I’m thankful that Professor Felippe took the time to talk with us about her life and pieces of wisdom she’s gained from it. The path she took to her current position was winding, unlikely, and very interesting to discuss.

Professor Felippe described various points in her life in which she didn’t have a crystal-clear idea of where an opportunity would lead her, and she stressed that this was of great benefit to her. Coming to the United States, she didn’t initially plan to stay permanently; instead, she expected that she would return to Brazil after a few years of education and experience in the states. However, opportunity presented itself, and while remaining in the United States wasn’t a part of her initial plan, she didn’t allow that to stop her from taking advantage of her situation. Most of us that were in attendance are currently in the stage of our lives in which we’re likely to receive questions centered on what we want to do for a career, where we see ourselves in the future, and so on. While I have a better answer to those questions than I would have had a year prior, my idea of my future is still relatively vague. It was reassuring to hear from someone who was able to achieve success without mapping out their life to the finest detail.

I’d also like to acknowledge just how enjoyable the talk was. The nature of our meeting place made for a very welcoming and intimate discussion. It comes as no surprise that Professor Felippe is a very engaging orator, and it’s always a privilege to be in such a person’s company. While many of the topics were on the more serious side, we still had plenty of time for miscellaneous topics, such as how one performs surgery on a horse. It’s not something I’d given much thought to in the past, but, coming from an area with a largely horse-racing based economy, I’ve caught myself thinking about it quite a bit since our talk. To be able to sit down and talk about something other than a problem set or project was a welcome change of pace, and our discussion was a highlight of my week.