For Jorge Enrique Buitrago Vargas, returning to Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS) 53 years after graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering meant reliving the experiences that shaped his university life. Although the infrastructure he knew back then has long since disappeared, the emotion and nostalgia of returning to his alma mater remain unchanged.
His return was made possible through a special invitation to participate in the ‘Legado UIS’ program, organized by the Institutional Alumni Program of Universidad Industrial de Santander.
During his visit, Jorge Enrique met with university leaders, toured the Central Campus, and learned about future academic projects in which he hopes to collaborate with the institution. His visit reaffirmed his commitment to contributing to the development of higher education and to supporting new generations of professionals through scholarships awarded to UIS students.
“I am deeply grateful to UIS. It was a very fruitful experience. I met some very interesting people, and that will surely help move forward the donations I plan to make to the University. My goal is to expand the network of people who know me and build connections that will allow me to continue developing academic strategies and solutions that facilitate the donation process,” said Jorge Enrique.
Buitrago Reconnects with UIS Through Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy
As part of the agenda, Buitrago Vargas also participated in a dialogue with members of the university community, where he shared his life journey, the lessons he has learned throughout his career, and his reflections on the importance of maintaining a lasting connection with academia. He highlighted the value of giving back through professional experience and social commitment.
“We first met engineer Jorge personally in 2018. At that time, he expressed his intention to support UIS students through donations, as well as his philanthropic commitment to the University. Since then, we have maintained regular contact, assessing students’ needs and making detailed progress in managing support for both students and alumni,” explained David León Esteban, coordinator of the UIS Institutional Alumni Program.
The distinguished alumnus hopes to open a new avenue for strengthening ties with other UIS graduates, while creating opportunities to inspire, build new partnerships, and jointly contribute to the University’s institutional growth.
