If Peter Santa María Álvarez's life could be described with just one word, that word would be excellence. From his always-impeccable attire to his successful academic career, he strived for nothing but the best.
Born in 1908, Mr. Santa María dedicated most of his professional life to the advancement of education in Colombia. Dean of the Facultad de Minas at Universidad Nacional for fifteen years and professor at the same institution for forty-two, he had a deep concern for the traditional education system in the country. To address his concerns, he established relationships with international institutions, brought the first computer to a Colombian university, hired foreign professors, updated curriculums, introduced the teaching of humanities into engineering curricula, and propelled the creation of new programs that have since graduated thousands of engineers.
Mr. Santa María was only 33 years old when he was first appointed Dean of one of the most prestigious education institutions in the country: the Facultad de Minas (School of Mines) at Universidad Nacional, a producer of politicians, leaders, and CEOs. During this time, he worked closely with renowned Colombian artist, architect, and engineer Pedro Nel Gómez, who designed most of the campus buildings still standing to this day, led their construction, and painted 4,300 square feet (400 square meters) of frescoes. With Pedro Nel, Mr. Santa María started the Architecture School - without the authorization of the University. "The initiative was initially disregarded by the university, so they opened the school in a barn across the street from the institution! Within a year, they had so many students that the university allowed them to create the School of Architecture," says his son who carries the same name. This was just the beginning of his successful career.
While on a visit to Purdue to see his son Peter in the 1960's, Mr. Santa María inadvertently planted the seed of what has become a strong partnership between Purdue and Colombia. "When he saw my courses' textbooks and activities, he was so amazed that he decided to postpone his return to Colombia," says Peter. Noticing the blatant difference with the courses taught in Colombia, Mr. Santa María booked appointments with then President Frederick Hovde, renowned Purdue professors, and with all deans from the engineering schools at Purdue. The result: 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) of Purdue's printed texts, tests, and curricula gathered by Purdue faculty so that Mr. Santa María could build a university with the same standards in Colombia.
In a time where information was not easily available or portable, Mr. Santa María used Purdue's documents to raise the standards of Colombian higher education. First, he employed Purdue's documents to propel the actualization of old programs offered at the Facultad de Minas. "In Colombia, subjects like chemistry and physics were outdated; they were very different from what they were teaching at Purdue," says Peter. Then, the same documents were used in the creation of seven new engineering programs like Mechanical, Industrial, and Chemical. Finally, Mr. Santa María used the same documents when he co-founded two prestigious private universities in Colombia: Escuela de Ingeniería de Antioquia and Universidad Eafit, also actively participating with Purdue in the Colombia-Purdue Initiative (CPI). Mr. Santa María's improved courses, new programs, and new universities impacted thousands of students throughout the country and continue to impact many young students today.
The relationship with Purdue also inspired Mr. Santa María to bring the first computer to a Colombian university. "When my father noticed that Purdue was teaching computers and had a computer center, he decided to bring a computer to Universidad Nacional and shared it with other universities in the region at no cost. This lead to an interinstitutional computer center shared with Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (also a CPI partner), Universidad Eafit, Universidad de Antioquia, and Hospital San Vicente de Paúl. That was the start of the use of computers in education in Colombia."
Peter Santa María (left) with his German friend and mentor Professor Hans Stuhlmann (right), also faculty at Facultad de Minas. They wrote a book together on electricity and magnetism and maintained a close relationship, even after Stuhlmann's return to Germany and through World War 2.
Mr. Santa María was recognized with many accolades for his contributions to the education sector in Colombia. Universidad Nacional awarded him the title of Professor Emeritus and an Honoris Causa Doctorate degree. The Colombian government decorated him with the Orden al Mérito Julio Garavito in the category Gran Oficial, the highest distinction an engineer can receive in Colombia.
Mr. Santa María enjoyed his 97 years of life. He loved poetry, languages, and concerts. He loved his family and spent his time with them. He gave scholarships out of his pocket to good students, without telling others about it. He played the piano, was into photography and an auto enthusiast, always striving to have the best things. In business, he was a pioneer, being the first to assemble Renault cars in Colombia in the early 1950's.
Mr. Santa María was a family man, shown with his wife Maruja and their children. From left to right: Sylvia, Mr. Santa María, Mrs. Santa María, Carlos Esteban, Peter, and Cecilia.
Mr. Santa María's accomplishments were the result of his focus, his passion, and his well-rounded cultural experiences. The seed he planted for collaboration between Purdue and Colombia has blossomed into a fruitful campus-wide and country-wide partnership with a promising future. His tireless dedication to education will be a legacy of excellence for students and faculty for many years to come.