At Fundação St. Paul’s, our Scholarship Programme offers scholars not just an exceptional education but also unique opportunities to broaden their horizons. One of them is the chance to participate in summer courses during the holiday period. In this post, we recap the recent enriching experiences of three of our scholars: Catarina, Giordano, and Summer, who each embarked on different academic journeys this past month.
Catarina’s Technology and Leadership course in Brazil
Catarina participated in a week-long Technology and Leadership course organized by Inteli University in partnership with Google Brazil, which focused on business, educational technology and innovation. The course offered her deep insights into entrepreneurship, target audiences, and benchmarking analysis. Additionally, Catarina developed several soft skills, including creativity and public speaking.
During the course, she collaborated with peers from different parts of Brazil, expanding her network and learning from diverse perspectives. A highlight of the experience was the group project, where Catarina’s team developed a website to promote the Google For Education course on AI. Catarina was chosen to pitch their project to a Google representative for Latin America, impressing the evaluation board with both the website and her compelling presentation. Reflecting on the experience, she said, “The two most fun moments in the course were the presentation and getting to know new people, which enriched my experience. This course went beyond my expectations! I am very grateful to the St. Paul’s Foundation for this unforgettable opportunity.”
Giordano’s academic immersion at Yale
Giordano spent two weeks at the prestigious Yale University in Connecticut, USA, where he was immersed in an intense academic environment. The programme included various talks, lectures, and seminars that offered him a taste of life as a researcher. Giordano found the lectures particularly impactful, sharing, “Watching a professor deliver a lecture is more than expanding your own knowledge in that area; it is also understanding more about being a researcher, as the 90-minute lecture brings together years of practice, teaching, and dedication.”
At the end of the course, Giordano presented a study on the history of Bossa Nova, a topic he chose. He also participated in the “Capstone Project,” where his group explored the viability of colonising Mars and presented their findings on the best propulsion system for an interplanetary rocket. Beyond the academic challenges, Giordano also appreciated the opportunity to practice his English skills and engage with peers from around the world. He noted, “During lunch breaks, breakfasts, and dinners, in my off time visiting museums and getting to know the city, I got to practice my English and learn more about art, history, and the countries my colleagues were from.”
Summer’s Law and History course at Harvard
Our scholar Summer had the unique experience of spending two weeks at Harvard University, where she studied Law and History—subjects close to her heart. “Since I want to study Law in the future, and History is one of my favourite subjects, this course was absolutely perfect for me,” she explained.
While summer courses are a great opportunity to make new friends and experience life abroad, they also require a commitment to serious study. Summer spent much of her time at the historic Widener Library or a nearby coffee shop, delving into roughly 100 pages of reading each day, including the entire US Constitution at one point! She praised her professor for being a tremendous help throughout the programme.
The connections she made with her classmates were another highlight, as the discussions they shared deepened her understanding of the subjects. In her free time, Summer explored the Harvard campus and visited Boston and Salem. “As a history buff, it was really interesting being in a historical place like Salem that I had always been eager to visit,” she said.
These incredible experiences would not be possible without the generosity of our donors and supporters. We are deeply grateful for their contributions, which allow our scholars to pursue such transformative opportunities. Thank you for helping our pupils grow, learn, and achieve their dreams!