University dream fulfilled: The town of Cañete in Chile has 30 new professionals thanks to scholarship program

The Construye Futuro [Building the Future] Program of CMPC and the Portas Foundation seeks to encourage higher education students to finish their studies instead of dropping out through a comprehensive support scholarship. More than 900 students are now part of the project.

In Chile, 18.3% of first-year students in higher education drop out. In the Biobío and La Araucanía Regions, located in south-central Chile, these figures stand at 22.9% and 23.8% respectively, according to the Higher Education Information Service of the Ministry of Education in Chile. That is why the Portas Foundation and CMPC joined forces in 2019 to support young people through a comprehensive program so they can continue their studies and graduate on time.

This Wednesday in Cañete, a town in the Biobío Region, a graduation ceremony was held for 30 local students. Portas Foundation Executive Director María Eugenia López, CMPC Central Territory Public Relations Deputy Manager Gustavo Apablaza, CMPC Department Head Héctor Cruz and Social and Sustainability Director of the Portas Foundation María José Juárez among other Construye Futuro collaborators all participated in the event.

“The program’s impacts over the medium and long terms are huge. What could be better than providing educational tools for people’s future? A country only grows insofar as its residents are able to develop. We at CMPC have placed our trust in this program because it makes the most impact,” said Gustavo Apablaza, Central Territory Public Relations Deputy Manager.

Social and Sustainability Director of the Portas Foundation María José Juárez said, “It is essential to understand education as an engine of social mobility. It is important that all organizations with a social role be aware of how they are investing, not just financially, to ensure that many young people who would have been excluded before can successfully make the move to higher education today. At the Construye Futuro Program, we expect our graduates to fulfill their life goals.”

Program graduate Valeria Riquelme said, “This has had a great impact on me personally and professionally. The financial support coupled with the emotional and social tools they gave me meant I was able to finish my studies. I’m going to remember the program very fondly. I made friendships that I hope will last a long time, and I hope to give back when I can.”

Meanwhile, Patricia Carril, a kinesiologist at the University of the Americas in Chile and a graduate of Construye Futuro said, “Going far from home to pursue my studies and having to build my life in a new city was one of the first challenges I’ve ever had. The CMPC – Portas Construye Futuro Program helped me a great deal. It gave me many benefits. They guided me academically and personally and never forgot about me. That was absolutely essential. They’ve always been there for me.”

Construye Futuro CMPC – Portas is an intervention program in educational communities that includes mental health, psycho-pedagogical and academic support as well as soft skills workshops and financial aid.

Advancing life plans

The CMPC – Portas Construye Futuro program got started in 2019 in Chile, as a result of a strategic alliance between CMPC Companies and the Portas Foundation. Its shared goal is to encourage higher education students to finish their studies instead of dropping out of universities, professional and technical training institutes. The program is put into action through a comprehensive support scholarship that includes academic tutorials, professional mentoring, socio-emotional skills workshops and financial support. To date, about 90 people have gone through the program and more than 900 students are currently part of Construye Futuro.

The Portas Foundation is responsible for the program’s intervention, and for 15 years it has been comprehensively supporting higher education students from vulnerable contexts who became the first ones in their families to have professional careers.

Cañete held the first of four graduation ceremonies in the Biobío and La Araucanía Regions. The three remaining ones will be held in the cities of Concepción, Temuco, and Los Angeles.