#WVUTech Alumni Spotlight: Vinicius Rios, '19

Remind us of your hometown.

I am from São José dos Campos, a city in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. It's a pretty big city, way different than my first experience in Montgomery, haha.

Where do you live now?

Princeton, West Virginia

Why did you choose to attend WVU Tech?

I had a good childhood friend, who is also an alumni from WVU Tech, Anderson Nagasaki. We swam together back in Brazil and he came to Tech two years before me. He was the one who told me about Tech and helped me connect with the swimming coach at the time. I didn't really look for any other universities, as I knew Anderson was here, so it kind of helped me to make my decision to come to Tech. I also knew that we had some good swimmers on the team, which played a role in my decision too. And at the end, I was just really excited to start college in the U.S.

What is your fondest memory from your time at Tech?

I have two really great memories. The first was during my sophomore year, which was Anderson's senior year, we won our conference championship and we swam together in the 400m Free Relay. The second one was during my senior year during Nationals, where I became an All-American in the 400m free relay, swimming with three great friends of mine, Felipe Ruiz, Paulo Ignacio and Manuel Gomez.

Who had the biggest influence on you during your career as a Golden Bear?

My teammates were a great influence to me, but I believe that Paulo was the one that really helped me to focus on aspects I needed in order to improve my swimming.

Who was your favorite professor(s) at Tech?

I had a lot of classes with Dr. Liu and Dr. Kim, and I really enjoyed those classes.

What accomplishments at WVU Tech are you most proud of?

Getting my Bachelor's degree is without a doubt one of my biggest accomplishments.

What is the most valuable thing you gained from your time as a Golden Bear?

The friends I made during my time at Tech. Even nowadays, I keep in touch with most of the people I met during college. I met my wife during college, and Anderson, Paulo and Felipe were part of my wedding.

What was your favorite non-athletic activity at WVU Tech?

Homecoming week was always fun.

Did you have an opportunity to continue your athletic career?

I didn't. After graduation I didn't have much time to keep swimming, but I hope I can get back into it soon.

Are you still playing sports right now?

I am hoping to start CrossFit sometime soon.

What accomplishments after WVU Tech are you most proud of?

It might sound cliché but marrying my best friend; we met in college and finally tied the knot last May. On a more professional aspect, getting my M.S. in Strategic Communication from Radford University.

What advice can you give current student-athletes?

Enjoy the college experience. Being a student-athlete is really demanding, but try to remind yourself to take time to enjoy with friends. West Virginia is such a beautiful state, so go outdoors.

How did your athletic involvement aid in the path that you chose following graduation?

I want to work in communications within the sports industry, more specifically the digital communication/marketing aspect of college athletics; and swimming has definitely played a role in this.