Brazil

Rose-Hulman is host to several Brazilian students as part of Brazil's Science Without Borders program, a commitment by the Brazilian government to send 100,000 Brazilian students abroad to study. The students are some of the best in Brazil, and Rose-Hulman has been selected as a key engineering choice.

Living the life of a pop star - where everyone likes you and wants to help you - is how Eduardo Felipe Ewert Bonet describes the way he and his group of International students from Brazil, attending Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology through the Science Without Borders program, are treated on campus.

Science Without Borders is sponsored by the Brazilian government to enrich the education of students from Brazil. Within the United States, the program is administered by the Institute of International Education, which assigns candidates to the most fitting U.S. colleges and universities based on student profiles, essays and transcripts.

The group has had many memorable experiences, most notably attending an Indiana Pacers game to see the Brazilian player, Leandro Barbosa. The group was able to speak with Barbosa and he even signed autographs and took pictures with them. But the biggest thrill was when he offered them his cell phone number and they have since been texting him inspirational messages before games. And, he responds.

The trip to the event also is memorable since they had a few false starts - heading in the wrong direction - and a problem with keys. It seems someone locked the keys in the van in which they were traveling, so Daniel de Araujo Costa Rodriques had to fit through a window to open the doors. Daniel laughs and jokes about being small and how it finally paid off.

But overall, the impressions that will last with this group of international students from Brazil is the friendliness and helpfulness of the Rose-Hulman community, both students and faculty.

"Everyone wants to help you and they want to learn about you," Eduardo.

The professors are unique in their guidance and help inside and outside of class time. The open door policy is something unique that the students say they will always cherish. The hands-on learning style is also something the group says is most helpful in their education.

"It makes more sense to learn this way instead of just studying for a test," Eduardo says. He plans to try to incorporate this style of studying on his own from the materials in class into his future studies.

Each student, while part of the group also has his and her own impressions, although the common theme is clear - Rose-Hulman has been the right choice for them and they are grateful for the experience.

 

Josue Bastos

Coming to Rose-Hulman from his college in Belo Horizonte, Josue Bastos sayswhen he first heard of Rose-Hulman he was surprised it was a school he knew nothing about, and that concerned him, at first. But once he visited the college's website, he "had no doubts about coming here."

Rose-Hulman seemed to fit the student who was studying mechanical engineering in Brazil. Growing up, Josue always liked math and building things with Legos, so mechanical engineering seemed like the logical step. Rose-Hulman was another logical step.

 "The professors here are really good; they know what they are talking about," he says. And he likes the way professors at Rose-Hulman teach with enthusiasm, catching the class' attention.

 Beyond the classroom, Josue has also enjoyed living in the residence hall - a first time for anything like that. "People are nice. I like the way they always want to help you."

For example, he had a job interview in Noblesville, but he had not car, no suit nor a GPS to get him there. He got everything he needed from friends. And another friend even helped him practice for the interview.

"People here help, and that has impressed me," he says.

Josue did get the job for which he interviewed, and has found another student who also will be working for the same company. They are going to share a house with a third person, and Josue will be able to ride to work everyday with the other student - meeting his transportation needs.

 

Julia Ciarlini Junger Soares

A chemical engineering major, Julia Ciarlini Junger Soares says she has always loved chemistry, physics and math, and believed her options for work after college were greatest in chemical engineering.

She is from Natal, Brazil and when she was offered a student exchange to Rose-Hulman, her first question was, "Where is this?" She soon discovered what she needed to know when researching Rose-Hulman online. And when she arrived, she was even more impressed. "It was actually beyond my expectations," she says.

 Referring to the beautiful campus, she has enjoyed experiencing resident hall living, since it is something new. Traditionally, students in her home remain living at their parent's house while attending college. But living within a group has allowed her to meet more people. The people she's met here are curious and ask her many questions. Julia doesn't mind; she's very social.

Julia also likes that the professors know her - know all of their students. "They  (professors) pay attention," she explains, adding, "If you have a look of questioning on your face, they ask if you need help."

For Julia homework has also been an adjustment. "It's a lot," she says, laughing, as she describes how in Brazil there is no homework, only long exams. She thinks the teaching method here is much better.

"The professors are perfect," she says. "They know you, they pay attention and will help you if you need it. "It is the best method to learn."

 

Daniel de Araujo Costa Rodriques

A Natal, Brazil native, Daniel de Araujo Costa Rodriques began studying geology. He discovered early that geology was not what he wanted to spend his life's work in, but he did find that he enjoyed some of the engineering properties, so he is pursuing a degree in chemical engineering.

When the opportunity to attend Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology as part of the Science Without Borders program, Daniel did he research. When he found it was the best undergraduate school in the United States for engineering, he was ready.

