Uninter Global Student Ambassadors 2023-2024
Click here to download the full bio of all UNINTER Global Student Ambassadors 2023-2024
Aline Shayane Oliveira dos Santos
Aline Shayane speaks 7 languages (Portuguese, English, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Libras). She is passionate about biological sciences, studies dentistry at UFPE, the Federal University of Pernambuco, and simultaneously majors in Languages at UNINTER. In high school, Aline won an exchange scholarship from the Government of Pernambuco to travel to New Zealand. She was also selected by the U.S. Embassy to participate in their English Immersion Program. Aline’s access to experiences abroad inspired her to help other public-school students to pursue their educational goals. Since 2021, she has taught English and assumed leadership roles at ICE, an institute dedicated to enhancing the quality of public, full-time basic education in Brazil. Her current goal is to earn a scholarship from DAAD, Germany’s leader in academic exchanges, to be able to complete her degree in dentistry in Germany.
Ana Carolina Melo de Carvalho
Ana Carolina studies Software Engineering and Startup Management at UNINTER. She began her foreign language studies a decade ago, recognizing the impact of international projects at a young age. Since high school, Carol has sought leadership roles in school plays, concerts, sports, and volunteer work. She participated in Trakto Show, the largest technology and business-focused event in the Northeast of Brazil. She currently works in an educational startup that serves universities inside and outside Brazil. Ana Carolina’s dream is to specialize in technology implementation at startups aimed at improving education and reducing social inequalities worldwide.
Anna Beatriz Sanches
Anna Beatriz Sanches, an enthusiastic student of foreign languages since age 10, is pursuing her degree in International Relations at UNINTER. Her goal is to study and work in Canada. Anna brings a structured organizational approach and discipline to her studies in politics, entrepreneurship, and fashion. In addition to improving her English and networking skills through the UNINTER Global Ambassadors program, she is focused on learning more about international careers and refining her personal objectives.
Bruna Pereira dos Santos
Bruna Santos studies Biology at UNINTER, where she participates in an undergraduate research project on West Indian Manatees (Trichechus manatus) in Brazil. Her goal is to work with marine biodiversity conservation. An autistic student with ADHD and rheumatoid arthritis, Bruna’s health conditions challenge her, but do not limit her. Driven by an early passion to work internationally, she began teaching herself English at 12 years old. Her first international experience was a month-long exchange in Canada during high school. Later, she studied Political Science and International Relations at a Portuguese university for an academic year.
Camille Gomes da Silva
Camille Gomes, a 22-year-old woman from Rio de Janeiro's suburbs, is a front-end developer pursuing a Software Engineering degree at UNINTER. Passionate about technology, she creates projects for end-users, including high-fidelity design prototypes and websites. She started learning English at age 11 after recognizing that it could open career opportunities for her. She grew up without successful black female professional role models in her community. Camille is committed to encouraging and enabling more female participation in the tech industry. She aspires to build an international career, using her technical and language skills to break barriers and inspire younger girls to pursue similar paths and achievements.
Felipe Gabriel Martins Pena
Born and raised in Brasília, Felipe Martins is a Graphic Design student at UNINTER. His love of visual communication stems from the creative thinking that it sparks in his mind. Felipe is working to combine his teenage passion for drawing with his interest in harnessing powerful, rapidly advancing graphic design software. As a UNINTER Global Student Ambassador, Felipe will push to strengthen his verbal communication and networking skills to pursue an international career.
Franciely Zucoloto
Franciely Zucoloto, is an International Relations Student at UNINTER and the Co-founder and Operational Director of Comfort Visa, a provider of international visa solutions. In 2022, her company achieved an 89% satisfaction rating among its clients, which include Brazilian artists, athletic scholarship recipients, and knowledge workers. Franciely helps her clients travel, move, and transfer to North America, Australia, and other international destinations. As one of 15 Brazilian students selected among hundreds of candidates to participate in an international collaboration with Canada in 2023, Franciely embraced an important new goal. She is determined to work as a human rights activist, using her space, speech, and platform as a black Brazilian woman to share her community’s experiences and challenges in international forums.
