Alumni Voices

"My name is Geórgia Chvaicer, I am 20 years old, and I graduated in the first class of Avenues in 2021. I chose to attend college in Brazil, and Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) has always been my top choice. I enrolled in the Business Administration program in August 2021, and after one semester, I took a Gap Year abroad. Currently, I am completing the 3rd semester and really enjoy studying at FGV. In addition to the comprehensive classes that allow me to explore new interests, I've had the opportunity to meet and learn from highly renowned leaders, including presidents of major companies like Adidas and even the Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

I opted to take the courses in English, an option provided by FGV, allowing me to immerse myself in another language and graduate with an additional diploma in International Negotiation. I am also a part of the Legal Junior Company, expanding my knowledge in an area of interest, despite not majoring in Law, and integrating into a professional environment with other young individuals going through a similar process. Likewise, I am developing both personally and professionally in a diverse and enriching space, and being a student at Avenues has equipped me with essential tools to communicate and excel in the opportunities that FGV presents."

"My name is Maria Oliva, I am 18 years old, and I graduated from the class of 2023 at Avenues. I chose to attend university at King's College London, my top choice, to study Business and Social Sciences. Before embarking on my undergraduate course, I had to complete a foundation year, a preparatory program designed to bridge the gap between high school and university-level study. This program is especially beneficial for international students or those who need to strengthen their academic background to meet specific course requirements.

Currently, I am at the end of the foundation year and already progressing to my undergraduate course in Business Management at King's College. Studying my area of interest, business, alongside social sciences has been an incredible journey. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to explore subjects beyond my initial interests. This interdisciplinary approach has broadened my horizons and opened up new pathways and areas of interest. During my time at the university, I wasn't just able to learn about diverse topics but also discovered new interests of my own and explored various clubs, including the Business Club, Equestrian Club, and, most importantly, the Brazilian Society. Being part of the International Foundation Year, I had the privilege to connect with people worldwide and explore different countries around Europe.

Looking back at my learning journey, all the Avenues alumni who came to King's College London noticed how our education had put us ahead of other students. The methods applied at Avenues left us fully prepared for university assignments, presentations, etc. We were completely flexible and capable of applying all the essential skills learned at Avenues in the real world. It's astonishing that I'm almost done with my foundation year and ready to advance to the next stage of my life. Taking all the key lessons from Avenues was crucial for this new chapter."

"My name is Isabela Valente, I am 20 years old and graduated from Avenues São Paulo in 2022. I am currently at Hofstra University in New York, working on a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Performance and a Minor in Musical Theater. Hofstra was not always on my radar, but during my application process, I started researching alongside my dean and family and ended up finding my place! New York was always the dream, and Hofstra became the reality.

During my time here, I have been able to explore with and learn from professionals in my area, having classes and workshops that go from speech and movement to modern dance, to character and scene work, to Shakespearean literature, to production lighting, as well as non-theater electives like philosophic themes in film and exercise psychology, all while participating in Hofstra’ theater productions. My latest work was playing the part of Medea in the Greek tragedy, Medea. I have also had the opportunity to be a part of clubs and communities on campus and have out-of-campus opportunities in my area of work. Avenues has helped me prepare for this part of my life leading to my dream, and I can barely wait for the next two and a half years in this journey!"

"My name is Felipe de Lima, I am 20 years old, and I am a current student at the University of Southern California. Since I joined Avenues, I wanted to go abroad for college and USC was one of my top choices. The deans gave me a lot of support in our frequent meetings when they helped me find the answers to important questions and gave feedback on my essays. With them by my side, I had a satisfying application process and ended up where I wanted to be. Here at USC, I am taking a joint major in Accounting & Finance and a minor in Computer Programming.

During my time in college, I have been able to take interesting classes like Object-Oriented Programming and Corporate Financial Strategy, but also engage in extracurricular activities and undergraduate organizations that I enjoy. One of the extracurricular activities I most enjoy being a part of is Trojans FC, the men's soccer club at USC. We play all year round, in a local league against other teams within Los Angeles. In terms of student organizations, I am currently a project manager for the Business Technology Group where we do innovation consulting and I also had the opportunity to become the president of the USC's Brazilian Student Association (BRASA) earlier this semester. I strongly suggest you all get involved with BRASA if you are going to study abroad, as it gets you connected with the Brazilian community on campus. I have had a great time here in Los Angeles studying at USC up until this point, and it is crazy for me to think that I only have one and a half years left."