Mariana Ribeiro

Athlete, Educator/Teacher, Scientist, Student, World traveler

I’m a university professional and researcher passionate about the intersection between education, sports, and social transformation. I hold a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Public Administration, and I’m currently pursuing a PhD in Business Administration at PPGA/Udesc Esag, where I focus on marketing, institutional communication, and university sports. At the State University of Santa Catarina (Udesc Esag), I work as the Coordinator of University Extension, leading initiatives that connect academia and society through collaborative projects. I coordinate the extension program “University Sports and Social Transformation,” which brings together three projects — Sports in Schools, Sports for Health, and Sports and Management — using sport as a tool to promote inclusion, citizenship, and leadership. In 2024, I was nominated by Udesc to join the National Council of Higher Education Institutions of the Brazilian University Sports Confederation (CBDU) and was later elected to the CBDU Board of Directors, contributing to the strengthening of university sports on a national level.

I’m passionate about the power of sports to transform lives! And not just through competition, but through connection, inclusion, and personal growth. For me, university sports are a bridge between knowledge and experience, between personal development and collective transformation. They teach discipline, empathy, teamwork, and resilience — values that extend far beyond the game.

I’m really good at making Brazilian brigadeiro!