Forty Acres Scholars Program Class of 2028 Announced
Posted May 17, 2024
The Texas Exes is pleased to announce the Forty Acres Scholars Program Class of 2028. This program inspires and nurtures visionary leaders and helps them use their talents to benefit society. From February 29 to March 2, 52 impressive finalists joined our staff and current Scholars on the UT campus for a full weekend showcasing life on the Forty Acres. The weekend included visits to their admitted colleges, a mock class with a UT professor, a field tour of the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, networking dinners, informative panels, and more—all concluding with an individual interview.
Today, we are thrilled to introduce you to our 18 new and exceptional Forty Acres Scholars. Among the incoming class are founders of community service programs, school clubs, and businesses. Also in the mix are four high school valedictorians and six AP Scholars with Distinction. Many more are decorated varsity athletes, team captains, club presidents, musicians, and entrepreneurs.
These Scholars will receive full funding for their tuition, a living stipend, a book stipend, and opportunities for enrichment activities including a global experience, professional and personal development, volunteer and service opportunities, and the chance to help further their education. As the only program of its kind administered by an alumni association, the Forty Acres Scholars Program helps Scholars develop a unique connection with their alma mater—and with each other. Over their four years on campus, Scholar cohorts form a tight bond with each other and serve as a powerful network and resource to each other during their time on campus and beyond.
Meet the Class of 2028:
Ashley Abrahams from Prosper, Texas, is the recipient of the Stamps Forty Acres Scholarship supported by the Trabold Family. While attending Prosper High School, Abrahams held the position of president for the North Texas and Oklahoma region for BBYO (the largest international, teen-led, Jewish youth movement). In BBYO, she also served as a talent administrative assistant to help plan and lead their 2024 International Convention, which brought together more than 60 countries and 5,000 attendees. She was Prosper High School's student council class president in her freshman and junior year and parliamentarian in her sophomore year. She has earned her nursing aide certification (CNA) which allowed her to volunteer at her local nursing home. She has trained to become a patient care technician (PCT), working in a variety of departments at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center. She also has a mentorship with a registered dietician and has worked with her to write a research paper on the gut-brain axis. Her awards and recognitions include College Board AP Scholar with Distinction; The Golden Star of Deborah award, an international award for outstanding leadership contributions, awarded by BBYO; and Collin College Health Science Symposium Award of Recognition, awarded by a supervising professor based on her research on Lewy-Body Dementia. Abrahams plans to major in biology, with hopes to pursue the ethics & leadership in health care certificate. She is the daughter of Jennifer and Howard Abrahams.
Anjum Alam from Houston, Texas, is the recipient of the Stamps Forty Acres Scholarship supported by the Barrett Family. While attending Cypress Creek High School, Alam has been the Editor-in-Chief of her school's newspaper for the past two years where she has written articles on McKinney Vento, New Arrival Centers, and Texas House Bill 114. She has represented her school's UIL Academics team by placing in the categories of Feature Writing, News Writing, and Copy Editing in timed writing competitions. Most recently, she had the privilege of interning with The Borgen Project where she reported on the topics of foreign aid and poverty prevention. At her school, Alam is the President of the Band program, Interact Club, and National English Honor Society. She was selected to represent her school at both Texas Bluebonnet Girls State and HOBY Leadership Seminar, where she has since returned to volunteer each year. Her awards and recognitions include receiving Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for seven works, qualifying for national adjudication for four of them. In 2023, Alam was longlisted by the Pulitzer Center's Fighting Words Poetry Contest for "Jannah," a poem amplifying the Iranian climate crisis. She was also selected as an Austin Film Festival Short Screenplay Quarterfinalist in 2023 for "Palo," a screenplay that follows an estranged family in 1970s West Texas. Alam plans to major in Journalism with interests in English and Radio-Television-Film. She is the daughter of Dr. Shanzida Alam and Mr. Mohd J. Alam.