Gabriel Alexandre Clemente Amaral
Born in Recife, a large city in Brazil’s northeast, Gabriel has a deep interest in computers and games. His interests go beyond casual gaming. Gabriel dedicates hours to understanding and unraveling the secrets of electronic games and the programming languages used to create them. After pursuing an undergraduate degree at the Federal University of Paraíba, a leading Brazilian state university, Gabriel decided to study Systems Analysis and Development at UNINTER, where he is deepening his technical skills. He sees computer engineering as an opportunity to improve his analytical capabilities and to build the foundation for a successful career in the tech sector.
Georg Matheus Rybski
As a Full-Stack Developer at Stefanini Group, Georg is playing a hands-on role enhancing ePol, a vital tool to streamline Brazilian Federal Police investigations and benefit millions of citizens. He has earned a Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy and is currently pursuing a B.Eng. in Software Engineering at UNINTER. Georg’s commitment to excellence in learning is reflected in the scholarships he earned to attend intensive software development bootcamps, standing out among tens of thousands of applicants each time. Soon, Georg looks forward to the birth of his first child, a baby girl. Her arrival has strengthened Georg’s drive to find international professional opportunities that enable him to deliver a prosperous life for his growing family.
Gisele Silva Agustinho
Gisele Silva is a 19-year-old student of International Relations at UNINTER. A resident of metropolitan São Paulo, South America’s bustling business center with 20 million inhabitants, her passions include foreign languages and multicultural experiences. She is a volunteer interpreter and English teacher for teens. In addition to her native Portuguese, she speaks fluent English, and intermediate Italian. In the future, she would like to pursue an advanced degree in Political Science abroad.
Guanayra Dias
Born in France and raised in Brazil, Guanayra Dias has a passion for international education. She won a Science Without Borders scholarship from the Brazilian federal government to study at Kent State University in the U.S. in 2013. Guanayra has taught English to adults and teenagers in South America for six years. Recognizing the language learning opportunities she had that do not exist for most public school students in Brazil, she volunteers at Soul Bilingue, an NGO helping underprivileged students to achieve English proficiency through scholarships. Guanayra is currently pursuing an English degree at UNINTER. She envisions a future where language skills allow incarcerated individuals to rebuild their lives, contributing to a more inclusive society.
Hilda Maria Francisca de Paula
Hilda de Paula earned her law degree from the University of São Paulo, Brazil’s most prestigious and highly ranked university. She focused her studies and early career on conflict negotiation between workers and companies and on mediation of family and business conflicts. After gaining more than 20 years of experience in these areas, her interests in psychic traumatology and neuroscience grew as the COVID-19 Pandemic ravaged Brazil. She is currently in her first year of a Bachelor's Degree in Psychoanalysis at UNINTER. In the next chapter of her successful career, Hilda aims to help address the growing challenge of mental health in vulnerable populations. She plans to take a comparative approach to psychoanalysis, exploring how the United States, Europe, and Brazil are approaching psychoanalysis and self-care. In the future, Hilda would like to establish a venture focused on self-care.
Igor da Cruz Pinheiro
Igor Pinheiro is simultaneously pursuing undergraduate degrees in International Relations from UNINTER and in biology from UEMA, the State University of Maranhão. Based on his strong academic performance, he was invited to participate in UEMA’s human health research group, which produces content on a range of diseases. At just 14, he passed the competitive selection process to study analytical chemistry at IFMA, the leading Federal Institute in the northeastern Brazilian state of Maranhão. Igor has presented on the importance of scientific research and on how to conduct research in cities in his region. An avid reader, he is passionate about history and world cultures. In 2021, he participated in an immersion course on foreign policy in Asia, with a focus on the history of Japan.
Ivan Felipe de Oliveira Santos Dourado
Ivan Santos is a Data Analyst at Wine.com.br. He leverages his SQL and structured data skills to translate complex data into impactful insights, effectively reduce churn rates, and increase revenue. Wine.com is the world's largest subscription club for wine consumers. By appropriately mining and cross-referencing Wine.com.br’s data, Ivan identified clients who were entitled to but had not yet received complementary glasses as part of a customer satisfaction promotion. He also identified and addressed inconsistencies regarding extra wine bottle distribution. Ivan’s work has positioned the company to proactively serve its existing customers and drive client satisfaction and retention. He looks forward to increased professional responsibility and greater impact through his technical skills, improving English language fluency, and growing cross-cultural knowledge.
