Roots

Throughout my school life, I was involved in extracurricular activities such as choir, student council, newspaper, theatre, and dance. I used to extend my hours at school, supporting teachers and diverse staff members. I had often been a class representative. Sometimes, a commencement speaker.

When I entered college1, it was no different. In the first year, I already found myself involved in an extracurricular activity: extension programs. I volunteered to support the “Census and Citizenship” project, which aimed to diagnose the community’s socio-economic situation in order to highlight and prioritize their needs.

The extension program

A multidisciplinary team composed of students from three different programs was organized to work together to achieve that objective. We interviewed people who lived near the campus. My group and I focused on interviewing people who lived in a building complex nearby. We collected information about basic needs, such as eating habits, health, education, social, and leisure. Apart from the teamwork, I was also responsible for data tabulation.

At the end of our work, we were able to make a diagnosis, identify the community’s demand and propose actions through new extension programs.



1 Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais (PUC Minas) is a private and non-profit Brazilian Catholic university. Recently, the Congregation for Catholic Education of the Vatican chose the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, PUC Minas, as the largest in the world.