2nd Associations Week at UC3M

More than 20 student associations from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) participated in the 2nd Associations Week, held from October 5th to 9th. The event hosted different activities including talks, fairs, workshops and video forums.

The objective is to show the work that the university associations do and attract more students to participate in them and contribute to an active and committed university life. This event was born out of the initiative of students that participate in university associations and has the support of the Students Delegation and the Student Space service of the UC3M. In all, there are over 50 association in areas such as cooperation, culture, sports, politics and technology, among others.

One student who participated in the activities is Irene García Martínez, coordinator of Amnesty International UC3M, an association she joined two years ago. “We denounce the violation of human rights and we organize different events on campus to raise awareness of current events,” she explained. For her, the university is not only about going to class, but also about getting involved in life outside the classroom.

Adrián Casado Rivas, president of the GUL UC3M (Grupo de Usuarios de Linux), thinks the same.  He believes belonging to an association is an experience that enriches academic life because it allows you to apply what is learned in class and gain new knowledge in a different way. The goal of the association that he directs is to disseminate Free Software and Hardware through activities that promote their use, like technical seminars, projects related to technology (through Hackers UC3M, for example) and on-line radio (Hola Mundo Radio), which broadcasts programs about science, technology, coaching, communication and music.

“The fact that the campuses of the UC3M are multidisciplinary gives us the opportunity to participate with students from different fields in the associations, exchanging knowledge and shaping projects that would otherwise not be considered,” said Casado, referring to the university’s associations. Among other things, the interdisciplinary nature of the university is precisely what makes it possible for a group of students in different degree programs to aspire to build a vehicle similar to a Formula 1 car. “Building a car from scratch requires a lot of effort, but a lot is learned in the process and it is fun and satisfying,” said Daniel Gómez Lendinez, one of the founders of Escudería UC3M. In this association, Gómez belongs to the Equipo Formula UC3M, which designs and builds race cars.

Teamwork is important in associations. “We provide cultural events, trips and different and entertaining activities,” explained another student at the associations fair, Beatriz del Pozo, who is president of the UC3M Erasmus Student Network (ESN). “The satisfaction of a job well done, the thanks that an international student gives when a trip ends or an activity turns out well, and meeting new people from different countries and cultures is very enriching,” she said. With the work her association does, she is pursuing a goal that is far from negligible: that the students they help “have the best year of their life.”

Photo report of Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eventosuc3m/albums/72157659375415708