I am a fourth year student in the Business Honors Program pursing a Master in Professional Accounting degree. I have loved the past three years at the University of Texas and cannot imagine being anywhere else. Originally from Houston, I attended Stratford High School. I thought I would go out of state for college, but as it came time to make that decision, it became abundantly clear that UT was the place for me. I fell in love with the campus, Austin, and the Longhorn community. The Forty Acres Scholars Program sealed the deal. Since coming to UT, I got involved with a variety of things. My freshman year, I joined Tri Delta, became a Longhorn Legislative Aide within Student Government, and got involved with Young Life. At the end of my freshman year, I got placed on the UT Young Life College Team. During the summer after my freshman year, I was a counselor at Camp Ozark in Arkansas. Afterwards, I was a leader on the Stratford Young Life trip to Windy Gap, a Young Life Camp in North Carolina. To wrap up the summer, I went on a 17 day road trip along the East Coast all the way to Niagara Falls. During my sophomore year, I continued my involvement with Tri Delta and Young Life. I also volunteered with Capital Community, a service opportunity to teach basic financial literacy skills to younger kids. In the spring, I became Academic Development Chairman of Tri Delta. I also served on the Forty Acres Finalist Weekend Planning Committee. After my sophomore year, I spent the summer studying abroad. I went abroad early to backpack and then spent six weeks in London through the McCombs Finance study abroad program. We took one finance class taught by McCombs faculty and one marketing class at the London School of Economics. London quickly became one of my favorite cities. We were able to explore 15 countries in those 10 weeks and I am so thankful for the experience. I began the Integrated Master in Professional Accounting Program at the beginning of my junior year. I had always enjoyed accounting and knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be in the top accounting program in the nation. I moved into the role of Vice President of Chapter Development within Tri Delta in the fall and became a Co-Team Leader on the Young Life College Team. In December, I became the Tri Delta President. Junior year involved recruiting for accounting internships, and I signed with Deloitte Houston Tax for Spring 2018 and Deloitte London Tax for Summer 2018. I spent the past summer in Austin taking classes for MPA and enjoying the city and the people around me. This year, I will finish out my role as Tri Delta President and continue serving on the UT College Team. A perk of the 5 year MPA program is that I get to enjoy an extra summer and an extra year on campus.

Majors:

Business Honors; Master in Professional Accounting

Honors Program:

Business Honors

Other Academic Interests:

Finance Minor

Extracurricular Activities:

Tri Delta – Academic Development Chair, VP Chapter Development, President Young Life College Team

What drew you to the Forty Acres Scholars Program (FASP)?

The Forty Acres Scholars Program truly sealed my decision to attend the University of Texas at Austin. As a prospective student, I was drawn to the opportunities it provided and the community it fostered. The opportunities available through this program are unmatched. I’ve gotten to meet distinguished alumni, attend networking events, and grow more than I could have imagined. Through the enrichment funding, I was able to study abroad and explore 15 different countries. Because of different Texas Exes events, I’ve been able to connect with alumni and build a network in fields I’m interested in pursuing. Through this program, I have met the most incredible people who have become some of my best friends. They are incredibly smart, driven, and thoughtful. Everyone wants to see others succeed and will bend over backwards to help another out. These friendships began during Finalist Weekend and were solidified through our freshman year retreat. We’ve continued to develop those friendships, and I’m so excited to go to Machu Picchu with my cohort in January.

Favorite FASP Memory

Floating the river in New Braunfels with my cohort in the pouring rain last spring.

What do you want prospective students to know about the University of Texas?

The University of Texas has it all. It’s a large university, which may seem overwhelming at first, but it has resources and opportunities that you cannot find other places. You can make a big university feel small, but you can’t make a small university feel big. It may be cliched, but it’s incredibly true. I cannot walk across campus without seeing a dozen people that I know. I know my professors personally – they have shown interest in my success both inside and outside the classroom. UT has a huge alumni base that is always willing to help and provide resources to students. Austin is hands down the best place to go to school – we have a beautiful campus, a growing startup and tech community, a lively political scene, the best restaurants, and plenty of outdoor activities for all.