UNews - Sao Paulo

Costa realizing academic, athletic dream

trevor.kenney — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:04:25 +0000

Sometimes all the recruiting efforts in the world pale in comparison to a word-of-mouth endorsement and a Google search.

Such was the case for Brazilian international student Guilherme Costa, who showed up on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge doorstep this past January looking first for an opportunity to study kinesiology and physical education, and secondly to play soccer.

"A few years ago my brother did an international exchange through the Rotary International program and we hosted a girl from Edmonton at our house for five months," says Costa, a 24-year-old from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

"She introduced me to Canada, and I was amazed to learn about the people, the nature and everything that was here. I decided then to come to Canada; it was my dream."
He first landed in Vancouver, B.C. and spent eight months there before finding a university that suited his interests.

"I heard about the kinesiology program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and about the chance to do research. Now that I've been here for almost a year, I just love it," says Costa. "I did an independent study when I earned my degree in Brazil and that's what I want to keep doing here, and I thought that Lethbridge would be the perfect spot."

International Brazilian student Gui Costa played a key role in the success of the Horns men's soccer team this past fall.

A third-year student in kinesiology, he comes from a family that values education and is extremely supportive of his goals. His father is an engineer, his mother a lawyer and his brother a doctor.

"My interest of study is in sport and rehabilitation," he says. "I want to work with metabolic disease in sports. We all know about the impact of physical activity in sport and metabolic disease, and I want to see how indoor sports like indoor soccer, volleyball and basketball have an impact on the body."

Coming from the world's seventh largest city in population, it is obviously a huge culture shift to arrive in a city of less than 100,000, but Costa seems at ease with the transition.

"It's a pretty calm city and I'm really enjoying that. Sao Paulo is so busy so we don't really have time for anything, and living here is pretty relaxing," he says. "I'm really looking forward to my parents coming here for Christmas. They're going to spend a month with me and we plan to travel all over Canada."

Costa grew up playing soccer and even looked at trying to play professionally in Brazil, but he prioritized education over sport, something that suits him well now as a Canada West student-athlete.

"It's been a little bit hard, because this was my first year and I've had to manage my soccer, my school and work, because I have to support myself here," he says of his job with Sodexo. He also plans to work on the Horns' game day staff team through the winter.

"I chose my classes well so that I could manage things and now that soccer season is over I plan to study and work more."

It was a banner year for the Horns men's team, which set a new team record for total points and equaled its best ever win total. That the team still fell one win shy of qualifying for the playoffs has Costa and his teammates eager for next season.

"I think we were all happy with what we did but at the same time we were frustrated because looking back, there were probably five games we should have won and didn't, and that was the difference at the end," says the first-year centre-midfielder. "So, we know we can do more next year and it makes us confident.

I think everyone wishes next season started tomorrow."

As with soccer and Costa's educational aspirations, this year is only a beginning.

"I want to finish my undergrad degree and then start a master's degree," he smiles. "I want to stay in Canada, that's my plan. Hopefully Canada will accept me."

In many ways, the country already has.

GET THE FACTS

· Horns men's soccer posted a 4-5-6 record on the year and finished three points behind the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan for the final Canada West playoff spot

· Costa played last summer with the Lethbridge Football Club in the Alberta Major Soccer League

· Many of the Horns will play together throughout the indoor soccer season, an opportunity to further develop their skill set for next fall

· Costa says he has no issue with the snow and cold he encounters in Canada but he could do without Lethbridge's winds. "It shocks me a little," he says

This story first appeared in the November 2012 issue of the Legend. To view the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Parkland Institute grant supports research project

trevor.kenney — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 21:16:15 +0000

The Parkland Institute has granted funding for the first time under a new program established this year.

Both the Parkland Institute Faculty Research Grant and the Parkland Institute Graduate Research Award aim to provide seed funding for ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge faculty and their research teams, including students, in areas of public policy. Dr. Claudia Malacrida (sociology) and international graduate student Alan Santinele Martino are the first recipients of the combined $10,000 award.

Both researchers will be exploring information and services about relationships, intimacy and sexuality for people with intellectual disabilities. Malacrida will be gathering data on the policy and programming options that guide individuals, family members and agencies in their decision-making.

International graduate student Alan Santinele Martino, left, with Drs. Claudia Malacrida and Trevor Harrison.

Martino will be interviewing agency workers about the challenges and resources they experience in supporting people with intellectual disabilities in terms of sexuality and relationships.

Parkland Institute Director Dr. Trevor Harrison (sociology) says the projects fit well within the institute's mandate to research topics of interest to a broad audience, and which examine disparity between groups or organizations.

"Studying the issues surrounding sexuality in the context of an intellectual or developmental disability is an under-researched area that we are pleased to support both at a faculty level and at a graduate student level," says Harrison. "Research is a long-term process that often suffers in the initial stages for lack of start-up funds, much like a small business. We are hopeful that, by making sure projects like these get started, they lead to other opportunities for our researchers and graduate students."

Martino says that advocating for the rights and social inclusion of individuals with disability has always been a personal commitment.

"I have an older brother with cerebral palsy, and I believe that this research is a chance to connect knowledge and practice in a way that we can improve the lives of individuals with disability, as well as their families."

"For me, it is not possible to talk about social inclusion without considering sexuality. We need to acknowledge the importance of recognizing individuals with disabilities as sexual beings within their communities and providing them with opportunities for a healthy sexual development."

Martino is originally from São Paulo, Brazil. He came to the U of L to work with Malacrida after completing his undergraduate degree at St. Lawrence ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in New York State. He plans to interview agencies, policymakers and community members to learn more about how sexuality is either integrated or not integrated into the process of working with people with developmental disabilities, and hopes to influence change at a policy level.

"The key objective of my research is to influence the policies and practices in the agency and government levels, identifying gaps and suggesting possible solutions."

See the video below for more on Martino's experience at the U of L.

This story first appeared in the October 2012 issue of the Legend. To see the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Mahon's trip aided by Brazilian students

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:26:31 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Mike Mahon was among a group of 30 Canadian university presidents who travelled to Brazil to take part in an educational tour, the largest-ever initiative of its kind. The goal was to showcase Canada and strengthen relationships with Brazil, a rapidly growing economic powerhouse.

Doing business in Brazil is not a new process for the U of L. For several years, recruiters have participated in major trade shows, and a number of Brazilian students have traded Rio and Sao Paulo for Lethbridge. Felipe Ferreira, Guilherme Costa and Daniel Lima are three such students, all in their third or fourth year of study, who have taken advantage of many programs while attending the U of L, including applied studies and international exchanges, as they have worked to complete their degrees.

David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, delivered the opening address at the Conference of the Americas on International Education in Rio de Janeiro as part of the week's activities. Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, also attended.

U of L President Mike Mahon, left, receives some friendly tips on interesting places to see during his trip to Brazil from a trio of Brazilian students studying at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Felipe Ferreira (BMgt International Management/French/Supply Chain Management) and Guilherme Costa (BA Kinesiology) are both from Sao Paulo, while Rio de Janeiro native Daniel Lima (BSc Psychology) met Mahon to talk about some of the opportunities the U of L group might have to connect with educational institutions and organizations while in Brazil.

UNews - Sao Paulo

Costa realizing academic, athletic dream

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Parkland Institute grant supports research project

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Mahon's trip aided by Brazilian students

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