Every story has its own roots, its own echo. Like that of José Manuel Muelas Tombé, a Fine Arts graduate, who traveled from the Guambia Indigenous Reservation in Silvia to accompany his son Ferney Santiago, a first-semester student in the Ethnoeducation degree program. “As a father and as a Unicauca graduate, nothing is more meaningful than proudly accompanying my son so that he can now plant his own seed in these spaces of the University of Cauca,” he said, recalling his own experience. “He was welcomed with great warmth into the house where I once lived, thanks to the good references I left, and that gives me great satisfaction,” he added, with a particular brightness in his eyes.

For Patricia Torres, mother of Chantel Guengo, an Instrumental Music student, the challenge of seeing her daughter leave for another city is immense, but her pride is even stronger. “It is a great achievement to see how she is growing as a person, making the decision to move to another city, learning to live on her own… it’s a very difficult process. Letting go is hard, but you are always there, supporting them,” she shared in a trembling voice while, from the CDU stands, offering the world a silent prayer: that her daughter will always be well.

In the case of Popayán, throughout the week, new university students had the opportunity to learn about the programs of the Office of Culture and Wellbeing, a space designed to support them unconditionally in their adaptation process, a reminder that, even far from home, the backing and warmth of the university community surround them. Meanwhile, at the Francisco José de Caldas Auditorium, parents found their own space in the Parents’ School, a gathering to resolve doubts, share concerns, and receive the necessary guidance to support their children on this new journey, named in honor of Francisco José de Caldas.