On December 9th, the Class of ’81, also known as “La Ley” (The Law), celebrated their 30th reunion at their alma mater, Zamorano University. The emotional reunion was attended by 12 graduates from 3 countries. Dr. Abel Gernat, the Director of the Agronomy Career, and Dr. Raúl Zelaya, the Director of Zamorano’s Institutional Effectiveness Office, are members of this class.
They shared memories of their student days while touring the campus, visiting processing plants, laboratories, dormitories and production fields. Celebrating their reunions on campus is very significant for Zamoranos because it is where they lived for three or four years, forming themselves not only as professionals, but also as people with values and character, in addition to forging bonds of brotherhood with young people of different nationalities. “This celebration has been moving. Seeing some of my classmates after 30 years and remembering our time on this campus has been an unforgettable experience. It is also impressive to see Zamorano’s evolution with new technology in the laboratories and plants. It is wonderful that Zamorano has not fallen behind in education,” said José Luis Gallardo, a Honduran member of the class.
Another member of the class of ’81, the Colombian Juan Camilla Hoyas had not had the opportunity to return to Zamorano since he graduated. For him, the reunion was a wonderful experience, and he declared emphatically that, “No other university in the world has what Zamorano has, and I am thrilled that Latin America has an agricultural university that is outstanding for its teaching. Zamorano’s Learning by Doing program, discipline, Panamericanism, educational formation and its motto Labor Omnia Vinci (Work conquers all) make an indelible mark on the lives of its graduates.”
Remembering their Student Days
The Class of ‘81 held a gala dinner to culminate their 30th reunion celebration where each graduate was presented with a commemorative diploma. The most moving moment for the graduates of the class was watching a slide show featuring pictures of their life on campus. “It is exciting to see each other again. It is like going back 30 years, and we feel like 18 year old kids. If we meet again at our 50th anniversary we will feel the same way. It is a great pleasure to have you here on campus,” said Dr. Gernat.
In his speech, the President, Dr. Roberto Cuevas García, told the graduates that they represent the essential force that has carried Zamorano triumphantly through history and motivated them to commit themselves to strengthening the institution. “I am proud of you graduates because you are proof of what Zamorano has achieved in its 70 year history. The classrooms, workplaces and environment here gave you a life experience that formed you as successful people. You used to be students, and now we hope that you will become Zamorano benefactors and donors,” said the President.
Dr. Cuevas continued, “The Zamorano brotherhood is unique, and any contributions that graduates give to their alma mater are important to make it possible for young people of limited economic means and excellent qualifications to have access to a quality education like that offered at Zamorano.
The Institution congratulates the members of the class of 1981, ‘La Ley’, for 30 years of being Zamoranos!”
