Louis learns life, hands-on
My name is Louis and I’m currently studying process engineering at UTC. During my studies, I had the chance to chair the Pôle Vie du Campus (PVDC ‑Campus life Pole) last semester. This experience has proved to be invaluable both personally and professionally and I hope to share some of it with you in this article.
To begin, what is the PVDC? The Pôle Vie du Campus is an association under the French law of 1901, federating some forty clubs and commissions with a wide range of activities. These include the student accommodation hostels (the famous Pic’Asso), the induction associations for new students, travel associations, foreign culture associations, board game associations, oenology associations, sewing associations, bathtub racing associations, running associations, fishing associations, charcuterie associations, etc. As president of the PVDC, I was responsible for overseeing the activities of these different entities and advising them as best I could to ensure that their activities took place with the best possible conditions. This role enabled me to develop skills in management, communication and organization. On a personal level, I’ve really flourished in this role, centered as it is on exchanges with students, each more motivated than the others. I’d like to make it clear that my commitment to the cluster would have been meaningless without the commitment of all the students I worked with, within the Pole, the BDE (students’ union) and all the federation’s clubs and commissions.
As part of the «asso élite» (elite) course, my involvement in associations was valued in the same way as that of students enrolled in the «sports» or «music élite» courses. These pathways recognize and highlight students’ commitment to associative life, theoretically offering adjustments to their timetable for example. Although in my case such arrangements were not necessary, this recognition testifies to the importance attached by UTC to student involvement.
This commitment has been a real school of life, providing me with valuable skills and concrete experience of teamwork and project management. I can only urge every student to get involved in the university’s associations and clubs. Not only is it a great opportunity to meet exciting people and develop new skills, but it’s also a great way to contribute to the dynamics and spirit of the UTC campus.
In conclusion, my experience as President of the PVDC has been one of the most formative periods of my student life. It enabled me to grow and develop, and to prepare calmly for my entry into the professional world. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the clubs and committees of the Pole for placing their confidence in me, the members of the BDE for the warm, family-style welcome they offered and UTC for allowing this associative life to flourish. And let’s not forget, there is life after school!
LV