Edgard Corrêa just loves soccer.

The midfielder has been playing the sport since he was 8 years old and it has afforded him great opportunities. When he was 18 and playing as a member of the São Paulo Futebol Clube, Corrêa’s team beat the Barcelona and Real Madrid teams to win an Under-20 tournament in Valencia, Spain.

“That was really cool,” he said.

Today, at 24, the Brazilian-born senior combines his time in the FIU class rooms where he studies international business with his time on the field where he practices every day. He remains dedicated and focused on staying “on top of everything,” but he cannot deny that soccer is in his blood.

FIU is so proud that this young man is a member of the Golden Panther family that we are featuring him in a “Best in Class” ad campaign that is running in The Miami Herald.

The campaign began with a spotlight on this year’s valedictorians who chose to attend FIU. We recently expanded the campaign to include FIU faculty and researchers, scholar-athletes, student scholars and alumni.

Recently, we met with Corrêa and asked him a few questions about himself and his future plans.

What I enjoy most about playing soccer:
I like the atmosphere of the game. I like the fans. I’ve been playing soccer since I was 8 years old. I am Brazilian, so soccer is in my blood. I just love it.

The life of a scholar-athlete:
I’m taking 15 credits right now and graduating soon. My GPA is 3.7. I’m taking five upper-level classes, so I’m trying to stay on top of everything.

On life in the United States:
The quality of life here amazes me. Everybody, it doesn’t matter who you are or what company you work for, has a good standard of living. And the beauty…the beaches, Coconut Grove, the weather in Miami; it’s fantastic.

My dream:
I’m not sure if I see myself here or in Brazil with my family and friends in 10 years, but I see myself working for a good multinational company. I want to be successful in my career in international business and have a family…a wife and kids. That’s the best thing in life.

To view the ad, running October, 8 in the The Miami Herald, please click here to download a PDF file.

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