As a student at Facens, I am extremely happy to have an institution that thinks about Sustainability, where the theme is addressed in various aspects, whether in the classroom, on campus, in projects. When I joined the Student Sustainability Committee, I had the intention of being able to learn more about the subject and convey to my colleagues about its importance, after all, we will be the future managers. 

Throughout my life, I heard a lot about sustainability and grew up seeing my family – especially my father and grandfather – participating in projects and events on this subject, both because of work and out of personal desire. With this, I was able to realize from a very early age the importance of sustainability in my life, in the lives of the people I know and throughout the world, as it is what will provide a good quality of life for all living beings on the planet, not just to us, who are present here and now, but to those who will be here in the future.

When I joined Facens and came across the various events, groups and projects that revolved around sustainability, I realized that this was the college that would allow me to develop my academic life and approach my course in the way I wanted: thinking about the sustainable development, showing how it is possible to think about economic development alongside human needs and environmental conservation.

Since then, I have had the opportunity to participate in initiatives aimed at social and environmental good by the Facens Social Innovation Laboratory (LIS); witness the development of sustainable projects in my area; and participate in the Student Sustainability Committee, to develop and carry out sustainable proposals, in addition to seeking to learn more about the subject and promote this knowledge and awareness to others.

In the academic training of our students, it is crucial to bring academic knowledge closer to the needs of today's world, including the principles of sustainability, in all its dimensions. Knowing, reflecting, changing attitudes and seeking sustainable solutions are part of the path to improving the living conditions of current and future generations.

As a professor of the Psychology course, I work with students on the future professional's commitment to promoting health and social and emotional well-being, prioritizing prevention and valuing life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is directly linked to general health and well-being.

In 2022, I developed the Project “Sustainability and Mental Health: a possible path to suicide prevention”, with 3rd semester students, during the Yellow September Campaign at Smart Mall Facens. This project was awarded in the Sustainable Educator category by the Social Innovation Laboratory (LIS) Facens. I would like to thank the coordinator of the Psychology course, Carolina Antonelli dos Santos, and the team at the Social Innovation Laboratory (LIS) Facens for their support and encouragement of teachers’ participation.

Being part of the faculty at Facens is an incredible experience. The institution's mission is to develop and prepare people and teams for a better future, with balance and social well-being. Together, walking and sowing, we can reap valuable fruits, after all, as Mahatma Ghandi said: “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

“I believe that a teacher’s mission goes far beyond the content we present in the curriculum. We are committed to training people who will face a very complex reality, with challenges that transcend geographical and generational boundaries.

It is challenging, because we have to explain that today we have access to all the information in the world and several new technologies, but we live with poverty, water crises, climate crises and several other socio-environmental problems.

I still remember the first message I received from Facens when I was called for an interview in 2018. It said that the student is the protagonist in their learning process and we, the teachers, are facilitators. Today, after four years as a professor at Facens, I can say that we are also protagonists in promoting sustainability and in this case, Facens is our great facilitator. I am very grateful for all the institutional support we have always had, for our team and for all the efforts of this group in training professionals prepared to build a more just and sustainable world.”

“Society often blames the system and places responsibility for problems or solutions in the hands of others. But behind every technology, every corporate decision and every enterprise, there is always someone’s thought that has been transformed into action. It all starts with the individual.

As Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever, said: 'The great crisis we face today is a crisis of values, greed, power and ego. No amount of money or technology will solve today's challenges unless we raise the level of consciousness.'

Therefore, at Facens, we are committed to the mission of developing students with critical thinking, socio-emotional skills, heightened awareness and technical knowledge so that they are truly prepared to find practical solutions to the great challenges we face as humanity.”

Caring for, protecting, maintaining and regenerating the legacy of a history spanning over 45 years are verbs that represent our commitment as a maintainer. The responsibility of supporting an educational institution is an obligation towards humanity and the planet, as we are co-responsible for the development of more conscious and caring minds that will bring about transformation.

We must safeguard and nurture fundamental values, honor past learning, regenerate and evolve our attitudes, our ways of teaching and learning, so that we can increasingly add purpose to the life of each person who experiences Facens.

Our mission is a long journey, with many challenges, but with the clarity that together we are powerful agents of change.

As Margaret Mead would say: “Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world; in fact, it has never been otherwise.”