Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) highlighted the presence of its student supporter group, UNMSM U Norte, during a commemorative football match for the university’s 475th anniversary on May 2.
The event drew attention not only for featuring legends from Universitario de Deportes but also for showcasing the active participation of UNMSM U Norte. The group, made up of students and alumni, wore club colors and banners while supporting their team throughout the match. According to Yon Pérez, a founding member and law graduate from UNMSM, “This group emerged during a period when Universitario was facing a deep sporting and institutional crisis. Despite poor results, I went to support the team with friends from the Faculty of Law. Later we connected with other students through social media and that’s how this supporters’ group was born.”
Currently, UNMSM U Norte has grown to include 32 official members among approximately 400 affiliated San Marcos supporters across all social backgrounds. On social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), they have thousands of followers. Pérez said: “The growth has been rapid. Now we have people from different majors, beliefs, ideologies and backgrounds.”
Emilio Mendoza, an environmental engineering graduate and member of the group said: “The aim is to strengthen the bond between Universitario de Deportes and San Marcos. We are not only home to great writers or scientists but also legends in Peruvian football.” Female participation within UNMSM U Norte is increasing as well; Michel Huamán Nakamura stated: “I decided to join when I saw that a woman led the group… We promote female participation—members are respectful; they empower us and provide a safe space.” She added that their activities include distributing aid packages during Christmas seasons in Lima neighborhoods as well as donating laptops and school supplies to children in Andahuaylas last year.
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos promotes cultural well-being through initiatives focused on responsibility, equity, inclusion, and sustainable development according to its official website. The university operates multiple campuses including central facilities in Lima as well as provincial extensions according to its official website. It leads public universities in Peru based on rankings by QS World University Rankings (QS), Scimago Institutions Rankings (Scimago), and Webometrics according to its official website.
UNMSM functions autonomously under recognition by Peru’s constitution according to its official website, offering 81 undergraduate programs alongside postgraduate options involving research projects and community outreach according to its official website. The institution remains committed to advancing knowledge dissemination while supporting national sustainable development goals according to its official website.
Reflecting on their experience at the anniversary event Emma Chávez said: “It has been a nice sports day for San Marcos’ anniversary—I liked seeing unity among fans here.”
