Raíssa Sousa and Welenton Webler were both exchange students from Brazil when they met in August 2015.
“We didn’t know each other before since he’s from Santa Catarina state and I’m from São Paulo state, more than 620 miles apart,” she says. “The day I arrived at Miner Village, he offered to help me with my suitcases since my room was on the third floor and, when he picked one up, the handle broke.”
Raíssa studied petroleum engineering and Welenton studied computer engineering while at Rolla. The pair would often walk to campus and have breakfast together at the Havener Center or at the Starbucks cafe inside the library.
Today the couple lives in Brazil, where Raíssa works for Bayer and Welenton works for Amazon Web Services.
Their relationship advice?
“Listen and support each other in both good and challenging times,” she says.
Share This Story
Spark a Memory?
Share your story! Fill out the form below to share your fondest memory or anecdote of S&T. If you'd prefer not typing, you can also share by phone at 833-646-3715 (833-Miner150).
Surveying the future of mining
Karl F. Hasselmann, who graduated in 1925 with a degree in mining engineering, was oil prospecting in Europe when he…
For the love of circuits
Emily Hernandez, who earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 2016, began recruiting minorities to STEM fields even before…
Giving others an opportunity
Steven Frey works to ensure others have the opportunity to attend graduate programs at S&T like he did. Frey says…
Sandy (Junge) and Brian Klein
Sandy (Junge) and Brian Klein met in 1990 during lunch in the TJ Hall cafeteria. “Sandy needed a typewriter to…
Solar Village people
Before there was a Solar Village on campus, there was a sole villager. Allison Arnn graduated in 2005 with an…
John and Kristie (Capps) Gibson
After a basketball game in February 1973, John Gibson and a friend went to a party at TJ Hall where…