“I believe that the public university is very important and, above all, Unicamp has been very important for me, as it has contributed to me being the scientist I want to be, but not only that. It has been building the person I am. The experiences I have here make me a human being more aware of myself and the world.” The emotional declaration comes after an intense year of dedication, studies and learning. For young Gabriely Camilo, 18 years old, from Jacutinga, south of Minas Gerais, arriving at Unicamp at the beginning of 2019 was a dream come true. The student occupied one of the 90 places allocated for the first time, at Unicamp, to medalists in high school knowledge competitions, the scientific Olympiads.
Through the Olympic Vacancies modality, candidates enter undergraduate courses, without having to take the entrance exam, as they have achieved excellent performance in these scientific competitions. This does not mean that for these young people, academic life is easier. Gabriely says that adapting in that first year was difficult. “The first semester was a huge shock, as I wasn’t used to studying outside of the classroom. I really liked the Cursão and how it works, despite being much heavier and more difficult than the other courses at the beginning, it is perfect for you to discover what you really want and if you are doing what you like”, commented Gabriely , referring to Course 51, the so-called Cursão, in which students can choose – after the common core – between Physics, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Engineering Physics.
In this adaptation scenario, the support of the University, through various programs, and veteran students, were determining factors for the addition of the Olympic Vacancies in 2019, Anne Feng Cai, from the Computer Engineering course. “The support from older staff and from Unicamp’s own platforms or from its students (GDE for example) helped me a lot. Two extension courses I took at the Faculty of Physical Education also contributed: swimming and German circle. Furthermore, I am part of a junior Computing company (Conpec), which is much more than a company, it is a big family and develops IT solutions for its clients. There I learned a lot of things that I wouldn’t have seen during my undergraduate studies, such as knowing how to deal with emotional issues,” said Anne.
Job opportunities
The opportunities that the university environment provides are usually a point highlighted by incoming students, who discover a world of possibilities in academic life, beyond the classroom. Natainá Barbosa, who entered the Statistics course, through the 2019 Olympic Vacancies, cites a scientific initiation program and also work in the course's junior company. “I am an SAE scholarship holder and participated in a project of the OBMEP Junior Scientific Initiation Program, in which I was an instructor for medal-winning students aged 12-13, with classes on Saturdays. It was an incredible opportunity that Unicamp offered me. I also participate in projects within Estat Júnior, which gives me a different and practical experience from the course I chose”, said Natainá.
The students reinforce the importance of the change promoted by Unicamp, with the diversification of forms of entry into undergraduate courses, starting in 2019 and which include ethnic-racial quotas, indigenous entrance exams, places through Enem, the Olympic Vacancies modality itself, in addition to bonus for public school and Profis students (Higher Interdisciplinary Training Program). “Unicamp is one of the best universities in Brazil and Latin America and it was the only one that I took the entrance exam for, as I tried to get in every way I could: through Profis, through Enem, through medals and through the Vestibular. I had a chemistry teacher in high school who had a doctorate from Unicamp and he always said that on his first day of class his teacher had said that at that moment everyone in that room had gotten a tattoo stamped on their forehead: 'Unicamp'. I always thought this was a tattoo I would like to have!”, said Gabriely.
Public higher education
“I believe in the importance of the public university, as it is in this diverse universe where great ideas emerge, so it is necessary for diverse perspectives to be present at the university”, says Anne Cai, highlighting the importance of quality public higher education. The opinion is shared by freshman Gabriely, for whom the importance of public universities for a country's scientific production should not be questioned. “Here in the Campinas region, for example, Unicamp is very important in carrying out free operations and exams for the population. My father himself has already benefited, because he underwent eye surgery, which we could not pay for, and which was carried out free of charge by Unicamp,” she said.
It is precisely in this sense that Gabriely states that showing this image of the University to society is the biggest challenge today. “Society has become so incredulous in relation to scientific facts, to the point where it is necessary to explain again the fact that the Earth is not flat, or the importance of vaccines, which has hampered scientific production. And that's why it's so important nowadays to talk about scientific dissemination and how to do it, so that science reaches the population too”, he argues.
Excited, after a first academic year that she considers very productive, Natainá, who came from the city of São João da Boa Vista, in the interior of São Paulo, always studied in public schools and had one of the best performances in the Statistics course this year, defends the public university. “I believe that public universities are the best in our country and also that they are the solution to developing and improving several problems that persist in Brazil. They are the ones who enable the population to have the knowledge and ability to carry out various necessary activities and they are also the ones who enable anyone, regardless of salary range, color or race, to have the right to a fair and quality education. ”.
Registration for the 2020 Olympic Vacancies modality is open until the day January 10, 2020 and are free. They are 114 vacancies offered: http://www.comvest.unicamp.br/vagas-olimpicas-2020/
