The María Cano University Foundation has begun to document the history of its founding members and benefactors, who made possible the creation of the Institution, which after 35 years of work, is present in the cities of Medellín, Cali, Neiva, Popayán and the Mariacanovirtual campus. In this way, the book entitled: «Ligia González Betancur: A tireless spirit» is delivered to the community, which highlights the life and work of who was the first rector, between 1987 and 1993; The text praises the childhood he had in the municipality of Donmatías, in the north of the department of Antioquia, his fighting spirit to gain access to education, his arrival in Medellín, the work he did to advance his university studies and his contributions to the creation of the María Cano and the consolidation of the Cooperative University of Colombia.

In the presentation text, the rector Hugo Alberto Valencia Porras praises:

To describe the woman, the human being, the soul behind Dr. Ligia González Betancur, it is necessary to quote Ernest Hemingway when he writes that: “The man who has begun to live seriously inside begins to live more simply by out»; and that is the faithful description of the daughter of the municipality of Donmatías, in the north of Antioquia, who came from a humble family, lived her childhood and youth in the midst of those limitations and needs characteristic of a large part of the Colombian people, the same ones that have served as fertilizer for the seeds to grow, become stronger and bear admirable fruit: men and women who have given their lives to the service of the Nation and the people around them, without seeking public recognition with hope, yes, , to serve and see others achieve a better quality of life.

Since my arrival at the María Cano Rectory, I have been convinced of the importance of safeguarding the name and image of María de los Ángeles Cano Márquez, so that it never passes through the negligent warehouse that is oblivion, after a dedicated existence to the fight for community welfare; but, for this, it is necessary to remember the person who led the creation of the Institution that has paid tribute, for more than three decades, to the lady of society, to the poet, to the writer, to the standard-bearer of education and of the service. This tribute to María Cano is paid every day by Dr. Ligia, our founder, first Rector, president of the Superior Council and the soul of the Institution.

Imposing figure. It is enough to see and listen to her to feel and show that you are dealing with a person who is clear about the importance of education to overcome poverty, overcome needs, recognize the opportunities that life offers and follow a path of righteousness and unwavering convictions of overcoming. in the face of adversity. I have always seen her as the professional, the lady who is passionate about education and service, the one who is aware of events, who listens to the news, reads newspapers, devours books and does not miss the daily information because she analyzes opinion programs to be aware of what is happening around you. In addition, I will never forget when I had the opportunity to speak with her without the barriers that offices provide and, in a humorous way, she began to tell part of her personal story.

Hours passed and I could not believe the information that came to my head and my heart; childhood, in the midst of the anguish experienced by the constant dispute between liberals and conservatives; the struggle of a self-sacrificing father who worried about getting the daily sustenance for his family; the constant walks through the streets of her hometown persisting for study opportunities and the cold mornings in which, from very early, in the midst of a hostile climate, she was ready to face the world. There I understood that character of a midwife, her concern to show the best face, despite adversity and her inexhaustible biological clock that leads her to work and work without looking at the time or thinking about fatigue and with the necessary rhythm so that the 24 hours of the day seem double.

Listening to Dr. Ligia speak is synonymous with learning, with thinking about the role we have in this world, to which we come momentarily to «serve others.» She has a marked concern for the well-being of those around her, for guaranteeing opportunities and education to those who do not have subsidies or bank certifications to back them up. There could be no other woman who occupied the Rector’s Office of the María Cano University Foundation for the first time and who continues, year after year, touring the corridors of the Institution to talk about quality, educational coverage, planning, self-assessment and putting ourselves challenges that allow María Cano to live up to the true needs of our university community.

Gratitude is not forgetting where we came from, the path we have traveled and the goals we have set for ourselves; knowing that we must repay life for the generosity with which it has treated us… She does not forget her story, what has happened during her life, the routes she traveled on horseback through different rural areas, to reach remote villages and be a teacher of minors living in complex conditions. She was able to stay in Donmatías, look for a job as a teacher and have a relatively quiet maturity, but she faced the world, demonstrated her knowledge and her enormous vision of what the transformation of higher education could be.

Today, literally, he gives “soup and dry” when he refers to the academy and, in addition, he shines with his own light as a human being because he has a soul that does not simply let him exist; She wants, as long as God allows her, to enjoy her story and make it available to others and represents it daily in her role as mother, friend, sister, aunt, grandmother, boss, companion, citizen and educator.

Come, read, smile, enjoy and get to know the human side of a woman who is worthy of admiration.

To see the images of the presentation of the book, click here

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