José Ademar de Oliveira Junior
José Ademar is a software developer with a technical degree in computer networks and an MBA in information security. A strong believer in continuous self-improvement and lifelong learning, he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in software engineering at UNINTER to build on his prior studies and work experience. With more than five years in the IT sector, José dreams of working for a large multinational company, using his knowledge to develop or enhance a language exchange platform to help people with limited resources to connect with others around the world.
José Luiz Mendes Neto
José Luiz opened his first business at 20 and has experience managing teams of over 30 people. A Biology degree student at UNINTER, he lived abroad in Europe to study the correlations between Portuguese and Brazilian medicinal plants. During his year in Portugal at Rias Olhão, he participated in a research initiative that studied more than 42 species of European wildlife to map a possible Bird Flu outbreak. José Luiz is goal and detail oriented. He likes fast-paced environments. He holds degrees in Communications and International relations and has experience working for a large tech company in Brazil.
Julia Reinaldi Finassi Pinto
Julia has worked with UX and UI design since she was 16. She first immersed herself in these areas at UNICAMP, a top Brazilian university in science and technology, in a program for talented high school students. She currently studies software engineering at UNINTER, where she was selected among more than 800 candidates to be a Global Student Ambassador. Julia has participated in hackathons and developed case studies. She has experience creating easy-to-use applications at Ambev, a global beer powerhouse, and other companies that have helped them achieve KPIs by making performance goals widely known and understood. Born and raised in Campinas, São Paulo, Julia’s goals are to study abroad in Ireland and achieve dual citizenship (Italian and Brazilian).
Julia Ribeiro
Julia Ribeiro, a passionate 22-year-old student of journalism at UNINTER, has three years of experience in sports media in print, online, and TV formats. She earned a Certificate of Recognition from her local City Council in 2023 for impactful sports journalism. Julia currently serves as Content Production Intern at GRI Club, a networking platform of 11,300+ C-Level executives from 100+ countries. Her work there connects professionals by sharing compelling content. In addition, Julia teaches English online to help others and support herself. At 17, she invested her life savings in an English proficiency test. That decision opened new doors and has proven to be a wise investment. While Julia has yet to have the opportunity to travel abroad, she aspires make a difference in people's lives beyond Brazil – and to travel internationally!
Juliana Matias de Oliveira Mauzolf Santos
Juliana Matias is a Software Engineering intern at Dell Technologies and an undergraduate student in Systems Analysis and Development at UNINTER. She holds a high school diploma in IT from the Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS). After high school, she recognized the importance of English to a successful international career in the tech sector. Juliana went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in English from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), the top private university in the South of Brazil. While at PUCRS, she earned an ERASMUS+ scholarship that enabled her to finish her degree at Mary Immaculate College in Ireland. Juliana is a Speaking Examiner for English proficiency exams and a Cambridge-certified English teacher. She seeks to bring together her passions for technology and English to make international careers in tech more accessible to underprivileged students.
Larissa Meira de Santana
Larissa, a professional Designer and Illustrator, is currently pursuing a degree in Animation Design at UNINTER. While pursuing a Bachelor’s in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Bahia earlier in her career, she won a Science Without Borders scholarship for a one-year exchange program at the University of Montana. Larissa took full advantage of this opportunity to achieve fluent English and to earn an internship at Pfizer in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She has worked as a mentor in digital design and volunteered in social impact projects, including at TETO, an NGO that provides homes and infrastructure for underprivileged communities in Latin America. Her dream is to create impactful work that leaves a positive mark in the many countries that she plans to visit.
Leonardo Bruno Honorio Ramos
Leonardo Ramos is simultaneously pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and Mathematics at UNINTER. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master’s in Material Science and Engineering from the Universidade Federal de Alfenas, where he spent two semesters at North Carolina State University. By day, Leonardo works as a chemical engineer at a food company where he leads a team of five. At night, he works as a public school chemistry teacher in São Paulo. Committed to providing educational opportunities to youth and adults, his dream is to become a professor and a researcher in the field of Material Engineering, inspiring students to recognize the importance of education to open minds and professional opportunities.