Although he thought the campus would be larger, he hasn't been disappointed in his time at Rose-Hulman. While physically the university he attends in Brazil is larger, he says Rose-Hulman's laboratories are more complete and the equipment is great.

And the professors are wonderful and so willing to help students. "When I first got here, I forgot to put my name on a homework assignment. "The professor knew it was mine. He called and asked me about it and I got credit."

Students also enhance the experience at Rose-Hulman. "The people here are very friendly," he says. "I am making friends."

 

Luis Fernando Pelaez Covatti

Luis Fernando Pelaez Covatti, a Control and Automation Engineering major from Santana do Livramento in south Brazil on the border with Uruguay, is far from home. But his experience has made Rose-Hulman a second home.

Like many of the group, Fernando had no knowledge of Rose-Hulman prior to his offer to attend the college. He researched the college on the Internet in the two days he had to accept or reject the offer. Once he discovered that it is the number one undergraduate engineering college in the nation, he was sure the decision to attend Rose-Hulman was right.

"Now that I am here, I am more and more center of it," he says.

The faculty and staff stands out in Fernando's mind because of their caring nature. He refers to the group's decision to take a spring break trip to Florida in an old van the group bought for transportation while at Rose-Hulman. "Many people from Student Affairs and Public Safety came to convince us not to do that, for our own safety," he says. "It reminded us of our parents taking care of us."

Like his fellow Brazilian students, Fernando has made friends here. "In just three months we have already good friends among the faculty, staff and students."

 

Caio Vinicius Gomes Balthazar

Caio Vinicius Gomes Balthazar is from Fortaleza, the capitol of Ceará, located in the northeast region of Brazil. Used to hot and stable weather, Caio has found not only the weather different in Terre Haute during his stay at Rose-Hulman, but also culture and learning styles.

Caio likes to say that Rose chose him - since the Science Without Borders program matches students to a college.

"My experience within the U.S., and especially at Rose, has been extraordinary," he says. "I had never left my country before, so I'm enjoying it a lot."

He jokingly says he does wish for more sleep, but since the program is vigorous, it has enriched his life. This experience has not only taught him to manage his time and deal with new situations, but also to enjoy his time at Rose-Hulman

The workload at Rose-Hulman is not for the weak, and the software engineering major found that staying on top of his work is a benefit. While he first became interested in software engineering because of his love for video games, he discovered the work isn't play. But studying under dedicated professors helps keep students on track. "Here, we are not just one more student," he says.

"Rose is truly awesome," he says. "I have visited other US universities, and I can tell Rose is pretty unique."

 

Danielle C.Cunha

A chemical engineering student from Natal, Brazil, Daniele C. Cunha's love for science and math steered her in the direction of engineering. And her desire to study abroad directed her to Rose-Hulman.

"Rose-Hulman has been much more than I expected," she says. "There are a lot of homework and exams, but the professors are really good, and their hours with open doors that allow us to stop in when we need to is very helpful."

"They care about us and how we are doing."

Those are the things Danielle says she will remember most about Rose-Hulman. She also has learned how to study with friends to retain what she has learned and use it later, not just cram for a test.

"You see more studying here and students helping each other," she says. Those study sessions have also, in many cases, turned into friendships. "I will keep in touch with the friends I have made here."

 

Eduardo Felipe Ewert Bonet

Eduardo Felipe Ewert Bonet studies industrial engineering in college in Florianópolis. When he came to Rose-Hulman, his studies have focused on computer engineering.

An interest in artificial intelligence directed Eduardo to study industrial engineering in Brazil, because it was the closest program to computer engineering at his university, he says. Add that to doing well in math, science and physics, plus an addiction to computer games, and he says and engineer was born.

When he was offered the opportunity to study at Rose-Hulman, he knew nothing about the college that sits near the edge of Terre Haute. And when he began researching the college, he didn't first believe what he read.

He questioned how this school he had never heard of could be the top college for engineering undergraduates. But once he perused Rose-Hulman's website and saw the course offered, he became more comfortable. He also asked a lot of questions of administrators in Brazil before taking the plunge.

"I have no regrets," he says enthusiastically. "This has been much more than I expected."

Eduardo talks about the beautiful lake, and in the next breath talks about homework and how it makes the work load more, but makes the learning process better. "Here we study to learn," he says.

He also talks about how professors know him by his first name. "They have time for us, time to be real professors," he says. "It feels more like a family here."

Eduardo says since his group has arrived, there has been no shortage of attention or help. He says it is like being pop stars and it will be hard to go back and being a face in the crowd.

However, when he returns to Brazil he will apply what he has learned at Rose-Hello