FRESHMAN COHORT

Compassion

Josianne Alwardi

Neerul Gupta

Anuraag Routray

Josh Russell

Josianne Alwardi

Plan II/International Relations & Government
Allen, TX

I am a recent graduate of Allen High School in Allen, Texas. Over the course of my high school career, I competed in Speech and Debate, Mock Trial, and DECA, sung in choir, and founded an ESL mentoring program to help students acclimate to Allen and improve their English. Outside of school, I served as the Institutional Chair on the City of Allen Census Committee, taught Sunday school every week, and tutored kids from around the world in English and math via Skype. At UT, I will be majoring in both Plan II and International Relations & Global Studies, and I look forward to learning Arabic in the nation’s best Arabic flagship program. I hope to use my time at UT to pursue my passion for international law and Middle Eastern politics, and I can’t wait to join the Dedman community, explore Austin, study abroad, and attend football games post COVID-19!

Neerul Gupta

Liberal Arts Honors/Psychology
Frisco, TX

I graduated from Centennial High School in Frisco Texas. During my four years, I was heavily involved in Speech and Debate, serving as vice president, ranking third in Texas in Informative Speaking, and qualifying for the national competition two years in a row. I represented my school at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership conference as an ambassador my junior year and returned the following summer to work as a junior facilitator. In school, I was also a member in the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America team, winning the national championship in Illustrated Talk my junior year. Outside of school, I worked as a swim instructor at Emler Swim School for two years. I served as Vice President of Service for the Junior Frisco Women’s League, a leadership and volunteering organization. My interest in psychology blossomed into a love as I worked with psychologists and researchers across the DFW metro area. At UT, I look forward to late night studying with friends, exploring all of Austin’s vegan restaurants (post-coronavirus, of course), and FaceTiming my quarantine puppy back home. I am thrilled to study psychology as a Liberal Arts Honors student and become part of the Dedman community!

Anuraag Routray

Plan II/Government
Katy, TX

I graduated from Cinco Ranch High School in June of 2020. I was heavily involved in debate, where I gradually worked my way to becoming the top ranked Public Forum debater in the country, while also leading my school’s robotics team to the semi-finals of the World Championships. Outside of school I was active in Boy Scouts, earning my Eagle and completing a trek in the New Mexican Mountains. I’m planning on majoring in Plan II and Government, and can’t wait to be part of the Dedman Family while exploring Austin’s amazing food scene.

Josh Russell

Plan II/Rhetoric & Writing
Leander, Texas

Recently, I finished my high school career abruptly as covid-19 put a halt to the world. While my time as a senior did not meet an end anyone saw coming, I’m excited to begin a new journey as a Texas Longhorn. I originally grew up in Michigan, but I’ve spent the second half of my life so far in Texas. I fell in love with writing spoken word and poetry, exploring the beauty of nature, and sprinting. When I’m not doing these things, I can be found raving about the latest book I’m reading, cramping up from laughing with my friends, playing with any animal I come across, and eating all the food in my kitchen. At my high school, I held the record for the 100m dash and founded a freestyle writing club which hosted the school’s first ever poetry slam. I also founded and led a summer track and field relay team which made it to junior Olympic qualifying meets. My plan is to study Plan II Honors along with Rhetoric & Writing, to both broaden my mind across multiple disciplines and still focus on my passion for words. While I do so, I hope to travel to as many parts of the world as I can, immersing myself in its various languages and cultures. I will no doubt continue to write and share my art with the world, while also working to one day become a college professor of Comparative Literature. I’m beyond grateful and excited to be a part of the Dedman family, and I look forward to all the good times to come!