With a breakfast and motivational talk, the students of the PACE Accompaniment Program were officially welcomed, who are already part of the state higher education institution.

Authorities of the University of La Serena, headed by the Director of Teaching and alternate institutional representative of the Support and Effective Access to Higher Education Program, PACE ULS, Mg. Laura Vega, representing the Academic Vice-Rector, Dr. Jorge Catalán, together with the House of Higher Studies Program team, officially welcomed the 100 students who entered Higher Education through this route.

The activity, organized by the professionals of the ULS Program, was also attended by directors of the institution, representatives of the FEULS, various units of the University and the Regional Ministerial Secretariat of Education, along with student peer tutors, specialist tutors of the Program and students of the 2017 generation.

The different authorities and student representatives welcomed the students who achieved their goal of entering Higher Education, through the PACE quota route, which reinforces social responsibility and inclusion processes. that the University of La Serena is developing at an institutional level.

The Director of ULS Teaching expressed her pleasure at receiving these 100 students from the 2018 generation who are entering the house of higher education. “Today is the first approach of these students to the authorities, teachers and new colleagues at our university, in an atmosphere of camaraderie and not in such a formal context. I have no doubt that they will be successful in university life, since they far surpassed the first challenge, which is to enter the University; Already within it, we are willing, as an institution, to support them to obtain their professional degree,” she expressed.

The students of the first PACE 2017 generation did not want to be oblivious to the welcome of their new classmates, which is why the student Álvaro Olivares, from the Pedagogy degree in Spanish and Philosophy, gave his testimony, pointing out that “he felt at some moments that perhaps he was not completely prepared to enter university. However, at that moment the PACE Program appeared to accompany and guide me throughout the adaptation process and throughout the rest of the first year. The PACE team was characterized by its great closeness, availability, seriousness and, above all, dedication when delivering their talks, and everything they transmitted to us I was able to experience very closely during the year that has already passed," he explained. he. In addition, he called on the 2018 generation: “I would like to ask, if you will allow me, all PACE 2018 students to commit to participating and being active agents within the program, since the responsibility is reciprocal, because they work They work hard to give us the best, but we must be participants in that work, attending the workshops, tutorials and other activities that they prepare with all their dedication and affection. Only then will they really know what the PACE program is and who is part of this beautiful family,” he stated.

Continuing with this same trend, the Business Administration Engineering student, Dalila Ríos, also narrated part of her experience with the PACE ULS program. “The Program gave me an opportunity, which I took advantage of with great effort from the first moment in my educational establishment. Already at the University they gave me the support and containment that I needed at the right time, I am very happy about that, in addition to having entered the career that I always wanted. I must admit that it took me a lot to get used to a new routine, to have study habits, that PACE, through its tutors and tutoring were crucial to achieve my goals, they listen to you, they understand, no one said that university was easy, but yes If you put in the effort and trust in yourself, there will be no difficulty in being a great professional,” he said.

On the other hand, Patricia Astroza, Coordinator of the ULS Student Welfare Department, expressed that this is a very beneficial instance for new students. “It seems to me to be a very important milestone in the lives of young people and for us as a University, and an instance in which they can share with the authorities, with their fellow tutors. I especially consider it relevant that they feel incorporated from the first moment in the University. I wish each and every first-year student much success and I believe that the key to success is personal effort, getting up after a failure and achieving goals, in this case being professional; “I am happy to collaborate with the PACE program and to continue working so that more students fulfill their dream of entering Higher Education and finishing it in the best way,” she specified.

Along the same lines, Jocelyn Burgos, PACE Secreduc Coquimbo Region Coordinator, expressed her pleasure at having been part of the University of La Serena's welcome to the institution's PACE students. “It was undoubtedly a very powerful welcome, I loved the interaction of the authorities of the school so close to the students; I feel that the words of the authorities were very familiar, they were not disconnected from the context, but rather concrete, receptive to the problems that the students are going to face; The human factor is wonderful and it is what I take away the most from this day. The students are the protagonists, the heart of the PACE program is in the students and they are the ones who have to approach and ask questions, seek the help of this excellent human team, who clearly have done an impressive job so that an entire institution understand what this program means for your incoming freshmen,” he emphasized.

Motivational talk

As part of the welcome organized by the PACE ULS Team to the students assigned to the program, as well as to all the young people who entered the house of higher education, a motivational talk was given by Tenor Gonzalo Tomckowiack, who shared, as a testimony, part of his life, in addition to talking about frustration and the way to face problems.

Finally, Viviana Romero, Executive Coordinator of the PACE Accompaniment Program, expressed her gratitude for the support that the program has from the various authorities and professionals of the institution. She was also very satisfied with the participation of the students in both activities. “This welcome that we carry out for the second year, given that 2017 was the first year of admission through the PACE quota, fills us with satisfaction because the idea is that year after year more students have the opportunity to enter Higher Education. This welcome breakfast organized by the entire PACE Program team is also a closing of the first leveling stage organized by the higher education support area, led by Claudia Toledo.”

Source: PACE Program Press