2023-07-15 00:44:08
Felipe Bandeira, now 23 years old, grew up on the outskirts of Olinda, raised by his mother and grandmother. With the help of a scholarship, a lot of effort and family support, he studied at a private school and reached the federal university, a destination very different from most of the neighbors with whom he played in childhood.
Disturbed by the routine of ills in his neighborhood — punished by floods, violence and the absence of the public sector — Felipe became involved in social projects from an early age, collecting books or donations.
At Federal de Pernambuco, he studied renewable energy engineering for some time. But his vocation for social projects kept him involved in initiatives in the area, such as a partnership between UFPE and Apple in the development of applications. During the pandemic, he led an emergency action NGO.
Engineering is already on the sidelines. Felipe left the course after being admitted, two years ago, to Minerva University, considered one of the most innovative universities in the world. The program provides for students to spend each semester in a different country so that their students get to know other realities up close.
In the admission process, the student had the help of the mentoring network of BRASA (Brazilian Student Association), the largest association of Brazilian students abroad, with more than 9,000 members.
Felipe is now also a scholarship holder at the entity, with the support of Poatek, the IT company where he is doing an internship. He studies computing and economics. His objective: to apply artificial intelligence resources in actions of great social impact.
“I keep imagining several possibilities,” says Felipe. “Think, for example, of using a feature like ChatGPT to tutor a child with a learning disability.”
Founded in 2014, BRASA has associates and representatives who have already passed through more than 90 universities in practically all continents.
Many receive financial support. But no less relevant, as it was in Felipe’s story, is the mentoring work done by associates. Veterans help prepare applicants for admission to a foreign college, whether in undergraduate or postgraduate courses.
Through periodic conferences, abroad or in Brazil, BRASA encourages the exchange of experiences among students and closer ties with companies. The next meeting will take place this Saturday (July 15th), at the Inteli campus, in São Paulo. It’s BRASA at Home.
The program will feature panels on technology and entrepreneurship. There will also be a career fair in which companies that support the institution will present job and internship opportunities.
At the meeting, future scholarship holders of the association will also be interviewed and chosen. At least eight students will be selected.
Since 2019, 38 scholarships have already been offered. In the stories of students supported by the entity, a common trait is involvement in social projects. The association also created a specific program for black and brown people, seeking to expand the diversity of its network.
“Since the beginning of the mentorships, we have already helped more than 900 students to enroll in a course abroad,” says Gabriel Lanzaro, the chief operating officer of the association. “In 2022, the approval rate was around 80%.”
Giuliano Guandalini
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