Meet Daniele!
From a young age, Daniele has been passionate about communication. Whether giving presentations at church, learning new languages, or exploring ways to connect with others, she quickly came to realize that communication is a powerful tool for success.
Reflecting on her journey she shares, “I believe that what we say, think and write is powerful and can lead us to success in life, if used effectively.” With this in mind, she thought majoring in Communications at USF would be the best step for her professional and personal growth.
As an international student from Brazil, Daniele felt she needed a strong understanding of communication to succeed in the U.S. and the program has offered multiple opportunities for growth and development.
She had engaged in several co-curricular activities that she is proud of:
As a Growth and Strategy Marketing Intern at Chattr, a company that automates recruiting and hiring, she gained experience in:
- social media management
- graphic design using Canva
- Scriptwriting, production, and video editing
- Project and content management through Notion
- Utilizing tools such as Fireflies and Descript
She said: “my team was great and helped me to get the best experience I could. Overall, it was a such amazing opportunity to learn marketing gaining hands on it.”
Daniele is also part of BRASA, the biggest Brazilian student association in the world. She is a Performance Analyst, focusing on:
- Data analysis, strategy, and creativity
- Creating charts and Individual Development Plans to improve member performance and satisfaction within the organization
- Producing educational and organizational content for internal communications on Instagram to create awareness of important themes and keep everyone up to date
As the Marketing Lead at Google Developer Group (GDG) at USF, she focuses on strategy and production, handling both front and back end promotion of events, workshops, and conferences. Daniele creates graphic designs for flyers and records and edits videos for reels. She states “It is very fun to be in a tech and engineering environment, since my goal post graduation is work in the tech industry, with as SaaS segment.”
Daniele identifies the following competencies as essential to her current success:
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Technology
- Critical Thinking
- Equity & Inclusion
- Professionalism
- Career & Self-Development
Most recently, Daniele was featured in the Communication Newsletter as an Undergraduate Intern Spotlight, highlighting her contributions and professional growth at USF.
Transitioning to U.S. academics as an international student presented unique challenges. She mentions that “the language was my first very obstacle, learn and manage the classes’ content and assignments in another language was challenging for me in my first semester, but by managing my time and coming up with a day schedule and weekly plan helped me to have things on my control.”
She frequently utilized her planner and Google Calendar to stay organized. Her transparent communication with her professors helped her gain their support as well. For career preparation, Daniele worked closely with Alexandra, a Career Coach at the Center for Career and Professional Development. They worked together to:
- Build a resume and cover letter
- Improve her LinkedIn profile
- Use Handshake to find job opportunities
- Prepare with mock interviews
- Use digital resources like ONet Online and CareerShift
She says: “Each appointment was so valuable and super helpful, I felt the Career Center at USF and Alexandra truly cared about me, I since then I didn’t feel I was alone in my professional journey anymore.”
This support, along with her involvement in BRASA and GDG, was instrumental to her success and allowed her to become more knowledgeable with marketing and business terms, tools and resources.
Daniele on her recent accomplishments: “I achieved my biggest and most important goal since I was admitted at USF: getting an internship in the Summer 2025. And now, I can say that in my very first semester enrolled at USF, I got an internship in marketing, in the field I wanted. This internship was an excellent opportunity to grow as a professional and expand my networking, also I used it as credits for my major. One of the best experiences at college.”
Daniele’s advice to fellow students: “Don’t be afraid, you got this! You are not the only one feeling sometimes overwhelmed and pressured, and that’s ok, it’s a lot of changes and responsibilities. But the key is to look for help, and USF has amazing resources and staff to help you go through this process. So, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with a career advisor, major advisor or reach out to the Wellness Center if you feel you need psychological support. You are not alone in this. And remember, enjoy the process while you are a university student! Go join a student club, go to fun events, travel abroad or games. Being a USF students is an enjoyable experience, you just have to try.”