Refraction: the process of bending light as it moves from one medium to another. As light passes through a prism, it is dispersed within its planes and angles, painting each streak into vivid bands of color to create a rainbow. Our community of Forty Acres Scholars is vibrantly tinted in its own rainbow; each Scholar refracts through their prisms and is illuminated through the mediums of community, connection, and discovery to paint their individual streaks of light. Through these mediums, I’ve learned to experience the world with a prismatic vision, seeking to brighten the canvases of my communities with coruscating colors.

My ray of light sprang through the medium of community. As a youth volunteer and Portuguese teacher, this ray never stopped ricocheting—I constantly bounced around, adjusting to my students’ needs. Whether through helping them develop reading comprehension and self-confidence in speech or learning how to make savory Brazilian classics like pastels together, building community with my students augmented my ray. Learning from each other, we painted our class’s canvas with the radiant colors of Brazilian culture.

Through the medium of connection, I built long-lasting friendships while delving into the intersection of business, nonprofits, and government. I worked alongside innovators in the nonprofit sector as a Bank of America Student Leader, finding solutions to pressing problems across seven school districts in Central Texas. Dedicated to increasing educational equity, I grew as a leader while gleaning from community drivers building the backbone of Austin. As a Forty Acres Scholar, my work in illuminating the brilliance of our city isn’t done. Alongside our glowing scholar cohort, I continue to serve and research, making the 512 shine even brighter.

Through discovery, I’ve learned to open my eyes to fresh perspectives. Blessed to travel to France, Italy, and Mexico, I fueled my innate curiosity while experiencing diverse cultures. From studying Caravaggio’s The Entombment of Christ to exploring the Mayan ruins of Chacchoben, my interest was piqued by rich, abundant history. The Forty Acres program allows me to light this curiosity up further—studying abroad with the scholarship’s travel stipend, I aspire to unlock my full potential through endless opportunities to discover. Whether sampling unique foods, participating in philanthropic service, or trying to master a new language, being part of the Scholars cohort will power my lightbulb of curiosity.

These mediums have marked my journey emphatically; my light has refracted through each, creating a luminescent wave of color that represents my work in fostering community, building connections, and seeking discovery. As a Forty Acres Scholar, I aim to combine my prism’s rainbow with the collection of light that embraces UT. Continuing to uphold these pillars, I seek to refract my light to brighten our community of Longhorns.

Major
Business Honors

Honors Program
Canfield Business Honors

Other Academic Interests
Analytics and Business of Sports, Marketing

What drew you to the Forty Acres Scholars Program?
Living near Austin, I always knew UT was going to be the place for me. What I didn’t expect was to meet such a kind, genuine community of amazing people right out the gate. Immediately following Finalist Weekend, I understood that while the program provided several great opportunities, I found myself most attached to the community. Getting to know everybody better during Freshman Retreat only confirmed this for me; each scholar is not only incredibly accomplished, but also down-to-earth and interesting to converse with. Everyone brings such a diverse set of experiences and paths to FASP, creating a strongly tight-knit community that I am forever grateful to be part of.