At the age of 32, José Gilberto Targino de Medeiros, from Altamira, Pará, found in the Seridó of Potiguar the ideal place to accomplish a life goal: study Mathematics. He lives in Tenente Laurentino Cruz, known as the highest city in Rio Grande do Norte, about 40 kilometers from Currais Novos, where the distance learning course he completed is linked to. The graduation ceremony took place on November 11, 2021 and was marked by an unforgettable moment.
Even though it was a virtual ceremony, being far from classmates, relatives and friends didn’t diminish the joy of winning the academic laurel, an honor granted by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) for good performance throughout the course: “I took this course very seriously. I dedicated myself, I invested money in good math books, I wanted to, I did, and all of this was the result of many hours of study. I felt emotion and gratitude to God for everything”.
José Gilberto recalls the motorcycle trips he used to make to the Currais Novo campus: “many times I got rained on the way and got all wet, but happiness was and is still in me, because I was concluding a kind of dream and goal, at the same time, which was to graduate in Math”. José Gilberto also talked about his perspectives for the coming years: “my biggest dream is to get a PhD in Mathematics and be a university professor. I’m not going to stop.
The history of DE
“Taking the History course was the realization of something I had dreamed of since the early years of my school life, because it was one of the subjects I most identified with. Today, I can say that distance learning graduation is a reality in our country and that UFRN provides quality education for those who choose to take its distance learning courses.” With these words, Maria Cintia Xavier Queiroz described the experience of taking distance learning history courses at the Presidente Support Center in Martins, in the upper west of Potiguar.
Maria Cintia says that she and her seven siblings already have higher education diplomas, which, according to the history graduate, reflects the encouragement her parents always gave to her studies. Besides encouragement, EaD graduation requires discipline: “sometimes we let ourselves accumulate content and activities, which is not indicated, because we can’t assimilate the content in a useful and efficient way”, she points out when talking about the routine of academic activities.
The trajectory in the History course was concluded in a special way, Maria Cintia won the academic laurel and was very happy: “I never imagined I would receive such an honor and, when it was announced, it took me a while to process the information, I confess my eyes watered with joy. This achievement served as motivation to continue studying: “I intend to do some specialization in the area of History Teaching and who knows, maybe even work as a teacher”, plans Maria Cintia.
Bruno Cássio – Communication Advisor of SEDIS/UFRN.
The night of November 9th 2021 will stay forever in Tatiana Cardoso Delgado Kobaiashi’s memory: “a mixture of feelings, joy, for knowing that my effort has borne fruit beyond what I expected, and gratitude to God for having concluded one more stage”. During her class graduation ceremony, Tatiana Cardoso was awarded the academic laurel, in recognition of her excellent performance during the distance learning bachelor’s degree course in Public Administration at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN).
At 40 years of age, 12 of which have been dedicated to working at the Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), she sought the much-desired qualification. Born in the capital of Potiguar, Tatiana had, as a support base, the São Gonçalo do Amarante hub, in greater Natal. Reflecting on the main difficulties of the academic journey, she highlights: “for me, the main one was the lack of time. It was always a struggle to reconcile other areas of life, such as family and work, with the demands of the course.
Tatiana’s mother, now deceased, studied up to high school; her father completed only elementary school. Within this scenario, this achievement represents a personal victory as well as a victory for the whole family: “Studying Public Administration at UFRN was a watershed, because now I have the theoretical foundation that I needed, since the practical part, I already mastered. The next steps will be to apply for a master’s degree, focused on the public service area, and then go on to a doctorate.
Biological Sciences climbed the mountain
Born in Martins, mountainous region of the upper west of Potiguar, Wandson Geovanny Aquino da Silva was raised in the neighboring town of Serrinha dos Pintos, where he lives until today. Grandson of farmers, he was raised by his grandparents and mother: “I am the only graduate in my family nucleus”, he proudly celebrates. And he has another reason to celebrate: on the night of November 11, 2021, during his graduation ceremony, Wandson was nominated, by UFRN, as the best student in the Biological Sciences distance learning course.
According to Wandson Geovanny, in Distance Education “there is a need to develop autonomy, which we are not used to. To make it work, we need to make a commitment to ourselves, allying dedication, discipline, and focus, because we are the main people responsible for the process”. He commented that in Serrinha dos Pintos, there were no professional references, because he never had a science or biology teacher with training in the area. For this reason, he returned to his hometown, and at the Polo de Apoio Presencial de Martins he finished his degree.
