When I arrived at the University of Texas at Austin as a freshman, I knew I enjoyed reading and writing. Over the next three years as a Forty Acres Scholar, my passions grew and sprawled across campus in ways I never expected. My love for writing first took me to an internship with a startup music news publication, which evolved into a lasting interest in music business and entrepreneurship. I now work at Euphoria Music Festival, where I’m developing skills in marketing, content writing, public relations and large scale event organization. I serve as a teaching assistant for a Music Journalism class at UT, sharpening my writing skills and feeding my love for music. As a part of Longhorn Entrepreneurship Agency, I stay connected to the Austin startup scene and constantly meet new leaders in innovation. This melding of interests allows me to pursue my passions on a daily basis, and because of Forty Acres I’ve also been able to pursue them abroad. I studied in Barcelona in the summer of 2015 and in Copenhagen in the spring of 2017. My recent semester in Copenhagen opened my eyes to the innovative sustainability efforts developing worldwide, and I have returned to Austin this fall hoping to pursue a career that will drive positive impact in environmentalism and sustainability.

Majors:

Plan II and Journalism

Honors Program:

Plan II Honors

Other Academic Interests:

Spanish Minor; Certificate in Core Texts and Ideas; Certificate in Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship

Extracurricular Activities:

On campus, I’m a proud member of UT Longhorn Entrepreneurship Agency and work as an Undergraduate Learning Assistant for Music into Words. Off campus, I intern with Microsessions Concert Series and Euphoria Festival. I also contribute writing and editing to Verge Campus, and I work intermittently as an independent editor via PaperFix Editing.

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

I was drawn to the Forty Acres Scholars Program by its open-minded outlook. Forty Acres listens to the scholars, innovates its practices based on new feedback and ideas, and truly strives to help each scholar succeed in any way possible. When I attended the Scholarship Weekend, The program repeatedly expressed a desire to continue developing through the years. This openness to adjustments and development revealed the Forty Acres’genuine investment in all scholars’ education.

Favorite FASP Memory

My favorite FASP memory is clinging to the slippery slope of Enchanted Rock on all fours after following pro-adventurer Greyson Rubin through some questionable caves. It was the junior retreat, and we had arrived a night early to camp together. As we all lay on our stomachs trying not to fall off the rocks laughing, I felt overwhelmingly grateful for the program for giving me my best friends.

What do you want prospective students to know about the University of Texas?

The University of Texas is a place where you can learn anything and everything. You can change your major seven times, add three minors, join five clubs and take classes you never knew existed. At a university this large, established and respected, your opportunities expand in amazing ways.