(Left to right) Maisa Ferreira and her mentor, MassBay Economics Professor Florencia Gabriele
WELLESLEY HILLS, MA (December 4, 2017) - Growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Maisa Ferreira knew she wanted to earn her college degree in the United States, but she never thought she would one day attend one of the most prestigious programs in the country. But, after Ferreira receives her Associate of Arts in International Business this December, she will be headed to the Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy program at The Fletcher School at Tufts University in January with a scholarship in hand.
Ferreira credits the support from the MassBay and her mentor in the Multicultural Mentoring Program, MassBay Economics Professor Florencia Gabriele. “I figured enrolling at MassBay would be a great way to improve my skills. Here I was able to improve my English and math skills, I had networking opportunities, strengthen my writing skills, overcome my barriers of speaking to people and asking questions in the classroom and really learned how to excel in an American classroom. For an immigrant, all these small things make a lot of difference to your success.”
“I also credit my mentor MassBay Economics Professor Florencia Gabriele. We were matched with in 2015 and since that time she has helped me a lot to build my confidence and keep my motivation high, believing in my potential. When I met her, I was thrilled because we’re both from South America and we have similar backgrounds and interests. She has helped me navigate the transfer process, worked with me on my resume, and been a listening ear when I needed one and my biggest supporter. I would not be accepted at The Fletcher School without MassBay and Florencia.”
Raised by a single mother, Ferreira explains she needed to be responsible for her education and figure things out on her own from a young age, but always had unconditional support from her family. Since meeting Florencia, they have worked through the process of applying for universities together, wrote recommendation letters and ultimately celebrated the acceptance into The Fletcher School.