Chandler Groves
Sarah M. and Charles E. Seay Forty Acres Scholarship
Forty Acres Scholars Class of 2019
Hometown
Southlake, TX
High School
Carroll Senior High School

As a fourth-generation Longhorn, attending The University of Texas at Austin has always been a tradition in my family. My great-grandfather was the captain of the UT football team back in 1933, and it’s always been my dream to make the same level of impact that he did on the UT Austin campus. I decided to attend UT after traveling from my hometown of Southlake, Texas, to Austin for Forty Acres Finalist Weekend. I was blown away by the excitement of our campus and the sense of community of the Forty Acres Scholars Program. Much of my time on the Forty Acres has been spent working in the nonprofit sector and social impact-oriented organizations on campus. I’ve interned for two nonprofits – Feeding Texas and Well Aware – including a summer spent serving the Austin community as a VISTA. After graduating, I plan to pursue a career in consulting and want to establish a nonprofit consulting enterprise based in Austin.

Majors:

Business Honors; Plan II; Finance

Honors Program:

Business Honors; Plan II Honors

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

The Forty Acres Scholars Program convinced me to attend The University of Texas at Austin because it is more than a scholarship – it is a community of friends equally invested in each other’s success. This program instantly set me up for success by placing me in a community of students each devoted to making change on our campus in a unique way. We are a diverse group, and our combined motivation to help each other succeed on our campus creates a unique, powerful sense of community.

Favorite FASP Memory

Retreat! Every year, each cohort takes a weekend (or longer!) trip to a destination of their choice. Last semester, the Class of 2019 cohort hiked Canyon Lake Gorge outside of Austin, and we rented out a house to spend the weekend together as a class. We are all busy students at UT, so it is often difficult to find time to spend together as a cohort. However, each year at the retreat we pick up right where we left off, and some of my best friends are fellow scholars in the Class of 2019.