Anna Kate Albritton from Dallas, Texas, is the recipient of the Newton-Flawn Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Highland Park High School, Albritton was a member of the Spirited Scots Cheer team, serving as a captain her senior year. The team is part of a national organization called Generation Spirit, bringing together students both with and without disabilities to spread inclusivity. She started a club called SOAR which provides one-on-one mentorship relationships between the students in the special education program and high school students. She was also a Camp Barnabas missionary counselor throughout high school, getting the opportunity to serve individuals with disabilities and further developing skills in aiding adults and children with special needs. Albritton played field hockey her freshman and sophomore year, serving as the junior varsity captain her sophomore year. She is also very involved in the Best Buddies program and Special Olympics program. Her awards and recognitions include National Honor Society member and National Science Honor Society member, the Bronze Community Service award two years in a row (100+ hours in a school year), the Gold Community Service award this year (250+ hours in a school year), and an art award for drawing and composition which resulted in her art being placed in the district-wide art show in the Moody Advanced Professional Studies program at Highland Park. Albritton plans to major in Special Education and to explore more in child development and psychology—possibly speech pathology or other therapies to help children with and without disabilities. She is the daughter of Katie Rea and Ford Albritton.
Myshae Allen from San Angelo, Texas, is the recipient of the Preston M. “Pete” Geren Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Central High School, Allen was founder & president of the Goodfellow Air Force Base STEM Club, vice president of the Software House high school coding club, and the DECA chief financial officer & state finalist. He was also the military youth representative at the Pentagon as a Military Youth of the Year National Finalist and received honorary coins from a two-star rear admiral, a captain of the Coast Guard, and the president & CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Beyond these achievements, Allen was also a National Honor Society member, a three-time UIL Computer Science and Number Sense district champion, VEX Robotics team leader, and church volunteer. He is fluent in Korean. His awards and recognitions include a two-time Texas Military Youth of the Year (MYOY), Southwest Regional MYOY & National Finalist for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, an AP Scholar with Distinction, and two National African American Recognition Awards. Allen plans to major in computer science with a full stack software development certificate. He is the son of Grace and LaMont Allen.
Awas Amin from Southlake, Texas, is the recipient of the Pauline Allen Gill Forty Acres Scholarship as well as the Marilyn Marshall White Enrichment Award. While attending Carroll Senior High School, Amin was the board member and teacher of the White's Chapel Refugee Initiative, a refugee resettlement agency that provides services to the local refugee community. She teaches an English class and a citizenship class, which prepares refugees to pass their naturalization test and attain their United States citizenship. She also founded a nonprofit called The Plushie Project, selling handmade crochet plushies with the proceeds going to the International Rescue Committee, an organization that supports incoming refugees and provides aid to countries in crisis globally. Amin was the social officer of her high school’s varsity speech and debate team and has competed in various events, including Lincoln Douglass and World Schools Debate, since middle school. During the summer before her senior year, she interned at the Dallas Museum of Art as a teen ambassador, creating art tours and leading gallery teaching and art-making experiences for guests. She also loves to play the guitar in her free time. Her awards and recognitions include National Merit Scholarship Commended Student, an AP Scholar with Distinction, and TFA Debate State Championship qualifier. Amin plans to major in Canfield Business Honors and Plan II Honors with an interest in international business. She is the daughter of Aryan and Yama Amin.
Alison Beanblossom from Winnetka, Illinois, is the recipient of the Carol and Jeff Heller Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending New Trier High School, Beanblossom served as the first ever business & operations manager of the New Trier varsity football team, the Illinois DECA vice president of philanthropy, and the RUSH Hospital junior board president. She loves sports business and hopes to get involved with the business side of Texas Athletics. Her awards and recognitions include being a National Merit Finalist, the Illinois State Scholar for Outstanding Academic Achievement, and second in State for Entrepreneurship (DECA). Beanblossom plans to major in Canfield Business Honors with hopes to explore finance, real estate, and an analytics & business of sports minor. She is the daughter of Lara and Brad Beanblossom.
Emma Corbell from Frisco, Texas, is the recipient of the Vicky and S. Javaid Anwar Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Lone Star High School, Corbell served as senior class president, varsity cheer captain, and National Honor Society president. She speaks French and has lived in four countries. Her awards and recognitions include 2023 ALA Girls Nation Most Outstanding Senator and National Merit Commended Scholar. She graduated summa cum laude. Corbell plans to major in Canfield Business Honors with hopes to explore government, public policy, and either Chinese or Spanish. She is the daughter of Caroline and Cliff Corbell.
Catherin Guerra from Rio Grande City, Texas, is the recipient of the Stamps Forty Acres Scholarship supported by Lana Jones O’Hara and Will O’Hara. While attending Grulla High School, Guerra was the Grulla High School salutatorian, Starr County Youth Coalition chairperson, and cheer captain. She is also the oldest of eight siblings. Her awards and recognitions include being a National Honors Society member, a Channel 5 News Student of the Week nominee, and a clinical research internship at the Doctors Hospital at Renaissance. Guerra plans to major in Nursing with a minor in Spanish. She is the daughter of Carolina de la Garza and Eligio Salinas.
