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Otto Krause International Foundation

expanding horizons

The Otto Krause

A school of Engineering Technology in Buenos Aires, Argentina Engineering technology education in Argentina, is a six year program. During the initial three years, students cover the fundamental concepts of mathematics, physics, and chemistry, comparable to a High School of Science and Technology in the U.S. In the first two years, besides of 20 hours per week of classroom lectures, the students have 8 hours of shop, from carpentry to metal working. At ETOK at the end of the second year students elect a major in one of the following fields: Mechanical Engineering Technology, Construction Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, Chemistry, Computer Science, or Electronics Engineering Technology. Having chosen a major, shops in the third year are substituted with labs in the major they have selected, where they apply theoretical knowledge to solve technological problems.

Starting in the fourth year, studies are comparable to a college of engineering technology. At this stage, the level of mathematics and physics is deepened. All students must study calculus and statistics. Graduates can obtain a limited professional engineering license in their respective fields.

The OKIF

banderas internacionales

The Otto Krause International Foundation (OKIF), a legal entity established in the United States, aims to enable graduates of the Otto Krause Technical School residing outside of Argentina to channel their financial and material support to the school's educational mission.  

The “Otto Krause International Foundation” was created at the initiative of graduates of the school, residing in the USA.  

Our goals:  

Create and expand a network of donors worldwide through social media and other means.

To financially support the exchange of students, professors and administrators of The School with educational institutions outside of Argentina, generating a permanent and sustainable monetary fund in the style of study foundations in the USA (Harvard, Yale, Cornell) for future generations of Krausean students and teachers.

To award annual scholarships to students pursuing higher technical studies related to the School's curriculum outside of Argentina.

To finance monthly the purchase of material items requested by the School that are required for educational purposes but that cannot be financed by the National Institute of Technological Education or the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

Programs:

Since 1992, the Otto Krause Technical School has been developing a student exchange program with Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.

PVCC—like other community colleges in the United States—is a post-secondary educational institution with university articulation. Its programs are two years long and allow graduates to continue their undergraduate studies at universities, entering directly into the third year. It offers programs in technology, sciences, and the humanities.

The Otto Krause/Virginia educational exchange experience that Dr. Finkielstein conceived, developed, and has continuously implemented for the past 12 years has promoted the learning and professional development of young people from a wide range of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

  • How are the students selected?

    Virginia students: Dr. Finkielstein has a well-developed outreach program that works with high school biology/chemistry teachers and students in the region and has helped promote the program in the area. We announced this opportunity through an established network of teachers and students.

    International students: Teachers announce positions at Otto Krause High School in the monthly student newsletter. The application process consists of several phases, including in-person and virtual interviews, completing a questionnaire in Spanish and English where candidates describe their career goals, commitment to higher education, community service experience, other interests and qualifications, and submitting letters of recommendation. Students are notified seven months prior to departure to facilitate travel and visa arrangements.

Testimonios

  • “Incredible opportunity”

    “This adventure left me with a certainty in my heart:
    the world is full of treasures waiting to be discovered
    and souls eager to share their stories”
    Ana Lucía Torres profile picture
    Ana Lucía Torres
    PVCC

  • “The once in a lifetime experience”

    “This exchange is invaluable… It made my perspective
    grow bigger as I learned about another history and
    culture.”
    Esther Gritsko Profile picture
    Esther Gritsko
    PVCC

Members

Foto de Ricardo Hendi

Ricardo Hendi

Specialization: Construction
Graduated in 1984

President

Ricardo is an architect and Master Builder, graduated from Otto Krause Technical School (6C1, 1984). He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree "Cum Laude" from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and published his fifth-year thesis in the 1992 student annual. He has worked at Barry Padolsky Architects (Canada), WDG, SK&I, Powers Brown, and HOK (USA). Throughout his career, Ricardo has worked on and completed over 200 projects of varying types and sizes. He has more than 38 years of experience in architecture and construction. He has worked for a variety of firms in Argentina, Canada, and the USA, where he currently resides and is the principal of his own architecture firm, Arimse Architects, LLC.

Foto de Carla Finkielstein

Carla Finkielstein

Specialization: Chemistry
Graduated in 1986

Vice President

Dr. Finkielstein, a 1986 graduate of Otto Krause High School with a degree in Chemistry, is a Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech, Director of the Integrated Cellular Responses Laboratory (ICRL), and Scientific Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. At ICRL, Dr. Finkielstein leads a group working at the interface of several disciplines to study the contribution of environmental changes to cancer initiation and spread. For the past 15 years, Dr. Finkielstein has also maintained an international exchange program that has facilitated access to scientific internships for students from Otto Krause High School and other Virginia schools.

