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Carlos Roberto Nápoles Samper, a professor from the Department of Social Sciences and Humanities in the School of Sciences and Computational Technologies (Citec), is one of the founders of the University of Informatics Sciences (UCI).

Because to remember is to leave again, our news reporters talked with him; so today we can share his experiences with all our readers.

Nápoles, as many people call him at UCI, told us that he began teaching in 1968 at the Camilo Cienfuegos Military School in Camagüey, where he worked until 1971. In that same year he started a technician course to be trained as a topographer, being a cadet of the Technical Military Institute "Jose Martí" (ITM).

When he finished the course in 1975, already as an officer of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, he was appointed as a teacher at the Cadets School Antonio Maceo de Ceiba del Agua, Caimito municipality, Artemisa province. That same year, he began teaching at the "General Antonio Maceo" Intearmas School, teaching Topography and Geodesy until 1999, when he retired. Then, he started working as a teacher in pre-university schools of the same municipality. He also told us that when he learned about the “Future Project”, he decided to be part of it, as he had been told that it was a new project of the Battle of Ideas, an important place to defend Cuba’s truth in the world, and that filled him with enthusiasm; so he came to this facility in 2002.

When inquired about his memories when he started working at the University, he told us that it was a space where human and revolutionary quality was always in the forefront. Students, workers and teachers faced each activity with the combativeness, enthusiasm and joy, present in every task entrusted.

This teacher remembers Fidel’s visits to the university as undoubtedly extraordinary moments. Although he could not be present during those moments, because he was fulfilling other tasks, he could feel Fidel’s energy in the students and how he spread out his enthusiasm in the crowd that was part of the university community

Among the experiences that have given him the best joys in his work as an educator at UCI, he tells us that there have been many, including a May Day under the rain with Fidel at the Revolution Square, the “Marches of the Combative People”, the first graduation, every process of incorporation of young people to the ranks of the Communist Party of Cuba and the incorporation of new militants to the organization.

Nápoles adds that although he never fulfilled an internationalist mission, his duty was to prepare many of those who went to fight in other lands of the world.

Since his arrival at UCI, the also Mayor of the reserve has taught subjects such as National Security, National Defense and Sociopolitical Theory. In addition, he has held other responsibilities as Secretary General of the Party in Schools 9 and 6 from 2004 to 2013, and after that to date, he has led other party fronts because of his physical limitations.

When asked to narrate an anecdote, he said his favorite one, among many, has been related to the work done with the UJC and FEU to train young people and contribute to the growth of many who are now Party members and occupy different responsibilities-- some of them as leaders in this house of higher studies.

About the meaning UCI has after these 15 years of being founded, he expressed that it is everything for him, because being here feels like being in the front line of combat -- in the past with a rifle, now here with ideas.

To conclude, he added that he can say today, that being here and devoting these years to teaching as well as to the political work with the community has been one of the greatest satisfactions and pride in his life, as a Cuban and as a revolutionary.