My experiences at UT have hinged on two themes: teamwork and curiosity. Both these themes have been rooted in my life from an early age and continue to drive the paths I have chosen to pursue on campus. As for teamwork, growing up as a triplet with two brothers has meant that I have been on a team since birth. In high school, my experiences on the varsity swimming and water polo teams furthered my passion for working with others to reach collective goals. In college, I have had countless opportunities to work on teams. For example, a group of my friends and I provided consulting services to a local tech startup helping redefine his business model and formulate significant growth strategies in just eight weeks. Additionally, I have worked with others to create a new energy finance student organization that now boasts over 35 members and an investment portfolio of over $10K. As for curiosity, my pursuits on campus have rarely followed a straight line. Perhaps the best example is my decision to major in disciplines as (seemingly) disparate as finance and government, which has allowed me to simultaneously learn about the inner workings of the public and private sectors of society. Additionally, I chose to study abroad in London so I could gain an appreciation for the subtle, if not hidden, differences between British and American culture and learn about international affairs in a truly global city. After college, I hope to work in a field that allows me to collaborate with the smartest minds in business, use my curiosity to delve into new areas and seek out understanding, and ultimately change the world.

Majors:

Business Honors; Finance; Government

Honors Program:

Business Honors

Other Academic Interests:

Financial Products, Political Economy, Public Policy

Extracurricular Activities:

Longhorn Energy Investment Team – Co-Founder and Analyst Team Leader; Student Consulting Initiative – Director of Programming; Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Public Relations Chair; Statoil ASA – Finance Intern (Summer 2017); The Crossnore Group – Government Relations Intern (Spring 2017)

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

I was drawn to the Forty Acres Scholars Program for three main reasons. The first is that the Forty Acres Scholars Program provides an arena for forming close bonds with diverse and talented individuals from a variety of academic disciplines on campus. This allows scholars to make friends who share different interests and learn from one another in an intimate, friendly, and collaborative environment. The second reason is that the financial package that the program provides scholars with the financial flexibility to explore their passions. For me, the enrichment funding the program offers enabled me to study abroad in London and travel around Europe, providing me with new cultural perspectives and global understanding that I might not have had otherwise. The third reason is the program’s “more than just a full ride” mentality. I realized that coming out of high school, many colleges could offer me a scholarship, but very few could offer the valuable programming that the Forty Acres Scholars Program provides to ensure scholars are having a rewarding and valuable experience at UT. In fact, the programming opportunities provided to connect with alumni and others at the highest level of their profession has set me on a career path that I did not anticipate when arriving on campus and which I could not be more excited about.

Favorite FASP Memory

My favorite FASP memory is using my enrichment funding to study abroad in London during the summer after my freshman year. Being able to take international relations and political economy courses at the London School of Economics was an amazing experience, especially because my learning in the classroom was augmented by getting to witness the Brexit referendum and its aftermath in person. While in London, the FASP staff also connected me with the Texas Exes United Kingdom chapter, so I was able to meet with several UK-based Longhorns and talk with them about how their post-college journeys landed them across the pond. It was truly a phenomenal experience that was only made possible by the Forty Acres Scholars Program.