Every Longhorn football fan is familiar with a particular call to action that plays on the big screen during the games at DKR, getting thousands of people on their feet. During one particularly hot afternoon game, I sat amidst the sea of orange and white and truly heard this message: “Get your bachelor's degree, get your master's, or get your PhD, but most of all...get your HORNS UP!" I watched the video skimming above the Austin highways at night then panning to the Tower aglow in burnt orange, and I knew I would take these words to heart. When life gives you lemons, you pursue more time at the University of Texas at Austin!

In addition to the impressive efficacy of Texas Athletics’ marketing team, I decided to continue my education through the integrated Master in Professional Accounting (iMPA) because I fell in love with the field by happenstance. So much about the world can be gleaned from accounting information, though this may not be immediately obvious. In Siena, Italy, art historians were able to configure the Gothic reconstruction of the Sansedoni Palace using tax records. As a country music fan myself, one of my favorite sagas is that of Willie Nelson’s album “The IRS Tapes: Who’ll Buy My Memories,” which was an incredible arrangement negotiated to pay off Willie’s tax liability. iMPA granted me every opportunity to delve deeper into these vastly differing aspects of accounting in both my education and my career (and an additional year on the Forty Acres could never hurt!).

Accounting has evolved significantly since the early record-keeping methods of Mesopotamia or the auditing systems of the Egyptians, and it will only continue to grow and adapt to our world. I am excited to be in this complex, exciting field and cannot wait to experience how it will change!

Major(s)
Business Honors; Accounting

Honors Program
Canfield Business Honors Program

Other Academic Interests
Art History; Core Texts and Ideas; Taxation

Extracurricular Activities
Texas Royals; Havird Lab; Undergraduate Art History Association

What drew you to the Forty Acres Scholars Program?
When I was first applying to the Forty Acres Scholars Program, never in a million years did I think I would actually be fortunate to have a place within the program as a scholar. After attending Finalist Weekend, I was completely enamored by the program but specifically by the camaraderie and impressive support system FASP provides for its scholars. Coming from a smaller town, the sheer size of UT was intimidating to me, but the tightly-knit microcosm FASP creates within the macrocosm of UT allows each of its scholars to embark on individual journeys without fear of lack of support or encouragement from fellow scholars and everyone involved in the program. I am excited to step out of my comfort zone and navigate all the new opportunities available to me at UT while also forming lifelong friendships with the unique and fascinating people I will meet through FASP!