| Rose-Hulman has gained a distinctive
Latin flare this school year with the presence of 17
Brazilian students on campus through the South American
country's new Science Without Borders (SWB) program.
They are among the approximately 2,200
Brazilian undergraduate students studying in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) fields-part of Brazil's ambitious initiative to
send up to 100,000 undergraduate and graduate students
overseas to the best technology schools in the world by
2014.
Eight students arrived on campus last spring
and were joined by another nine students this fall. Each are
spending three quarters studying in
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areas of electrical engineering,
computer science, software engineering, and computer
engineering. They will also participate in
internships with U.S. companies before returning
to Brazil to complete their degrees.
"These top-notch students had a number of
choices, and they chose to study at Rose-Hulman," says
Luchen Li, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Global Programs.
"They were attracted by the excellent quality of education
offered at Rose-Hulman and our
welcoming community."
The Brazilian students have adapted quickly
to life on campus and in America. They have lived in
residence-hall rooms with other Rose-Hulman students, and had
meals
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at homes of faculty members. Several
have also taken a spring break trip to Florida and were
featured on a regional NBA television broadcast while waving
a Brazilian flag to support Indiana Pacers basketball
player/Brazil native Leandro Barbosa.
"It has been an amazing experience," says
Luis Pelaez Covatti, an electrical engineering student. "It is
going to be hard to leave."
Danielle Cunha, a chemical
engineering student, adds, "We expected this to be a good
experience, but it has been much greater."
To return the hospitality, th SWB students
are planning a special Brazil Day
in early February.
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