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2024 Global Honors Students Study in Brazil
Where Character Meets Action. Global Honors Students Study in Brazil.
From May 13 to June 1, 15 Global Honors students from Roberts Wesleyan University had the privilege of taking an on-location course in Brazil.
This trip was a transformative opportunity for them to integrate their Christian faith into their everyday lives, develop valuable leadership skills, and make meaningful contributions to communities worldwide.
Click here to read each student’s blog posts during the trip.
Below are a selection of highlights and photos.
The class learning about Brazilian healthcare at the FMUSP Hospital in Clínicas
Photo credit: Melinda Joseph ‘26 (Biomedical Sciences)
Anchored in Faith
Nick Evans ‘26 (History) writes, “[While visiting a Brazilian church,] I was awestruck by the pastor’s words and passion, hanging on every word. … My own relationship has been more performance than reality recently, going through the motions without any heart behind them. The pastor spoke with fervor, like he was desperate to inform us that without God, we had nothing at all. … I know it doesn’t sound like the most groundbreaking message to many, but it changed everything for me.”
Emma Orrico ‘26 (Biochemistry) and Amelia Ponto ‘26 (Homeland Security & Applied Intelligence) in the Atlantic Rainforest
Photo credit: Emma Orrico
“I had never before experienced the true beauty of a tropical rainforest,” writes Lauryn Beyer ‘26 (Music Therapy). “I had always pictured sprawling jungle vines, colorful birds soaring overhead, and panthers stalking through the tree line, but I had always gotten that information from the movies or what I had read in fictional literature.
The reality was nothing at all like I had pictured it. I was stunned by the sheer size of it. … As we walked down the path, I was awed at the sheer amount of green my eyes were being treated to. Each tree had a different purpose: a medicinal leaf that it grew, a home and food for ants that it housed, a symbol for rendezvous points hundreds of years ago, and who knows how many other purposes these trees held. Everything worked together.”
Christina Garber ‘26 (Biomedical Sciences) and Emma Orrico ‘26 (Biochemistry) with their host family
Photo credit: Christina Garber
“‘Um sol pra cada um,’ which translates to, ‘A sun for each one,’ is a saying used by Brazilians to describe an extremely hot and sunny day. Not only was Saturday one of those very hot days to which this saying refers, the warmth of our host family’s welcome and care for us was felt with the same intensity,” writes Christina Garber ‘26 (Biomedical Sciences).
“We had been spending the weekend with them in Águas de Lindóia, a lovely town in the countryside in the northeast of São Paulo, and although we had many adventures throughout the day, the real highlight was time spent enjoying each other. From starting the day off with a fun game of volleyball to riding horseback in the mountains, eating lunch at a rustic family restaurant, and watching the sunset from the miniature Christ the Redeemer tower, it was a wonderful respite from the flurry of busy weekday life.”
Hear More Stories
Do you want to dive deeper into the students’ stories and personal growth?
Character In All.
This trip represents everything Roberts stands for: nurturing a well-rounded character, instilling the confidence to lead, and empowering the courage to create meaningful change in our world. We couldn't be more proud of these students!