The Moments That Made Georgetown Feel Like Home

This story is part of the Student Voices series, which provides a firsthand perspective of the student experience at Georgetown McDonough.

Originally from Florianópolis, Brazil, Luisa Gomes da Silva (MiM’26) came to Georgetown McDonough’s Master’s in Management (MiM) program seeking an international experience that would challenge her perspective, expand her worldview, and connect her with peers from around the globe.

Here, she reflects on building community far from home, traveling to Singapore for the MiM Global Business Experience, co-founding Georgetown’s first Brazilian graduate student organization, and how stepping outside her comfort zone shaped her experience and prepared her for what’s next.

Beyond the Island of Magic

I am from Florianópolis, a small island in the south of Brazil known as Ilha da Magia, the Island of Magic. Growing up there meant growing up between the beach, the mountains, and people who somehow always know someone you know. Still, I was curious about what existed beyond my own world. Over the years, that curiosity slowly took me further from home, first to Rio de Janeiro, then to France, and eventually to Washington, D.C.

When I started looking into master’s programs, I was not only looking for strong academics. I wanted to be somewhere that felt international, ambitious, and slightly uncomfortable in the best possible way. Georgetown immediately stood out to me because it felt like a place where people genuinely came from everywhere. I loved the idea of being surrounded by classmates with completely different stories, perspectives, and experiences while still sharing the same classroom every day.

Coming to Georgetown was also intimidating. I was the only Brazilian in my cohort, and like many international students, I arrived knowing almost no one in the city. But somewhere between the late nights, long walks through Georgetown after class, and running on the National Mall, Washington slowly started feeling like home. 

Finding Community Across Cultures

One of the most memorable parts of my Georgetown experience was traveling to Singapore for the MiM Global Business Experience consulting project. The trip itself already felt surreal, over 12 hours ahead of D.C., on the other side of the world, in a place completely different from anything I had experienced before.

What fascinated me most about Singapore was not only the business environment but the small cultural differences in everyday interactions. I realized how something as simple as the way people communicate in meetings, approach networking, or even share meals can vary so much depending on where you are in the world. It made me much more aware of how global business is ultimately about understanding people first.

Beyond the classroom, Georgetown gave me spaces to build community in unexpected ways. One of the experiences I am most proud of was co-founding BrasGrad, Georgetown’s first Brazilian graduate student organization. Creating a space where Brazilian students could connect and share a piece of home in Washington, D.C., meant a lot to me.

Some of my favorite memories were also the simplest ones, like going to alumni events and hearing the incredible career stories of people who once sat in the same classrooms as us, participating in clubs like the Georgetown Investment Fund and the Consulting Club, or spending an afternoon at the National Mall during MiM Field Day with my classmates. Looking back, those moments are what made Georgetown feel much bigger than just a degree.

After Fear Comes the World

As I finish my final weeks at Georgetown McDonough, I realize the experience has become so much bigger than academics. Georgetown gave me friendships that started as group projects and turned into some of my closest friendships in life, experiences I never imagined having, and a version of myself that feels more confident stepping into the unknown.

There is a quote by Clarice Lispector that says, “Depois do medo vem o mundo” — “After fear comes the world.” I think that perfectly describes my Georgetown experience. Some of the best moments of this past year came from saying yes to things that initially scared me: moving to a new country, building community far from home, traveling across the world, and constantly pushing myself outside my comfort zone.

To the next class of Georgetown students: say yes more often than no. The year goes by incredibly fast, but the people, memories, and experiences stay with you long after graduation. Somewhere between the late nights studying, walks through Georgetown, and spontaneous conversations after class, this place slowly starts to feel like home.

Hoya Saxa!