Lindsey Karkowsky from Houston, Texas, is the recipient of the Stamps Forty Acres Scholarship supported by the Suzanne and Garrett Quinn Family. While attending The Kinkaid School, Karkowsky served as the Governing Council president, editor-in-chief of the school yearbook, a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Candidate, and co-chair of the LLS Junior Leadership Committee. At Kinkaid, Lindsey filmed and edited the first program of Talon TV, where she created weekly videos to drive community engagement and awareness of activities. She also advises small businesses on social media strategy and content creation. Her awards and recognitions include the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, the Kinkaid Committed to Learning Award, and the Kinkaid Citizenship Award. Karkowsky plans to major in advertising and hopes to take business and marketing classes at the graduate level. She is the daughter of Elizabeth and Frank Karkowsky.
Lucy Katz from Houston, Texas, is the recipient of the Robert C. and Fallon B. Vaughn Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Episcopal High School, Katz was a Teen Council member at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the founder and president of Women's Empowerment Club, and a four-year member of Episcopal High School's filmmaking program. Her awards and recognitions include AP Scholar with Distinction, second place in the animation category and $1,000 prize winner at BAM! film festival, and six-time Scholastic regional key award winner (four gold and two silver). Katz plans to major in English and Plan II Honors with hopes to explore business and art history. She is the daughter of Kristen and Matthew Katz.
Walton Kunu from Missouri City, Texas, is the recipient of the AIM Foundation Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending The Village High School, Kunu served as National Honor Society president; founder & CEO of WhoGotNzxt, a business that gives high school athletes a platform to aid their college athletics journey via social media; and a member of the Black Student Union. He was also on the men’s varsity basketball team for four years and coached at Armored Sports, a Christian sports camp. His awards and recognitions include 2023 Junior Achievement Rising Star Award in his entrepreneurship program, University of Houston WCE Think Tank Competition (earning first place and $3,000 in seed money), and TAPPS All-District Team for basketball. Kunu plans to major in business with a minor in economics. He is the son of Helen Kunu.
Macy McAfee from Houston, Texas, is the recipient of the John and Charlotte Henderson Longhorn Village Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Stratford High School, McAfee served as president of both the Health Occupation Students of America and the Tri Theta Spirit Organization, where she fostered school spirit through a variety of activities, including creating signs for varsity players and other groups, organizing game attendance, and coordinating themed events. She also qualified for the State Leadership Conference for competition in clinical nursing; hosted several community-wide blood drives, amassing over 400 donors; and founded the dance program at Family Point Resources, a community center serving economically disadvantaged youth. McAfee worked as the blogger and photographer on a medical mission trip to Guatemala through Faith in Practice. Her awards and recognitions include being a finalist for the “Character Without Question” award for exemplifying strong character and serving as a positive role model to others, a nominee for the TUTS Outstanding Director Award for student directing a musical through the International Thespian Society, and a two-time recipient of the National Charity League Orange Rose Award for the highest number of leadership hours in the class. She graduated as valedictorian. McAfee plans to major in Nursing Honors. She is the daughter of Kara and Trey McAfee.
Aubrey Menz from Boerne, Texas, is the recipient of the Elizabeth Shatto Massey and John H. Massey Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Boerne High School, Menz was class president for her sophomore, junior, and senior year; a peer-elected Inaugural Hope Squad suicide prevention council member, organizing various kindness campaigns, hosting “Hope Weeks,” and acting as a trained outlet for struggling students; and president of Mu Alpha Theta. She also served on her church's teen leadership team, organizing retreats and leading a youth ministry program for middle school students, and volunteered as a YMCA volleyball coach. Menz played varsity volleyball at her high school. Her awards and recognitions include AP Distinguished Scholar, Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award Recipient, and two-time recipient of Boerne High School's “Best All-Around Student” award. She graduated as valedictorian. Menz plans to major in Canfield Business Honors and explore management information systems or business analytics. She is the daughter of Anne Marie and Richard Menz.