Letícia Belchior Sousa Araujo
Letícia, 25, is fluent in English, French, and Portuguese. Her aptitude for languages is reflected in her impressive TOEIC score (910 out of 990). After three years of self-taught Korean, Letícia was selected as a Team Leader for the World Reporters “Our Generation” project, an initiative created to share international student experiences. She conducts meetings in Korean with her mentor, a General Secretary from the Korean National Assembly. Letícia collaborates with students from Iran, Nepal, Malaysia, Colombia, Morocco, Bulgaria, and Pakistan. In 2021, she earned a certificate in Diplomacy, Public Policy, and International Cooperation (3.93 GPA) while completing more than 10 extracurricular courses. In 2022, Letícia’s article on "Public Health Vulnerability and Human Rights" was published by the Processus College. Currently, Leticia is participating in a research project on Pacification and Formation of Post-Colonial States at UNINTER. Letícia worked as an Au Pair in Atlanta in 2018. She aspires to pursue a Master's in South Korea and to work for the UNHCR or UNICEF.
Letícia Yoná Pires Mendes
Letícia is simultaneously pursuing degrees in English at UNINTER and Dentistry at UNIFASIPE, where she was selected as one of two teaching assistants in Anesthesiology and Periodontics II. In her dentistry program, Letícia has published her first articles and abstracts and gained experience with public presentations on the Humanization of Health: A New View on the Individual, Popular Participation in Health Care: Impasses for Building a Participative Culture, and Composite Resins in the Rehabilitation of Patients with Bruxism, among others. Her ability to effectively present technical concepts and terms in accessible language is reflected in the prize of a light-curing unit that she earned for an oral presentation. In the future, Letícia plans to share her love of learning as a teacher.
Lorran Leocádio Silva
Lorran Leocádio is a Military Police Officer in Mato Grosso, a Brazilian state in the country’s Center-West, and an International Relations student at UNINTER. At just 17, he passed Mato Grosso’s police entrance exam, one of the country’s most competitive with 700 candidates per available spot. Currently, Lorran serves as the Commanding Pilot at the Integrated Air Operations Center (CIOPAer-MT). He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Public Security from the Costa Verde Military Police Academy, a Bachelor's Degree in Law from Universidade Cidade de São Paulo, and a post-graduate degree in Civil Law from the Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul. Lorran loves travel and learning about new people and cultures. His goal is to participate in a United Nations Peacekeeping Mission, representing the Brazilian police.
Manuela Guedes Viana
Manuela Viana, a social media professional, studies International Relations at UNINTER. Her love of distinct cultures, politics, and international travel influenced her choice of program. Manuela’s passion for the English language began in childhood and grew out of her passion for music and films. She speaks fluent English, despite never having had the opportunity to travel abroad. Manuela’ goal is to work in international diplomacy or politics.
Rafael Carvalho Sales
Rafael Carvalho Sales is pursuing a degree in Mobile Development at UNINTER and a BSc in Computer Science at the Catholic University of Brasília. His interests include programming in Swift as well as iOS development and software engineering. He wants to master the Swift language to help address the limited expertise and courses on this important language in Brazil. Rafael is also a dietitian, with a BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics and a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition, both from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He earned a specialization in Functional Nutrition at IPGS, a health-focused higher ed institution. In the future, Rafael would like to combine his expertise in software to help dietitians improve their agility at work by reducing low-value, manual processes. He values the human touch in his work in both IT and healthcare.
Ranyel Queiroz de Sousa
Ranyel Queiroz’s primary goals are to become a successful entrepreneur and a polyglot. He dedicates a minimum of five hours a day to his System Analysis and Development studies at UNINTER. Flávio Augusto, a successful entrepreneur and teacher of Ranyel’s in 2019, inspired him and taught key skills, including: financial literacy, leadership, communication, problem-solving and lifelong learning. With six-years of experience studying English, Ranyel assists others in their efforts to master the language. His selection as a UNINTER Global Student Ambassador has given him an opportunity to practice English with a native speaker and to gain first-hand insights into a range of career tracks around Brazil and the globe.
