Abigail Trahan

Growing up as a Trahan has molded me into the person I am. There is nothing that could encapsulate that more than our family staple dish: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo.

The beginning of the gumbo is the roux. Without it, the whole dish would not exist, yet it is impossible to perfect. Step one: the oil. ¾ of a cup of this foundational liquid becomes the base of a delectable dish. In my life this ingredient is the Great American Game: football. My entire family and life revolves around it. I have learned to appreciate and resent the sport. I love to watch the game, but I have been yanked from place to place following my dad’s career as a head coach. The sport keeps me on my toes, but also has forced me to adapt to new changes, and taught me social skills that will last me a lifetime.

Crucial to the development of the roux, 1 cup of flour is slowly added to the oil. The two are stirred for an unhurried hour transforming from a creamy white to a robust chocolate color, binding and thickening over time. Flour is like the quality of love: plain and simple at first, it develops into something deep and cementing. As the roux matures, it is similar to the ripening love that I am constantly surrounded by. The longer the roux is heated, the denser it becomes equating to the support I have experienced from my family. All the flour I need is found in them. After the roux forms, other ingredients add limitless flavor and value to the meal that feels like home.

Onions, bell peppers, and celery, the Holy Trinity, are added and stirred until they shine like crystals providing balance and depth. These add-ins, small, and easily overlooked, are indispensable to the Trahan family, as are the qualities of trust, kindness, and humor. Trust, learned through hard conversations with my friends and family, walks hand in hand with humor, making difficult conversations just a little easier and lightening the atmosphere. Whether it is listening to my friends confiding in me, harvesting my dad’s advice to “kill em with kindness,” or laughing with my grandfather at his favorite dad jokes, these qualities are deeply rooted in my character.

It is the chicken stock that brings the gumbo from a roux to a meal and becomes the nesting place for the next ingredient, the protein. There is no “Chicken and Sausage Gumbo" without those two fixings. Two links of Andouille Sausage are sliced and thrown into the pot adding fragrance and soul. Similarly, my dad is always releasing zest into our pot with the change that comes from his job as I have had to learn to constantly adapt to new situations. Thankfully, soulful but fiery attributes of the sausage are balanced with the calmness of the chicken. Cooked separately, it is neutrally seasoned. The chicken pairs perfectly with the sausage and effectively captures its flavors. My mom is the chicken in my life’s gumbo. She is calm, supportive, and the touchstone that keeps us steady. Together, the chicken and sausage, like my parents, bring heart to the table, teaching me no matter how many ingredients are added or how much heat we face, balance is essential. I carry that with me still.

My gumbo wouldn’t be right without a generous amount of Cajun seasoning, bringing everything into harmony. The magic dust is my sister, Anne, essential to the flavor of who I am. She reveals to me that she will always be a staple flavor in my pot. My life is shaped by a unique medley of people, qualities, and challenges that ebb and flow to construct the definition of who I am. Similarly, it is the unique medley of components my family uses that makes the Trahan Chicken and Sausage Gumbo the perfect pot of gumbo.

Growing up with my dad, a football coach at both college and high school levels, going to games, and watching hours and hours of college football on TV, I have developed a strong appreciation for not only the sport itself, but all of the behind the scenes work that is needed to build a successful program. For all of my life I have been surrounded by recruiting trips, gameday operations, and the culture of a football staff and team. It inspired me to want to work in the sports world, specifically with a college football program in the realm of operations, recruiting, and communications. I see the communications major as the best way to prepare me for this. Through communications, I will learn to manage relationships, coordination, and work to make football operations perceived in an ideal form. Working behind the scenes, I will have the role of managing the coaches schedules, organizing official visits for recruits, and being a support to the creative team in branding and content. The many skills that communications will teach me such as, interpersonal relationship building and strong communication abilities, are all prevalent in the area of football operations that I am looking forward to making stronger. I want to be a person that can be counted on to make the program strong. I will bring passion into my work and through the communications major, my love for the sport of football can be transformed into a significant and effective career.

Major
Public Relations 

Other Academic Interests
A potential minor in Sports Management

What drew you to the Forty Acres Scholars Program?
I first heard about the program when I attended one of the current scholars' high school graduation ceremonies. Her Head of School announced her as a Forty acres Scholar, and as a longtime Longhorn fan I was immediately intrigued. As the application process began, I became more connected to alumni and scholars who have been impacted by this program and was blown away by the way that this program was talked about.