make the most of the experience and return to Latin America with new knowledge and inspiration.
What I expect from DrupalCon Vienna 2025
Attending DrupalCon is much more than just participating in conferences: it's immersing in a space of collaboration, innovation, and networking. I'm excited to learn about technical advances, gain new perspectives on the future of the CMS, and, above all, strengthen ties with the community that makes it possible for Drupal to continue growing globally.
A shared achievement
This achievement is not just personal. It also reflects the support I have received from Seed EM to grow professionally, participate in high-impact projects, and maintain an active link with the Drupal community.
I am convinced that this experience will translate into new learnings, ideas, and opportunities that I will bring back to share with my team and our clients.