Raquel de Macedo Oliveira
A self-taught English speaker, Raquel began tutoring English at 17. She helps students prepare for military and college entrance exams. Her key motivator is enabling low-income students to gain access to better opportunities through education and encouragement. Now a formal student of Languages at UNINTER, her goal is to become an exceptional teacher who is capable of inspiring and equipping students from the most challenging backgrounds. Raquel also aspires to teach abroad to enhance her own cultural knowledge and interpersonal skills.
Renato Luiz Gonçalves Junior
Renato Junior, a proud native of Blumenau, Santa Catarina in the South of Brazil, moved to the United States in 2015. With a deep passion for business, he is pursuing a Btech degree at UNINTER. His intellectual interests include world history and astronomy. Beyond his studies, Renato enjoys working out, hiking, and a wide range of sports. A compassionate idealist, he is a strong team player who easily understands and empathizes with others. As a UNINTER Global Student Ambassador, Renato is committed to fostering connections and promoting diversity and inclusion.
Rodrigo Villela Gonçalves
Rodrigo Villela Gonçalves is a military officer with a 20-year tenure in the Brazilian Army. A graduate of the Agulhas Negras Military Academy in 2007, he holds a master's degree in military operations and an MBA in Diplomacy and International Relations. Rodrigo speaks Portuguese, English and French. Since 2022, he has been pursuing a degree in International Relations at UNINTER. Rodrigo gained valuable experience and a passion for humanitarian and security affairs while working for the United Nations in Military Operations in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo. His dream is to continue to contribute to global peace and stability while living in various countries. Rodrigo has been happily married for 12 years.
Sarah Brun
Sarah, a 21-year-old undergraduate in the International Relations program at UNINTER, is fueled by a passion for exploring diverse cultures, history, and languages. In addition to her native Portuguese, she is fluent in English and is learning Spanish and Japanese. Her excitement to learn Japanese stems from her desire to deepen her understanding of rich Asian cultures and their profound global influence. A dedicated, focused student, Sarah aspires to pursue a master's degree focused on Asia. She dreams of working at the United Nations and contributing to positive change in the world.
Taís Almeida Rocha
Taís Almeida is a 26-year-old student of International Relations with a background in Law and a specialization in Economic Criminal Law. Her outstanding performance with her four teammates earned Taís the distinction of being on the first team from Brazil's Northeast to qualify for the international rounds in the prestigious International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition. In 2017, she was a researcher and in 2018 she was on the defense counsel in the competition, which was organized by Leiden University in the Netherlands. The competition included more than 60 universities from around the world. Taís' passion for international law and research led her to write a thesis about the UN Security Council and its participation in the International Criminal Court. Currently, she researches Post-Coloniality and Pacification at UNINTER. Her goals are to earn a scholarship from Leiden University to study International Criminal Law and to go on to work in international law.
Vinícius Garcia Toledo Brandão
Vinícius Brandão is an Accounting student at UNINTER who has been working since 2018 in the tax sector at Contabilidade Nacional Ltda, an accounting firm. Born in Pará de Minas, in the Southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, Vinícius has always had an affinity for numbers and calculations. He graduated from high school in 2017 with top marks in Mathematics, Physics, History and Geography. At work, Vinícius broke performance records for efficient control and operational management methods, reducing costs and increasing production. Given his passion for business and finance, Vinícius plans to pursue an MBA after concluding his undergraduate studies.
Viviane Ribeiro Oliveira
Viviane is an International Relations undergraduate student at UNINTER. She is currently working as an online English teacher for children and adults. She is fluent in English, speaks intermediate Italian, and is currently learning Spanish. Viviane worked for seven years as a nanny in Europe and the UAE, experiences that strengthened her cross-cultural and time management skills. She was primarily responsible for teaching English and Brazilian Portuguese to children. Her goals are to pursue an MBA in Human Resources in Canada and do an Internship at UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child). Viviane plans to create and collaborate in projects that will help make English learning more accessible and efficient for kids and young people from Brazil's suburbs, helping to capacitate ESL teachers that would like to teach in their own communities.