“I studied in public schools my whole life, and I want to be there, that’s where I want to be the best educator I can be, for me, for my students, and for my community,” he says, looking forward to his professional future. In the academic field, the new Biological Sciences graduate has started a specialization course in Biology and Chemistry Teaching Methodology and is already dreaming of a place in a Master’s course.
Bruno Cássio – Communication Advisor of SEDIS/UFRN
Born in Santana do Matos, in the Potiguar Seridó region, José Joailton Soares de Lima de Oliveira saw his life change in March 2006, when, during a soccer match, he collided with the opposing team’s goalkeeper and suffered the dislocation of vertebrae in his spine, which resulted in the loss of the movements in his legs. But what for many could be a limiting factor in the search for a college degree, for José Joailton was a great motivation in the sense of seeking to overcome the difficulties imposed by the physical disability.
On November 10th 2021, he fulfilled an old dream: he concluded the distance learning degree course in Physical Education at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). “My biggest difficulties were the internet, computer problems, but, mainly, for being physically handicapped, the trips to the center were very complicated, because of the transport conditions, the bad roads and the fear of muggings”, he comments when he remembers his routine of trips to the Currais Novos Presential Support Center that works inside CERES.
All the effort was rewarded. José Joailton received the academic laurel, a recognition from UFRN to the students who stood out the most in their courses: “this award is not only mine, but belongs to everyone who is part of the Currais Novos campus, because without the help of the campus, family members and great friends, it wouldn’t have been possible to finish my journey”, celebrates the, now, Physical Education graduate, already looking to the future, “my plans are to get a master’s degree and a PhD in Physical Education, pass a contest and be able to work”.
Pedagogy without distance
Luzia de Oliveira Pereira Filha, 37 years old, is also part of the list of graduates that received the maximum recognition from UFRN for their academic performance: “it was a moment of great emotion, surprise, joy, and gratitude to God for having given me courage and firmness in difficult moments, and to my family for the understanding, support, and motivation along the academic path”, she celebrated. The graduation of her class, on November 4th 2021, opened the series of graduation ceremonies for the 2021.1 school semester.
Born in the countryside of Paraíba, in the city of Lastro, Luzia de Oliveira settled in Tenente Ananias, in the Potiguar High West, next to the city of Marcelino Vieira, where is the Presential Support Center that she attended during the distance learning course in Pedagogy at UFRN: “many were the difficulties faced, such as autonomous learning, the use of technologies, the organization of time, in order to conciliate study routines, work, domestic chores, and the care and zeal with the family”.
Luzia also says that distance learning was her choice due to the impossibility of being at a university every day, and also due to the flexibility of her schedule, which made it possible for her to reach her goal: to study and graduate in an area she is interested in and wants to work in. After the contact with the academy, she says she intends to “seek new knowledge and experiences and that these, in turn, will broaden the horizons and work possibilities in her area of training.
Bruno Cássio – Communication Advisor of SEDIS/UFRN
The Secretary of Distance Education of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Carmem Rêgo, represented, this Tuesday morning (16), the University Dean, José Daniel Diniz Melo, at the Closing Ceremony of the 5th Class of the Course Specialization in Family Health from the Program of Continuing Education in Family Health (PEPSUS).
The program is the result of a partnership between the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), through the Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health (LAIS), with the support of the Department of Distance Education (SEDIS) and the Ministry of Health ( MS) and makes use of technological resources, for pedagogical purposes, available in the SUS Virtual Learning Environment (AVASUS).
During her speech, Carmem Rêgo highlighted the importance of the partnership with LAIS/UFRN and congratulated the approximately 600 health professionals who work in Primary Care in Rio Grande do Norte for this qualification: “it is worth remembering that, for the first time, the health professionals from Rio Grande do Norte benefit from this qualification, as the first groups were directed to professionals linked to the Mais Médicos Program”.
Also present at the virtual event were the Executive Director of LAIS/UFRN, Ricardo Valentim, the Coordinator of the Specialization Course in Family Health, José Adailton da Silva, the Vice President of the Council of Municipal Health Secretariats (COSEMS/RN ), Jalmir Simões, the Director of the School of Public Health of Rio Grande do Norte, Cláudia Frederico, and the State Secretary of Health, Cipriano Maia.
To check the recording of the solemnity, you can click here.
Bruno Cássio – journalist from the Media Sector at SEDIS/UFRN.
