The centennial experience of the Sisters of Santa Marcelina International Institute in quality education and social services encouraged the Secretriat of Culture of the State of Sao Paulo to invite the institution to manage two of the most important programs for education and promotion of music in Brazil. Founded in 1838, in Italy, and in Brazil since 1912, the congregation bears as it main purpose the education, culture and social assistance as means of promotion, advocating and protection of childhood, youth and adulthood.
In many a part of the world it develops its activities through schools, colleges, hospitals, social assistance actions, nursing homes, children day care, popular educations and parish catechesis. It is present in Italy, France, Brazil, England, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, Albania, USA and Benin, always relying on the support of community individuals to accomplish their mission.
In Brazil, their educational actions include many a unit of early childhood, primary and middle schools (Santa Marcelina School) and Higher Education (Santa Marcelina College – FASM and the Santa Marcelina School of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters – FAFISM). The schools of higher education offer courses on Visual arts, Art Education, Fashion, Music, International Affairs, Nursing, Medical Radiology Technology, Letters, Pedagogy, Sciences (Maths, Physics and Chemistry), Biological Sciences, Analysis and Development of IT Systems, Geography and History.
Furthermore it offers Lato Sensu Postgraduate courses (Specialization courses) and Stricto Sensu programmes (Masters) and Continuing Education courses (open to the community). In health care, the Marcellina Sisters, among other entities, maintain four hospitals, which are reference in services to the share of population exposed to high vulnerability in the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo.