If you don’t find Thiago on the soccer field—he’s a defender on the Texas Wesleyan soccer team—you might find him playing video games, hanging out with friends or trying to find the latest and greatest sounds in one of his favorite genres of music: samba. Artists like Fundo de Quintal and Revglacao remind him of his home town. “Sao Paulo is a huge city,” Thiago says. “My home is five minutes from the beach, and there are a lot of things to do.”

Texas Wesleyan is a perfect fit for Thiago because of the academics and the relationships he is building. He transferred to Wesleyan from another university, and he appreciates the small class sizes and one-on-one learning experience he gets at Texas Wesleyan.

 “Texas Wesleyan is a great school, and I’ve made many good friends—International Programs students and American students—whom I’ve been able to spend time with.” Thiago lives on campus and says he enjoys the communal experience—whether it’s talking with friends or playing FIFA Soccer.

Thiago intends to move back to Brazil and pursue a career in his home country.