Blanquerna-URL takes part in the university orientation session organized by the Catalan Swimming Federation

During the session, Eva Márquez Borrull, Head of Marketing, Communication, and Admissions at Blanquerna-URL, provided information to federated swimmers and their families. She covered special measures for high-performance athletes, admissions processes, and the academic programs available at Blanquerna-URL, emphasizing the balance between training, competitions, and university studies.

Lluís Escrits played a significant role in the session, starting by describing the university experience during the first year: “It's hard because it's quite a big change. Furthermore, in the world of swimming it coincides with the change of category from junior to senior, so everything is new: a new category and entering university… What it requires is patience and planning, if I have to sum it up in two words. And little by little, resolving all the conflicts that this new stage entails. There shouldn't be any problems, and with organisation and support, you can get a university degree in four, five or six years.”

When reflecting on how Blanquerna supported him during this period, he highlighted: “I had free rein to choose the timetable that best suited my needs as an athlete. One feature that sets Blanquerna apart from other universities is that there are very specific timetables. If you choose morning classes, your timetable runs from 8 am to 2 pm. Opt for afternoon classes, and your schedule spans from 3 pm to 9 pm and they won't change it. There are universities that change you one day in the morning, one day in the afternoon… compared to my colleagues in the swimming team, I have this ease of planning thanks to Blanquerna, which offers me a fairly fixed timetable.”

Regarding the presence of tutors, he highlighted the following: “At my school, degree courses are structured into Seminar subjects, fostering small groups of 8-10 students. Your Seminar professor also serves as your advisor, fostering a close and supportive relationship. If I compare it to the people in the rest of the swimming team, no one else has it. In many cases, when I have a championship and it coincides with assignments, the advisor has helped me to change an exam, talk to a professor to let me change the delivery one day, do an exhibition another day… all this is thanks to these small classes, in which you have a closer bond with your advisor and he can help you a lot in these circumstances.’’

With regard to internships, he says that this is “one of the reasons why I'm going to choose Blanquerna, where they have set themselves apart, as they have managed to make an internship agreement with my own swimming club, Sant Andreu, where I am part of the communication area and manage corporate communication, social networks, internal communication, etc. This is the bit that I like and interests me the most, as I like business and sports communication journalism. I am happy because I am doing what I like: communication for a sports club focused on swimming. If I had done it at other universities, I wouldn't have been able to manage all this: having a set timetable, being able to plan well, having an advisor close to me, etc. These have been the advantages that Blanquerna has given me to be able to continue at a high level of sport.”