Alumni, students, and supporters of MIT-Brazil.
As part of its 15th-anniversary celebrations, the MIT-Brazil Program brought together alumni, students, and supporters on August 1, 2025, for a morning of connection and conversation in São Paulo. Hosted in collaboration with the MIT & MIT Sloan Alumni of Brazil, the gathering was both a celebration of past achievements and a reaffirmation of the program’s role in uniting the MIT community in Brazil.
Held at a historic venue in the city, Casa Araújo Pinto the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in São Paulo, the event welcomed MIT undergraduates spending their summer in Brazil through MISTI, alongside alumni leaders, long-time supporters, and friends of the program. Among the distinguished attendees was Dr. Henri Slezynger, whose early support for an endowment has helped lay the groundwork for the program’s long-term sustainability.
Maria Alice Frontini, president of the MIT Alumni Club in Brazil, reflected on the continuity of this relationship: “The connection between the MIT & MIT Sloan Alumni of Brazil and MIT-Brazil is historic and very relevant—it brings many alumni closer to the Institute through the incredible experiences these students share with us. We feel as if we’re back on campus, reconnecting with the values we lived and learned there, and strengthening our desire to remain close and engaged with MIT.”
Throughout the morning, conversations centered on building bridges between generations of the MIT community. Hana Sousa, a rising junior in chemical engineering and the president in the revived Brazilian Students Association, emphasized the importance of sustaining these ties: the Brazil community at MIT, she noted, “is resilient—not only native Brazilians, but all those who want to connect with us. Despite comings and goings, there should always be someone to carry this legacy forward. In such a delicate moment for Brazil, when we need a technological transformation, bringing together the hands and minds of Brazilians at MIT is essential.”
For Tamires Vilela, MBA ’26, who helped organize the event, giving back is personal: “MIT marked my life in a very special way. Supporting the community is my way of expressing my eternal gratitude.”
Also in attendance were other students whose internships this summer span fields from technology and sustainability to health and education—reflecting the breadth of MIT-Brazil’s reach.
According to Rosabelli Coelho, managing director of MIT-Brazil and MIT-Amazonia, moments like these embody the program’s mission. Over the past 15 years, connecting MIT talent with Brazil’s challenges and opportunities has proven transformative. Alumni engagement—through mentorship, partnerships, and philanthropic support—ensures those bridges will continue to be built for the next generation.
From student exchanges to strategic partnerships
Since its founding in 2010, MIT-Brazil has grown into a cornerstone of MIT’s global engagement with Brazil. Today, the program supports immersive student internships, faculty research collaborations, visiting scholars, cultural exchange, and strategic initiatives such as MIT-Amazonia, which connects MIT researchers and Brazilian partners to address urgent challenges in the Amazon region. Each year, more than sixty MIT students gain hands-on experience in Brazil through these opportunities.
Looking ahead
Reflecting on the program’s journey, Coelho noted: “Over the past 15 years, we’ve seen how hands-on experience in Brazil changes the trajectory of students’ careers and fosters lifelong connections. This anniversary is not just a milestone—it’s a call to deepen the commitment of MIT and Brazil to strengthen and maintain these bridges.”
As MIT-Brazil and MIT-Amazonia move into their next chapter, alumni engagement will remain central. Events like the São Paulo breakfast underscore the value of connecting past, present, and future members of the MIT community in Brazil—creating a network that drives innovation, collaboration, and lasting impact on both sides of the equator.