Foto de Esteban Mezquiriz

Esteban Mezquiriz

Specialization: Computer
Graduated in 2002

Secretary

A 2002 graduate of the Computer Science program at Otto Krause University, Esteban also holds a law degree specializing in economic and financial law from the University of Buenos Aires, a Master's degree in Business Administration from UADE, and several certifications in agile software development methodologies. Currently living in Nashville, USA, he serves as Director of Delivery at the technology company Globant, where he leads large-scale operations in the design and development of technological solutions, always focusing on making a positive impact on the community and the planet. Esteban is a volunteer mentor at The Wond'ry, Vanderbilt University's community innovation center, and is passionate about supporting social entrepreneurs in their innovation and creation processes. 

Foto de Henry Weinschenk

Henry Weinschenk

Specialization: Electrical
Graduated in 1959

Trustee

He was an Electrical Designer for heavy industry. Project Manager for complex conveyor belt systems. Engineering Department Manager at United Parcel Service in the US and Germany, responsible for the planning and design of parcel sorting and transshipment facilities. Later, as an entrepreneur, he started a company that designed, built, and operated full-service tunnel car washes. He also worked as a consultant, specializing in market research for car washes, having developed a proprietary model for predicting annual volumes.

Foto de Fernando Leibowich Beker

Fernando Leibowich Beker

Specialization: Computer
Graduated in 1999

Trustee

A 1999 graduate of Otto Krause with a degree in Computer Science, he founded LID Software during his final year at Krause, and later, in 2014, to Beecker and after his exit to an American investment fund in 2022, to CloudShore Inc. He also holds a degree in Computer Science and an MBA from the University of Palermo (Argentina) and a PhD in Administration from the Universidad Internacional (México). In 2021, the Ministry of Education of the State of Morelos recognized his initiative Postgraduate Institute in Artificial Intelligence as a university, of which Fernando is currently the President. He is also currently a technology entrepreneur and lives in Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico).

Foto de Luis Acosta

Luis Acosta

Specialization: Construction
Graduated in 1982

Trustee

A 1982 graduate of Otto Krause with a degree in Construction, Luis has over 35 years of experience in architecture and construction. He has worked for some of the leading architectural firms in South Florida. Luis received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina. He has been with Claren Architecture + Design since its inception. He has extensive knowledge of all aspects of the construction industry. Luis is LEED certified and has led multiple LEED projects. He has broad experience in many types of public and private projects. He oversees in-house production and coordination. On weekends, he referees youth soccer in Delaware, where he lives after moving from South Florida.

Juan Pablo Cadaveira

Sistemas de Telecomunicaciones
Egresado en 1991

Trustee

Juan Pablo Cadaveira es director y editor de cine y publicidad radicado en Estados Unidos. Egresó de la Escuela Técnica Otto Krause en 1991, con especialidad en Sistemas de Telecomunicaciones, y se graduó como Diseñador de Imagen y Sonido (UBA). Comenzó su carrera como camarógrafo de documentales, viajando por el mundo. Luego, en EE. UU., editó programas de televisión para cadenas como PBS, MTV, Discovery y ESPN, y trabajó para agencias de publicidad de primer nivel en Los Ángeles, Nueva York y Miami, entre ellas Ogilvy, Saatchi, Grey y BBDO. Su ópera prima documental, Maravilla, ganó el premio a Mejor Edición en el Festival Internacional de Cine de Mar del Plata y participó en festivales como Tribeca, Guadalajara y Málaga. Maravilla fue distribuida por Netflix en EE. UU., Canadá y Reino Unido, por Canal+ en España y por Disney en salas de cine de toda la Argentina.

Foto de Daniel Rabinovich

Daniel Rabinovich

Specialization: Computer
Graduated in 2004

Trustee

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Luis Acosta, Constructions 1982 – Treasurer
Carla Finkielstein, Chemistry 1986 – President
Ricardo Hendi, Constructions 1984 – Vice President and Chief Executive Officer
Esteban Mezquiriz, Computing 2002 – Secretary
Fernando Leibowich Beker, Computing 1999
María “Kechy” Gordillo, Electrical 1973
Daniel Rabinovich, Computing 2004
Enrique “Henry” Weinschenk, Electrical 1959

How to donate?

As of March 3, 2022, the U.S. tax authorities (the Internal Revenue Service) have approved OKIF as a non-profit entity, authorized to receive donations that are taxable from donors (Section 501 (3)(c)).

If you are interested in donating, you can do so through the following two means:

1) By check, made payable to our foundation at the following address:
OTTO KRAUSE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION
116 E ROSEMONT AVE ALEXANDRIA, VA 22301

2) Through the Paypal platform by clicking on the following link and completing the indicated steps:

Donate via PayPal

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