The whole University was a party

On Saturday 6 in October the commemorative parade was held for the 50 years of the Universidad del Azuay in the streets of Cuenca. The event, together with the Solemn Session planned for the 25 in October, are the most important events that the UDA has organized for its jubilee year.

In the parade were present forjadores of the University, directors, administrative personnel, professors, students, alumni, graduates and countless people who passed in these five decades by the UDA.

The route, approximately 2,1 kilometers away, started at the recently inaugurated Service House of the UDA.

From there, he crossed Avenida Solano until he reached calle Florencio Astudillo; street through which the parade entered the Avenida del Estadio. After that, he took Roberto Crespo Street until he reached Avenida 27 in February, Avenida Francisco Moscoso and, finally, Avenida 24 in May.

To facilitate the organization of the parade, the assistants were divided by faculties. In total, there were 10 different blocks that departed in a pre-established order.

In the first place, the smiths and the current managers left, followed by the administrative staff of the University. After them, the teachers of the Asunción Educational Unit came. Finally, the 6 faculties came out - Philosophy, Administration, Science and Technology, Design, Legal Sciences, Medicine - and the Postgraduate Department.

Authorities and administrative staff

At the head of the parade came the current members of the University. At nine o'clock in the morning, Francisco Salgado, Rector of the UDA, began to parade; Martha Cobos, Academic Vice-Rector; Jacinto Guillén, Vice-Rector of Investigations; members of the University Council; directors of different departments of the University; as well as secretaries, accountants, janitors and other administrative staff members.

While walking down Roberto Crespo Street, Salgado expressed his joy when he affirmed that "the reception that this call has had makes me very happy. I'm really excited to see how people have reacted to this parade. "

Next to the Rector, Martha Cobos added to the excitement. "It is a joy not only for us, but for the whole society. It serves to remember that the University of Azuay is present in society and works for it. "

The authorities and the administrative staff accompanied them throughout the tour the sound of the war band of the Tarqui battalion of the Ecuadorian Army; who together with a quartet of classic cars were making their way and announcing the approach of the head of the parade.

Among the directors of departments of the University who paraded in the management and administrative blocks was Cecilia Ugalde, Director of the Department of International Relations of the University, who said she was surprised because "I did not expect to see so many people. It is very exciting to find so many alumni of the UDA and current students who are so united, it makes me very happy ".

The atmosphere of excitement was widespread in this first group of the parade. Many interviewees agreed that being part of the authorities during the jubilee year was very important.

For Vice-Chancellor Guillén, being a university authority during the 50 years is "a huge responsibility, but also a great honor. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to serve my beloved University. "

Behind the first blocks, the third group that left from the concentration was that of the teachers of the Assumption.

Eliana Bojorque, Rector of the educational institution, expressed the joy of the entire campus to be part of this parade.

"This is a way of being in the city, a careful exercise, just as we meet to claim we also meet to celebrate and say good things," said Bojorque and added:

“The UDA has had a very important impact on the world of education, science, law, administration, design, among others; Cuenca and the UDA are only one, if anyone knows about education they are the UDA and La Asunción ”, concluded the Rector.

Philosophy first

The Faculty of Philosophy, being the first that was founded in 1968, opened the parade of faculties, wearing shirts and jackets color sealing. Not only were students from different careers, but they were accompanied by teachers and a large number of alumni who decided to participate.

"I could not miss, it is the institution that opened the doors for me, it gave me all the training it required and thanks to that I was able to achieve many of my goals. Since I graduated, I have tried to be as connected with the institution and I could never forget the people of this place, "said Daniel Villavicencio, former student of the Social Communication career, graduated in July from the 2002.

Newly enrolled students also showed their enthusiasm in participating in the parade.

"It's amazing and I'm surprised at what the University is capable of doing, not only with our training but also how they organize and bring everyone together to celebrate something as beautiful as the 50 years of the University. I just hope that this kind of thing happens more often and we all become more united, "said Giovanna Pontón, current student of the Clinical Psychology career.

The director of this School, Gerardo Peña, present at the parade, was one of the students who entered the Higher Institute of Philosophy of the Major Seminary through 1968, which would later become the University of Azuay.

Administration with batucada

After nine o'clock in the morning, the Faculty of Administration Sciences began the journey. Some promotions such as 1983 and 1984 were the most numerous, they had their own distinctive signs and banners.

The parade was, above all, an opportunity to be among classmates who, in many cases, had not seen each other since university.

Enrique Toral, graduated in Business Administration, recalled his university life as "a very pleasant time, very happy, with very good colleagues and friends where we learned a lot to train." For this reason, his companions organized for 15 days ago to attend the parade.

The School of Accounting encouraged his walk with a batucada. Mónica Cárdenas, a graduate of the School, said that all "took care of the uniforms, the signs and the batucada".

Manuel Estuardo Jarrín walked the entire parade with the help of a cane. He graduated from 1985, but recently graduated as Commercial Engineer at 2003 with his son.

