Forty Acres Scholars Program Class of 2029 Finalists

The Forty Acres Scholars Program is proud to announce the 65 finalists for the Class of 2029. Admissions invited around 1,250 students to apply. Out of the 950 applications received, 153 semifinalists were chosen to advance to a video interview.This year’s finalists come from seven U.S. states and have been admitted to eleven different schools and colleges across the University. Many of them participate in nationally recognized organizations and competitions such as DECA and UIL. Many are also valedictorians, athletes, team captains, musicians, and student body presidents. Some are founders of nonprofits, school organizations, and online platforms; published authors; business owners; and researchers. They spend their time participating in countless hours of community service, leading clubs and organizations in their schools, and interning across the nation. From February 27 to March 1, 2025, these exceptional high school students will join us on campus to participate in Finalist Weekend. Activities will include visits to their admitted colleges, a mock class with a UT professor, campus and college tours, panels with current Forty Acres Scholars, optional daily activities, and an individual interview. The Forty Acres Scholars Program inspires and nurtures visionary leaders and helps them use their talents to benefit society. Our scholars demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a track record of outstanding academic success. Most importantly, they have passion and a desire to live out the core values of The University of Texas at Austin. The three tenets of the program are community, connection, and discovery. The program is a transformational adventure that helps individuals reach their full potential, and, alongside academic achievement, focuses on personal development, relationship building, and gaining perspective. As the only program of its kind administered by an alumni association, Forty Acres Scholars develop a unique relationship with their alma mater and graduate with an extraordinary network of Longhorns standing behind them.  Scholarship funding provides tuition, a living stipend, a book stipend, an enrichment stipend, and program activities. Meet the finalists: Aditi Ashok   Cumming, GA SOUTH FORSYTH HIGH SCHOOL   Isabelle Grace Bradshaw Ballard New York, NY AVENUES NEW YORK   Muna Baraso Garland, TX NORTH GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL   Weston Benner  Houston, TX BELLAIRE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Catherine Biard  Paris, TX PARIS HIGH SCHOOL   Claire Bradford Missouri City, TX BELLAIRE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Isabella BrennerMcAllen, TX MCALLEN MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL   Donovan Burke Willis, TX THE WOODLANDS COLLEGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Emmanuel CaracheoLaredo, TX UNITED HIGH SCHOOL   Bella ChramostaHouston, TX EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL   Anagha DeepakCedar Park, TX ROUND ROCK HIGH SCHOOL   Sienna Dierkes    Frisco, TX FRISCO HIGH SCHOOL   Ella Dillinger  Boerne, TX GENEVA SCHOOL OF BOERNE   Emilie Efendy Sugar Land, TX WILLIAM P. CLEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL   Elizabeth Falvo   San Antonio, TX ALAMO HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL   Michael Gearing   Georgetown, TX VISTA RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL   Sean Gelman    Marlboro, NJ MARLBORO HIGH SCHOOL   Caden GeorgeFort Worth, TX TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL   David GonzalezKingwood, TX KINGWOOD PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Mitul GouniAllen, TX ALLEN HIGH SCHOOL   Makenzie GriffithAubrey, TX RAY BRASWELL HIGH SCHOOL   Daniel GuoKaty, TX STRAKE JESUIT COLLEGE PREPARATORY   Anika Harpavat  Bellaire, TX ST. AGNES ACADEMY   Abby HaydonFrisco, TX CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL   Sarah HolmesDallas, TX HOCKADAY SCHOOL   Carlos Hsieh   El Paso, TX CORONADO HIGH SCHOOL   Romir Jain  Austin, TX WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL   Siyona Jain   Austin, TX WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL   Shivani Jayaraj  Frisco, TX INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL   Annabelle Judson Austin, TX ST. MICHAEL’S PREPARATORY   Alyssa Kang Little Neck, NY STUYVESANT HIGH SCHOOL   Milo Kaplan Denton, TX DENTON HIGH SCHOOL   Karys Karlow  Plano, TX TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY    Terry KimTyler, TX BROOK HILL SCHOOL   Hayden Kramer Bellaire, TX ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL    Brooke KupferbergNorth Caldwell, NJ WEST ESSEX SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Oluwatomi Lagbaja  Springfield, VA IMMANUEL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL   London LeeMcKinney, TX MCKINNEY BOYD HIGH SCHOOL   Crystal Liu  Beaumont, TX WEST BROOK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Michelle Lu  Addison, TX SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING MAGNET   Anisha Mandem  Prosper, TX PROSPER HIGH SCHOOL   Ellison MartinAustin, TX ANN RICHARDS SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS   Sanam Mehta   Syosset, NY SYOSSET HIGH SCHOOL   Gabriel Melo   Georgetown, TX ROUSE HIGH SCHOOL   Jawaad Merali Pflugerville, TX HENDRICKSON HIGH SCHOOL   Nishita Nekkanti  Little Elm, TX PANTHER CREEK HIGH SCHOOL   Iris Nicholson Austin, TX ANN RICHARDS SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS   Paari Palani  Allen, TX LOVEJOY HIGH SCHOOL   Anna Parker Houston, TX KINDER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS   Justin Pollack Irvine, CA UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL   Siri Ramineni  Katy, TX SEVEN LAKES HIGH SCHOOL   Mateo Ramirez-ValentinHouston, TX ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL   Miller RobertsAustin, TX WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL   Jerry Trey RolstonMidland, TX LEGACY HIGH SCHOOL   Annika Sawant  Carrollton, TX HEBRON HIGH SCHOOL   Caroline Scott  Dallas, TX HIGHLAND PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Aryan Shah Houston, TX THE VILLAGE SCHOOL   Annika Singh  Austin, TX STEPHEN F. AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL   Harun SyedAustin, TX MCNEIL HIGH SCHOOL   Mia Wang The Woodlands, TX THE WOODLANDS COLLEGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Mischa WijesekeraHouston, TX MIRABEAU B. LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL   Robert Lawson WoodwardCedar Park, TX VISTA RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL   Nolan Yee  Katy, TX JAMES E. TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL   Tiffany Zhang Katy, TX THE KINKAID SCHOOL   Caroline Zhou Rockville, MD RICHARD MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL  

Forty Acres Scholars Program Class of 2029 Finalists

The Forty Acres Scholars Program is proud to announce the 65 finalists for the Class of 2029. Admissions invited around 1,250 students to apply. Out of the 950 applications received, 153 semifinalists were chosen to advance to a video interview.This year’s finalists come from seven U.S. states and have been admitted to eleven different schools and colleges across the University. Many of them participate in nationally recognized organizations and competitions such as DECA and UIL. Many are also valedictorians, athletes, team captains, musicians, and student body presidents. Some are founders of nonprofits, school organizations, and online platforms; published authors; business owners; and researchers. They spend their time participating in countless hours of community service, leading clubs and organizations in their schools, and interning across the nation. From February 27 to March 1, 2025, these exceptional high school students will join us on campus to participate in Finalist Weekend. Activities will include visits to their admitted colleges, a mock class with a UT professor, campus and college tours, panels with current Forty Acres Scholars, optional daily activities, and an individual interview. The Forty Acres Scholars Program inspires and nurtures visionary leaders and helps them use their talents to benefit society. Our scholars demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a track record of outstanding academic success. Most importantly, they have passion and a desire to live out the core values of The University of Texas at Austin. The three tenets of the program are community, connection, and discovery. The program is a transformational adventure that helps individuals reach their full potential, and, alongside academic achievement, focuses on personal development, relationship building, and gaining perspective. As the only program of its kind administered by an alumni association, Forty Acres Scholars develop a unique relationship with their alma mater and graduate with an extraordinary network of Longhorns standing behind them.  Scholarship funding provides tuition, a living stipend, a book stipend, an enrichment stipend, and program activities. Meet the finalists: Aditi Ashok   Cumming, GA SOUTH FORSYTH HIGH SCHOOL   Isabelle Grace Bradshaw Ballard New York, NY AVENUES NEW YORK   Muna Baraso Garland, TX NORTH GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL   Weston Benner  Houston, TX BELLAIRE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Catherine Biard  Paris, TX PARIS HIGH SCHOOL   Claire Bradford Missouri City, TX BELLAIRE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Isabella BrennerMcAllen, TX MCALLEN MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL   Donovan Burke Willis, TX THE WOODLANDS COLLEGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Emmanuel CaracheoLaredo, TX UNITED HIGH SCHOOL   Bella ChramostaHouston, TX EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL   Anagha DeepakCedar Park, TX ROUND ROCK HIGH SCHOOL   Sienna Dierkes    Frisco, TX FRISCO HIGH SCHOOL   Ella Dillinger  Boerne, TX GENEVA SCHOOL OF BOERNE   Emilie Efendy Sugar Land, TX WILLIAM P. CLEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL   Elizabeth Falvo   San Antonio, TX ALAMO HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL   Michael Gearing   Georgetown, TX VISTA RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL   Sean Gelman    Marlboro, NJ MARLBORO HIGH SCHOOL   Caden GeorgeFort Worth, TX TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL   David GonzalezKingwood, TX KINGWOOD PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Mitul GouniAllen, TX ALLEN HIGH SCHOOL   Makenzie GriffithAubrey, TX RAY BRASWELL HIGH SCHOOL   Daniel GuoKaty, TX STRAKE JESUIT COLLEGE PREPARATORY   Anika Harpavat  Bellaire, TX ST. AGNES ACADEMY   Abby HaydonFrisco, TX CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL   Sarah HolmesDallas, TX HOCKADAY SCHOOL   Carlos Hsieh   El Paso, TX CORONADO HIGH SCHOOL   Romir Jain  Austin, TX WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL   Siyona Jain   Austin, TX WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL   Shivani Jayaraj  Frisco, TX INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL   Annabelle Judson Austin, TX ST. MICHAEL’S PREPARATORY   Alyssa Kang Little Neck, NY STUYVESANT HIGH SCHOOL   Milo Kaplan Denton, TX DENTON HIGH SCHOOL   Karys Karlow  Plano, TX TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY    Terry KimTyler, TX BROOK HILL SCHOOL   Hayden Kramer Bellaire, TX ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL    Brooke KupferbergNorth Caldwell, NJ WEST ESSEX SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Oluwatomi Lagbaja  Springfield, VA IMMANUEL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL   London LeeMcKinney, TX MCKINNEY BOYD HIGH SCHOOL   Crystal Liu  Beaumont, TX WEST BROOK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Michelle Lu  Addison, TX SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING MAGNET   Anisha Mandem  Prosper, TX PROSPER HIGH SCHOOL   Ellison MartinAustin, TX ANN RICHARDS SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS   Sanam Mehta   Syosset, NY SYOSSET HIGH SCHOOL   Gabriel Melo   Georgetown, TX ROUSE HIGH SCHOOL   Jawaad Merali Pflugerville, TX HENDRICKSON HIGH SCHOOL   Nishita Nekkanti  Little Elm, TX PANTHER CREEK HIGH SCHOOL   Iris Nicholson Austin, TX ANN RICHARDS SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS   Paari Palani  Allen, TX LOVEJOY HIGH SCHOOL   Anna Parker Houston, TX KINDER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS   Justin Pollack Irvine, CA UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL   Siri Ramineni  Katy, TX SEVEN LAKES HIGH SCHOOL   Mateo Ramirez-ValentinHouston, TX ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL   Miller RobertsAustin, TX WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL   Jerry Trey RolstonMidland, TX LEGACY HIGH SCHOOL   Annika Sawant  Carrollton, TX HEBRON HIGH SCHOOL   Caroline Scott  Dallas, TX HIGHLAND PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Aryan Shah Houston, TX THE VILLAGE SCHOOL   Annika Singh  Austin, TX STEPHEN F. AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL   Harun SyedAustin, TX MCNEIL HIGH SCHOOL   Mia Wang The Woodlands, TX THE WOODLANDS COLLEGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Mischa WijesekeraHouston, TX MIRABEAU B. LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL   Robert Lawson WoodwardCedar Park, TX VISTA RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL   Nolan Yee  Katy, TX JAMES E. TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL   Tiffany Zhang Katy, TX THE KINKAID SCHOOL   Caroline Zhou Rockville, MD RICHARD MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL  

Forty Acres Scholars Program Class of 2029 Finalists

The Forty Acres Scholars Program is proud to announce the 65 finalists for the Class of 2029. Admissions invited around 1,250 students to apply. Out of the 950 applications received, 153 semifinalists were chosen to advance to a video interview.This year’s finalists come from seven U.S. states and have been admitted to eleven different schools and colleges across the University. Many of them participate in nationally recognized organizations and competitions such as DECA and UIL. Many are also valedictorians, athletes, team captains, musicians, and student body presidents. Some are founders of nonprofits, school organizations, and online platforms; published authors; business owners; and researchers. They spend their time participating in countless hours of community service, leading clubs and organizations in their schools, and interning across the nation. From February 27 to March 1, 2025, these exceptional high school students will join us on campus to participate in Finalist Weekend. Activities will include visits to their admitted colleges, a mock class with a UT professor, campus and college tours, panels with current Forty Acres Scholars, optional daily activities, and an individual interview. The Forty Acres Scholars Program inspires and nurtures visionary leaders and helps them use their talents to benefit society. Our scholars demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a track record of outstanding academic success. Most importantly, they have passion and a desire to live out the core values of The University of Texas at Austin. The three tenets of the program are community, connection, and discovery. The program is a transformational adventure that helps individuals reach their full potential, and, alongside academic achievement, focuses on personal development, relationship building, and gaining perspective. As the only program of its kind administered by an alumni association, Forty Acres Scholars develop a unique relationship with their alma mater and graduate with an extraordinary network of Longhorns standing behind them.  Scholarship funding provides tuition, a living stipend, a book stipend, an enrichment stipend, and program activities. Meet the finalists: Aditi Ashok   Cumming, GA SOUTH FORSYTH HIGH SCHOOL   Isabelle Grace Bradshaw Ballard New York, NY AVENUES NEW YORK   Muna Baraso Garland, TX NORTH GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL   Weston Benner  Houston, TX BELLAIRE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Catherine Biard  Paris, TX PARIS HIGH SCHOOL   Claire Bradford Missouri City, TX BELLAIRE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Isabella BrennerMcAllen, TX MCALLEN MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL   Donovan Burke Willis, TX THE WOODLANDS COLLEGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Emmanuel CaracheoLaredo, TX UNITED HIGH SCHOOL   Bella ChramostaHouston, TX EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL   Anagha DeepakCedar Park, TX ROUND ROCK HIGH SCHOOL   Sienna Dierkes    Frisco, TX FRISCO HIGH SCHOOL   Ella Dillinger  Boerne, TX GENEVA SCHOOL OF BOERNE   Emilie Efendy Sugar Land, TX WILLIAM P. CLEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL   Elizabeth Falvo   San Antonio, TX ALAMO HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL   Michael Gearing   Georgetown, TX VISTA RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL   Sean Gelman    Marlboro, NJ MARLBORO HIGH SCHOOL   Caden GeorgeFort Worth, TX TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL   David GonzalezKingwood, TX KINGWOOD PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Mitul GouniAllen, TX ALLEN HIGH SCHOOL   Makenzie GriffithAubrey, TX RAY BRASWELL HIGH SCHOOL   Daniel GuoKaty, TX STRAKE JESUIT COLLEGE PREPARATORY   Anika Harpavat  Bellaire, TX ST. AGNES ACADEMY   Abby HaydonFrisco, TX CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL   Sarah HolmesDallas, TX HOCKADAY SCHOOL   Carlos Hsieh   El Paso, TX CORONADO HIGH SCHOOL   Romir Jain  Austin, TX WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL   Siyona Jain   Austin, TX WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL   Shivani Jayaraj  Frisco, TX INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL   Annabelle Judson Austin, TX ST. MICHAEL’S PREPARATORY   Alyssa Kang Little Neck, NY STUYVESANT HIGH SCHOOL   Milo Kaplan Denton, TX DENTON HIGH SCHOOL   Karys Karlow  Plano, TX TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY    Terry KimTyler, TX BROOK HILL SCHOOL   Hayden Kramer Bellaire, TX ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL    Brooke KupferbergNorth Caldwell, NJ WEST ESSEX SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Oluwatomi Lagbaja  Springfield, VA IMMANUEL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL   London LeeMcKinney, TX MCKINNEY BOYD HIGH SCHOOL   Crystal Liu  Beaumont, TX WEST BROOK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL   Michelle Lu  Addison, TX SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING MAGNET   Anisha Mandem  Prosper, TX PROSPER HIGH SCHOOL   Ellison MartinAustin, TX ANN RICHARDS SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS   Sanam Mehta   Syosset, NY SYOSSET HIGH SCHOOL   Gabriel Melo   Georgetown, TX ROUSE HIGH SCHOOL   Jawaad Merali Pflugerville, TX HENDRICKSON HIGH SCHOOL   Nishita Nekkanti  Little Elm, TX PANTHER CREEK HIGH SCHOOL   Iris Nicholson Austin, TX ANN RICHARDS SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN LEADERS   Paari Palani  Allen, TX LOVEJOY HIGH SCHOOL   Anna Parker Houston, TX KINDER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS   Justin Pollack Irvine, CA UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL   Siri Ramineni  Katy, TX SEVEN LAKES HIGH SCHOOL   Mateo Ramirez-ValentinHouston, TX ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL   Miller RobertsAustin, TX WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL   Jerry Trey RolstonMidland, TX LEGACY HIGH SCHOOL   Annika Sawant  Carrollton, TX HEBRON HIGH SCHOOL   Caroline Scott  Dallas, TX HIGHLAND PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Aryan Shah Houston, TX THE VILLAGE SCHOOL   Annika Singh  Austin, TX STEPHEN F. AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL   Harun SyedAustin, TX MCNEIL HIGH SCHOOL   Mia Wang The Woodlands, TX THE WOODLANDS COLLEGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL   Mischa WijesekeraHouston, TX MIRABEAU B. LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL   Robert Lawson WoodwardCedar Park, TX VISTA RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL   Nolan Yee  Katy, TX JAMES E. TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL   Tiffany Zhang Katy, TX THE KINKAID SCHOOL   Caroline Zhou Rockville, MD RICHARD MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL