Congratulations to the Class of 2017! As your commencement approaches, on May 20, we asked some of your fellow graduates to reflect on their time at The University of Texas at Austin.
These leaders shared their advice on how to make the most of the Forty Acres in this video letter to the Longhorn community.
Featured Students:
Alexus Blake
Moody College of Communication, Communications Studies
Alexus Blake is a communications studies major with a minor in African and African diaspora studies and a Business Foundations Certificate. She is graduating in three years with no loans. During her time at UT Austin, she was a member of the Texas Darlins and National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
Andrew Byrne
Moody College of Communication, Advertising
Andrew Byrne is an international student from Cape Town, South Africa, graduating with a B.A. in advertising, a minor in French and a Business Foundations Certificate. During his time at UT Austin he was active in Student Government. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a career in fashion photography.
Luke Hart
College of Liberal Arts, Economics
President of Texas Silver Spurs
Luke Hart is graduating with a B.A. in economics and a minor in business administrations. He is also the 2016-17 president of the University of Texas Silver Spurs.
Kevin Helgren
College of Liberal Arts/College of Natural Sciences, Psychology/Neuroscience
Student Body President 2016-17
Kevin Helgren is graduating with a B.S. in neuroscience and psychology. During his time at UT, he was involved with Longhorn Band and Student Government, serving as student body president in 2016-17. After graduation, he is moving to Chicago to begin his career with Accenture.
Ala’a Ibrahim
Moody College of Communication, Journalism
Ala’a Ibrahim is graduating with a B.A. in multimedia journalism along with a certificate in business. She was also one of nine winners of the Roy W. Howard National Collegiate Reporting Competition from the Scripps Howard Foundation. She is president of UT Austin’s chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists.
Tricia Jackson
School of Law, Juris Doctor Program
Tricia Jackson is a Dean’s Fellow at the School of Law, graduating from the juris doctoral program. She is the student attorney for the Advanced Legislative Lawyering Clinic and the academic coordinator for the Thurgood Marshall Legal Society, the National Black Law Student Association at The University of Texas School of Law.
Tricia was also an undergrad at UT Austin and was a four-year Texas cheerleader. During law school she was also the assistant coach for the UT Austin Cheer & Pom teams.
Kelsey Lang
College of Liberal Arts, Economics
Texas Longhorns Women’s Basketball
Kelsey Lang played on the women’s basketball team for four years and is graduating with B.A. in economics and a business minor. She has been an academic All-Big 12 selection for four years and is a five-time selection to the Big 12 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
Cecilia Lopez
School of Nursing
Texas 4000
Cecilia Lopez is graduating from the Nursing Honors Program with a B.S. in nursing. In 2015 Cecilia was selected to ride in the Texas 4000, a competitive leadership program that trains students to be advocates for cancer awareness. As part of the program, she completed a charity bike ride from Texas to Alaska. Following this passion, she hopes to become a pediatric oncology nurse.
Katherine Magee
McCombs School of Business, Plan II
Katherine Magee is graduating with a B.A. in Plan II and business honors. While at UT, she has been heavily involved in Central Texas Model United Nations, the Senate of College Councils, the Next Generation Scholars program, and the Business Honors Program Steering Committee. She was named one of the Top 10 Business Majors graduating this year by CNBC. After graduation, she will work for Bain & Company in Dallas.
Paul Mannie
College of Liberal Arts, Government
President of Campus Events and Entertainment
Paul Mannie is graduating with a B.A. in government. He is the 2016-17 president of Campus Events + Entertainment and a board member of the Unions Board of Directors.
Michael Miyagi
College of Natural Sciences, Biology/Mathematics
Dean’s Scholars Honors
Michael Miyagi is graduating with a B.S. in biology and mathematics in the Dean’s Scholars honors program. After graduation, he will be going to Harvard University to continue his research on evolutionary genetics, specifically population genetics and phylogenetics theory.
Raul Pineda
College of Education, Applied Learning & Development
Raul Pineda is graduating with a B.A. in applied learning and development from the College of Education. He was a senior student associate in the Office of Strategy and Policy and he was the OnRamps Innovation Fellow for Instructional Design. His dedication to this role earned him the 2016-17 Student Employee of the Year Award. He was also a member of the University Scholarship Network and the UT Posse Scholars. He will join the Office of Strategy and Policy full time after graduation.
Josh Ruiz
School of Nursing
Navy ROTC
Josh Ruiz is graduating with a B.S. in nursing and completed the UT Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) program. He was involved with the University of Texas Navigators, a student ministry group. After graduation, he will be going to Guam to work at the U.S. Naval Hospital.
Mariana Silva
Cockrell School of Engineering, Civil Engineering
Mariana Silva is an international student from São Paulo, Brazil, who is graduating with a B.S. in civil engineering and a Bridging Disciplines Certificate in environment and sustainability. During her time at UT, she was part of a joint engineering and social work team that completed the service learning program Projects with Underserved Communities (PUC) in Tanzania.
Eli Sterbcow
College of Liberal Arts, Government
Foreman of Texas Cowboys
Eli Sterbcow is graduating with a B.A. in government with honors. During his time on the Forty Acres, he served as the foreman (president) of Texas Cowboys, as well as president of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity and as a Rec. Sports Committee Representative on Student Government. He plans to attend law school after graduation.
Georgia Whitley
School of Architecture, Interior Design
Georgia Whitley is graduating with a B.S. in interior design with honors. She wants to use her interior design degree to improve communities by improving how people interact with the space they inhabit. She is involved in numerous student organizations and is a member of the UT Women’s Rowing Team. In June, she will join a design firm in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Mary Vo
LBJ School of Public Affairs, Master of Global Policy Studies
Mary Vo is graduating with a Master of Global Policy Studies degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs. She is interested in urban growth in cities all over the world and is eager to join the field of international development in Asia. She was also an undergrad at UT.