Manuel also taught at the University of Azuay, taught Financial Mathematics and Business Administration.

For the Faculty of Administration, the parade concluded a few minutes after eleven o'clock in the morning, when arriving at the central campus.

However, the celebration did not end there. Within the facilities of the Educational Unit "La Asunción" they danced until two in the afternoon.

CCTT, its dinosaurs and its Grayskull

The Faculty of Science and Technology brought together the careers of Mining Engineering, Civil Engineering, Biology, Food Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Production Engineering, Automotive Mechanics Engineering, and the old Agrozootechnics. Everyone marched in blue.

In addition, the Faculty was characterized by the presence of three dinosaurs, which were built for the occasion, each wearing a blue cap in commemoration of graduates and future graduates.

"So many years have passed that some of us do not recognize each other", joked the graduates of the first promotion of the Agrozootecnia career.

The first Civil Engineering class, meanwhile, shouted Grayskull! This is how many have nicknamed the building of TK, which by its design is reminiscent of the characteristic castle belonging to the eighties series He-man.

But it is not only those memories, there are also surprises, and one of them has been for the first promotion of Electronic Engineering to be graying:

"Some of us are already gray, but we continue with the work, and with the joy of representing the UDA," they commented as they approached the Central Campus.

Orange wave

Dressed in orange, the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Art paraded through the streets of Cuenca with each group calling attention in their own way:

A Design group decided to play with the color of their shirt and present themselves as samples of paint from a store; Arte Teatral opened the parade of their school with boys and girls dressed in white and wearing masks that danced on all sides, and a large number of people had on their arms an orange ribbon or a wooden pin that said: #We are all partners of the Chinese.

Fernando Molleturo, better known as the Chinese Molleturo, explained to us with laughter the reason for his pin:

"My friends made this tribute to me. I'm as distinctive because I think I have longevity in the University. I graduated last year and I entered the University at the 2001. And in the blink of one thing or another, from different careers to different universities, I ended up graduating in many promotions, meeting a lot of people. I was a companion of people from Textile, Objects, Interiors, even Theater. "

The October 6 was a Saturday of reunions among friends, teachers and classmates. The memories were everywhere: in warm greetings between students and teachers, in jokes that only understood small groups and in posters with names of careers that have already closed their doors and belong to the past.

One of the careers that is no longer part of the University is Restoration. Ximena Pulla, former student of this career, told us about her experience:

"We are the first generation of the Restoration career that was created in the 95. I believe that the best and most important thing that I carry in my heart is the support I had from my colleagues that has been maintained even professionally. The professors that marked me are Juan Martínez Borrero, Dr. Jaramillo and the professors who came from Quito to help us in the race that was then new ".

Legal Sciences said present

Although it is one of the youngest Faculties of the UDA, Legal Sciences with its Law Schools and International Studies is one of the most important and traditional study houses in Cuenca.

From 1988, this School has trained lawyers, diplomats, politicians and academics who have excelled in all areas of Law and Humanities.

"It is for the University of Azuay a very important date, to commemorate 50 years of its foundation. In this small period of time it has grown in such a way that it has national and international recognition. That fully pleases its authorities, those who forged this university and who are currently its servers, "said José Chalco, Dean of the Faculty.

“In my college years we had a cool, competitive, healthy group with good people. After 5 years we are still very good friends and I think it is the most important factor that one finds in the UDA ”, said Nicolás Muñoz, a law graduate and former president of the Student Federation (UDAFE).

Medicine and Postgraduate also celebrate

In this 2018, the University of Azuay celebrates 50 years and its youngest Faculty, Medicine, also celebrates a round number.

Cumandá Merchán, Sub-Dean of the Faculty, explained that, despite being a new career for the University, this week is an anniversary since it is already 15 years of foundation and, for this “a series of activities that are of scientific type, of connection with the community and of investigative type. There will also be a Solemn Session where the professors of the Faculty that founded it will be recognized ”.

In the parade, Andrea Laso, an alumnus, belonging to the 2017 promotion, expressed her happiness and enthusiasm to meet with her classmates and to find out what has happened to them, who have gone out to study in another country, who have married; and to meet teachers who had not seen them in a while.

Fernando Jara, Álvaro Guerrero and Camila Castanier, students of the Faculty, expressed their opinion that the initiative to bring together several generations, apart from creating a beautiful environment, is something that motivates them to continue growing as people.

Finally, the parade was closed by the Postgraduate Department, one of the newest facets of the UDA, with an offer of interdisciplinary, innovative and flexible fourth level studies.

All in yellow, graduates, students and teachers marched together like Pablo Galarza, director of the Master of Criminal Law, who commented that this Department was created "with the aim that the academic community can expand their knowledge of degree, continue with their studies , without having to go to other cities or to another country and, for that reason, it offers different branches for postgraduate studies ".

Last but happy arrived at the courtyard of La Asunción where they received the music of Tremendo Mambo and all who participated in an unforgettable day.