For Carla Boura, the word that best describes Taguspark is “Students.” Carla highlights some distinctive elements of the campus, such as the architecture, the garden, and even the Fidel Évora Tavares panel. Above all, she emphasizes the closeness of people as one of its great highlights. Actively involved with students, Carla underscores the spectacular environment and the family-like atmosphere that positively impact the community’s results and development.

Carla was born in central Lisbon, in Alvalade, but has lived almost her entire life in Oeiras, near the sea. “I can’t live any other way now,” she reveals with laughter. During childhood, she was a talkative, cheerful child who “made friends easily,” traits that have persisted to this day. She always knew she wanted to be a journalist, marine biologist, or psychologist, opting for the latter due to her passion for connecting with people. “Since I was little, I knew I would be connected to people. I’ve always been interested in how we relate to ourselves and others, and I’ve always found it easy to create empathy and security in relationships.”

In high school, she chose the Science and Technology field, and after finishing, she entered the Institute of Psychological, Social and Life Sciences (ISPA) to study psychology, fulfilling her lifelong ambition. Her college journey was marked by lasting friendships and enriching experiences: “College times were wonderful, the best times of my life (…) I found childhood friends and made many connections with people who are still my friends today,” Carla recalls nostalgically.

Carla’s journey at Técnico began during her 2nd year of college when she started working with Nuno Riscado as a scholarship holder. “At that time, I joined to support master’s program registrations. Later, I worked in the psychological support service, but when the opportunity arose to join the student support office, I didn’t hesitate.”

Since then, she has been at Técnico for 28 years, working on numerous projects not only within Técnico but also in collaboration with the University of Lisbon. Carla was one of the individuals responsible for implementing the mentoring program at Técnico.

In addition to psychology, Carla has been involved in various projects in diverse areas. “I have several areas of interest, especially related to art and creativity.” She dedicated herself to street art projects and even visual arts. “I was the only Portuguese female VJ and worked as a resident in some places.” On the other hand, her dedication to social causes was always present. “I worked with children, volunteered at Serve the City for 6 years, and coordinated volunteering at Casa Sol, where we helped HIV-positive children.”

Carla’s journey at Técnico was interrupted for 4 years when she worked in the creative field at Teatro Villaret, involved in organization and artist support. “At that time, I left Técnico because I felt I needed a sabbatical period. I was very young and always liked to do new things, so when I joined the theater, it was very much in that sense, to explore a different area.”

After that period working outside Técnico, Carla decided to return when she learned about the opening of the new Taguspark campus. She rejoined the student support office. “What made me come back was love, for others and for what I do. (…) If there were times when I doubted whether this was the area and place where I should be, today I am sure (…) I love working with students; it’s my passion.” For Carla, the feeling of accompanying students, who often come to her demotivated with college, and being able to, through continuous support, help them evolve to succeed in extracurricular units, is extremely rewarding.

In addition to her work at Técnico, Carla decided to resume her studies and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Crisis and Emergency Psychology. She reveals that one of her goals is to have a volunteering experience with Doctors Without Borders, and this master’s degree is a crucial tool for developing the ability to act in crisis situations.

She also has other future plans involving having her own support space one day and aspires to write a book, reflecting her passion for reading and stories. “I have many stories. When you spend a lot of time with various different people around you, there are many inspiring moments to tell,” Carla reveals.

“I hope that young people remain curious, ask questions, fight for their goals, and make things happen. I also hope that Técnico continues on the path of equity, inclusion, and accessibility so that people feel comfortable in their own skin and can be happy like I was. (…) We have made great progress as a college; it is necessary to reinforce the issue of creating an increasingly resilient and diverse community,” are some pieces of advice Carla leaves for the Técnico community.