Gisele Mendes elected rector of State University of Maringá

Professor Gisele Mendes de Carvalho has been elected rector of the State University of Maringá (UEM) for the 2026-2030 term. Running as part of the ‘Em Defesa da UEM’ ticket alongside vice-rector elect Geovanio Edervaldo Rossato, the duo won the second round of voting with 51.7% of the valid votes (4,331 votes) against the ‘União e Modernização’ ticket led by Romel Dias Vanderlei (3,872 votes).

Mendes becomes only the second woman to lead the institution in its 56-year history, following Neusa Altoé. The winning ticket saw strong support among students and university agents, while tying with the opposing ticket among faculty members.

The new administration plans to focus on defending university autonomy and addressing infrastructure challenges, including building maintenance, laboratory modernization, and securing increased budget allocations from the state government. The inauguration is expected to take place in early October.