Michael O'Connor from Arlington Heights, Illinois, is the recipient of the Stamps Forty Acres Scholarship supported by Marc and Jan Myers. While attending Saint Viator High School, O’Connor served as Investment Team president, Math Team captain, and varsity soccer captain. He lived abroad in Singapore for nearly five years and is a triplet. His awards and recognitions include National Honor Society Scholarship Winner and AP Scholar with Distinction, and Eagle Scout. For his Eagle project, O’Connor worked with the El Niño Rey Mission to provide impoverished youth in Quechultenango, Mexico, with basic dental hygiene essentials. Through collection drives, he collected more than 2,000 dental hygiene products, including 300 kits that will service six months' worth of patients at the El Niño Rey clinic. O’Connor plans to major in Canfield Business Honors and finance with a minor in data science. He is the son of Rachael and Michael O’Connor.
Eeshwar Parasuramuni from Frisco, Texas, is the recipient of the Stamps Forty Acres Scholarship supported by the Caroline and Brian Haley Family, as well as the Chevron Enrichment Award. While attending Frisco High School, Parasuramuni was the author and illustrator of the Tuffy the Barbarian series, following a young barbarian named Tuffy on his adventures where he learns life-changing lessons. After writing the books, he went on a book tour, speaking to more than 500 students about Tuffy, writing, and the importance of pursuing creative passions. After the release of ChatGPT, he searched for ways to utilize AI to benefit students across the world, leading to the creation of Notable, which has been in beta testing on the UT Austin campus since October 2023. Parasuramuni volunteers alongside the weCareCharity, helping to raise more than $1,000 to purchase socks, blankets, and food for the homeless. He has been playing basketball since he was 5 years old and aims to win a few intramural championships at UT. His awards and recognitions include IncubatorEDU district champion and national quarterfinalist, Code Launch Pitch Competition quarterfinalist, and National Merit Scholar. Parasuramuni plans to major in electrical and computer engineering while also pursuing a minor in entrepreneurship, creative writing, or music. He is the son of Hema and Rama Parasuramuni.
Luke Sotelo from San Antonio, Texas, is the recipient of the BHP Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Antonian College Preparatory High School, Sotelo was the co-founder and president of the Apache Business and Investment Club, a four-year Student Council member, historian and vice president for Antonian’s Executive Board, two-year class president, and a team leader for the IHS and Kairos retreats. In one of his early entrepreneurial ventures, he sold a pair of Air Jordan 11s to Longhorn legend Vince Young via Instagram direct message. His awards and recognitions include National Merit Commended Scholar; the James Kittel Hall of Fame Scholarship, awarded to one male and one female of Antonian’s junior class for senior year tuition based on academic and athletic achievement; and 2024 All-State Honorable Mention as goalkeeper. He graduated as valedictorian. Sotelo plans to major in Canfield Business Honors with a major in either finance or management information systems, and a certificate in core texts & ideas through the Jefferson Scholars Program. He is the son of Kelly and Rudy Sotelo.
Chiamaka Uwalaka from Houston, Texas is the recipient of the AIM Foundation Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending Carnegie Vanguard High School, Uwalaka was the curriculum development lead for the startup Type-Along Co and a biology teacher and teaching assistant at the Kinkaid School’s summer program. She held multiple research positions, including conducting biology research at Songwon International America’s lab and chemistry research at Texas Southern University. Uwalaka is Nigerian, and she has a bunny named Fufu who inspires her to try to use only cruelty-free products. She loves art and poster-making, journalism, and creative writing, as well as going to the gym. Her awards and recognitions include being a Coca-Cola Scholar semifinalist; a Questbridge College Prep Scholar/National College Match finalist; and multiple UIL Writing wins in editorial writing, feature writing, and news writing. Uwalaka plans to major in public health with a possible minor in journalism. She is the daughter of Amoge and Kenneth Uwalaka.
Landon von Minden from La Grange, Texas, is the recipient of the Charles David Sammons Forty Acres Scholarship. While attending La Grange High School, von Minden was the National Honors Society president, as well as the class president for all four years. He served on his school district's strategic planning committee in 2023, helping to create the district's five-year strategic plan. He also helped to start LG Computers 4 All, a volunteer group that refurbished and donated more than 130 computers during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling broader access to events and education as the community shifted online. While volunteering for LG Computers 4 All, he launched a website and co-authored a 40-page guide teaching users how to use a computer, since many had never used one before. He is also currently working on getting his real estate license to pursue a job in apartment locating while studying at UT. His awards and recognitions include Commended National Merit Scholar, an AP Scholar with Distinction, and 3rd Place State in UIL Current Issues and Events. He graduated as valedictorian. Von Minden plans to major in Canfield Business Honors with a potential minor in entrepreneurship and/or government. He is the son of Misti and Bradley von Minden.
