Michael Stablein

Business Undergrad, University of Illinois - Business Immersion Program '13

My first trip to Brazil for a University of Illinois agricultural markets research program was during the summer of 2013.  While on our two-week excursion for the International Business Immersion Program (IBIP), our Campus Brazil program leaders led us in exploration through major cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo for both professional and recreational activities, as well as to network with students at the University of Sao Paulo in Piracicaba.  Working under the guidance of these individuals vastly enhanced our ability to conduct interviews with industry experts and dissect cultural market factors to gather key insights while in country.  Traveling to Brazil for the first time with this group forever changed my perspective on Latin America and would later shape my career ambitions.

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Studying abroad in Brazil opened a new world of culture and professional opportunities for our class and my academic goals.  Since the first research project at the end of my undergraduate studies, I have returned to Brazil half a dozen times, both to revisit friends made during my first trip and to expand the international contexts of my graduate research on management of technical systems in agriculture.  Using my Portuguese language skills and cultural knowledge has allowed for collaboration with international partner universities and to create a network of exchange for research and students.  The scope of our project objectives expands to solve problems on a global scale, however, this would not have been possible without continued visits to Brazil, inspired by my original experience with IBIP.

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The unique set of activities organized and coordinated by Campus Brasil enriched my experience in Brazil.  As the service regularly hosts groups from all over the world, they are well positioned to suit the needs of many different ages and cultures for their different activities.  One feature about the program that particularly captivated me was the personability of our guides. Not only were they very knowledgeable about the culture and research dynamics, but they were also willing to work directly with students on the project to advance our objectives.  Furthermore, their participation in exchange and networking events facilitated making lasting connections with the industry specialists and students at USP.  Apart from my projects since in Brazil, I have been very happy to maintain the relationships with my guides and the organization as a whole.

 

Campus Brasil is an excellent organization to help visitors of Brazil immerse into culture and accomplish professional objectives.  I am forever grateful for their guidance and my life is ever changed!