Growing up in the diverse community of Euless, Texas, and receiving an excellent education through the International Baccalaureate Program at Trinity High School gave me a thirst for a wide array of academic experiences. I love to study pretty much any subject and read a wide range of nonfiction literature and biographies/autobiographies. Of particular interest to me is how Americans interact with and shape the institutions around them. This has led to a career interest in national security and a passion for learning military history. Tied right into my passion for public service is a passion for nonprofit work — specifically volunteering with and interning for nonprofits. I actually chose to study government because of my high school experience in the YMCA Youth and Government Program. That program taught me how to articulate and defend my own beliefs and think critically about political issues, sparking a lifelong interest in debating current events. While my extracurriculars at UT generally fit right in with my academic and career interests, I also love being outdoors. I can often be found reading in a hammock near campus. I also love traveling and go every chance I get, though I will always be a native Texan at heart.

Majors:

Plan II Honors; Government; Minor in History 

Honors Program:

Plan II Honors

Other Academic Interests:

Latin American studies, Presidential and Military History

Extracurricular Activities:

Co-founder of SpeakHer, a Professional Development Organization for UT Women; Former Undergraduate Fellow with the Clements Center for National Security; Former Next Generation Scholar with the Strauss Center for International Security and Law; Former Policy Drafting Chair for the Senate of College Councils; Former intern at the YMCA Texas Youth and Government Program; Former Intern at the Association of Organizations of Mediterranean Businesswomen (AFAEMME) in Barcelona, Spain

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

Upon looking at the Forty Acres Scholars Program website as a senior in high school, I could immediately tell that FASP was about so much more than receiving a scholarship. It was evident to me that FASP was not only a group of excellent people with every accolade and promise of future success going for them, but also a tight-knit community of friends who would go to any length to use their extraordinary knowledge and skills to lift each other up. That impression was only amplified upon meeting scholars, hearing their testimonials, and seeing the program’s impact firsthand. As a scholar, I have been proven right again and again. We are so humbled and inspired by each other.

Favorite FASP Memory

Our sophomore year overnight scholar retreat has been my favorite FASP memory thus far. We had all only recently returned to campus for the fall semester of our second year at UT, and upon reconnecting, began sharing what we’d gotten involved in and how we’d grown since freshman year. It was so special to have dedicated time to catch up and hear how everyone had begun to find their own ways at UT.