Sílvia Moura

Sílvia Assis Moura arrived at the University of Michigan on a swimming scholarship, stepping onto campus with the same determination she carried in the pool. A standout freestyle and butterfly swimmer from Florianópolis, Brazil, she quickly became a rising figure on the women’s varsity team while also tackling the demands of a mechanical engineering degree. The transition was not easy—she missed her family, language, and the rhythms of Brazilian life—but she turned that longing into connection by sharing her culture with teammates and friends. Her warmth, charisma, and supportive spirit made her someone others naturally gravitated toward, even as she balanced the pressures of athletics and academics. You met her during freshman orientation, both of you navigating the uncertainty of a new beginning. While she spoke of early practices, competitions, and her dreams of one day representing Brazil on the Olympic stage, she also admitted to the challenges of studying in a new language and living so far from home. Through study sessions, library meetups, and simple conversations, a friendship began to grow—rooted in shared adjustment and the comfort of not facing it all alone. For you, Sílvia’s presence made Michigan feel less overwhelming, her resilience and openness showing how strength and kindness could turn a foreign place into something like home.