Angelo Ferreira Teston, a business administration international student-athlete from Dourados, Brazil, transformed Viterbo’s international admissions (IA) procedure. Through his internship with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Viterbo’s approach to supporting incoming international students has been strengthened.

Throughout the semester, Teston collaborated with DEI, IA, and current international students to identify and address the needs of newly accepted international students. By engaging with current Viterbo international students, he sought greater understanding regarding their questions, barriers, and challenges encountered during the admission process and their preparations for coming to the U.S. This direct feedback was pivotal in creating a comprehensive checklist tailored to the needs of international students.

Melissa Giefer, the international and English language support (ESL) program coordinator at Viterbo, praised Teston. "The work Angelo did will have a lasting impact on the international student population at Viterbo University. He helped to create an Accepted International Student Checklist that will support both future students and staff at Viterbo with onboarding new international students."

Lisa Konkel, assistant director of advising and career development, highlighted the broader significance of Teston's contributions. "Angelo’s work with the Accepted International Student Checklist will not only be beneficial for incoming students by clarifying the steps they need to take before arrival, but it has also prompted an overhaul of the workflow behind the scenes for this population, which will help connect students with their academic advisors earlier in the process," Konkel said.

Teston's impact has extended to the field. Roberto Yepez, Viterbo's head men's soccer coach, emphasized Teston's leadership within the soccer team. "We had 32 new players on the team this year, and Angelo was one of the few upperclassmen. His knowledge of the U.S. college system, both academically and athletically, allowed him to guide the younger players effectively. Angelo is one of the people that the guys look up to, and it led to him serving in our leadership group."

Teston's impact not only transformed the support system for Viterbo's international students but also showcased his leadership and dedication to enhancing the university's community.