Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Program Assistant Introduction Eloy Oliveira COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

Program Assistant Introduction Eloy Oliveira COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog The fall semester has officially started at SIPA, which means the admissions program assistants have joined us on staff. We have an amazing group of students this term, and Im excited to have them on staff. Over the next couple of weeks Ill introduce you to our five program assistants for the fall semester. Following their introductions,  youll start to hear from each one of them in their own voices on the admissions blog as they share some first-hand knowledge on everything from student life to how to craft the perfect admission essay. But for now, lets welcome Eloy Henrique Saraiva de Oliveira to the team.   Eloy is a second-year SIPA student pursuing an MPA degree with a concentration in Energy and Environment and specialization in Management. He holds a B.A. in Law from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Eloy was born and raised in Belo Horizonte, the fourth-largest city in Brazil, with 2.1 million inhabitants. People from his homeland are known for being really friendly, and Eloy is not an exception to that rule. Prior to studying at SIPA, Eloy worked for seven years at  the state government of Minas Gerais, Brazil as a consultant, managing major infrastructure projects and public-private partnerships. Eloy also has experience in the nonprofit sector, and he is a member of the Global Shapers, which is a group of young leaders created by the World Economic Forum. After graduation, Eloy plans to help induce growth in developing countries. In a brief QA for the Admissions Blog, he had this to share: Have you taken classes at other Columbia schools? “I have taken a class at the Business School and I liked it very much because it has a different atmosphere from SIPA and students have a very different perspective on the issues we were studying. It is really good to learn new ways to look at the same problem.” What  has  your internship experience been like? “I did a summer internship at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC. I did a lot of policy research and writing for articles, conference reports, event summaries, grant proposals, and data collection. I also helped prepare international conferences with policy makers and officials to frame the agenda for U.S.-Brazil. It was a great opportunity; and my boss was also a SIPA alumni, which made me feel at home.” What has been the most challenging part of your experience at SIPA? “The most challenging part has been to keep up with all the events and activities that take place at SIPA daily, and to also focus on the classes and academic work. I think I’m a much more organized and efficient person now, because of SIPA.” What do you think makes a good SIPA student or what qualities do stellar SIPA students typically possess? “SIPA students come from a lot of different places, but one thing that most SIPA students have in common is the desire to achieve success and contribute to a better world. Theyre also  willing to make friends, understand different cultures and help each other. What advice would you give a first-year student? “I think the best advice is to balance everything in your life at SIPA. There are so many things going on at the same time and sometimes it is hard to enjoy everything that the University has to offer you. So, try to balance your classes, but also enjoy the city and all the new friends that you will make here.” [Photo courtesy of Eloy Oliveira | Eloy with his mom, enjoying a beautiful summer date at Washington Square.]

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