Honor Cohort

Orienne Cairns

Liberal Arts Honors, Psychology, Sociology

I began my college experience with some very deep-rooted expectations about the exact trajectory of the next four years; I was incorrect in every way. I’m very grateful to have been so wrong because it granted me freedom from self-imposed boundaries and allowed me to explore and create connections. My first year at UT is best summed up as a year of building these connections. The relationships I was able to begin building with classmates, mentors, and professors have already helped me, and I can’t wait to see their progression. This year also allowed me to find connections between my interests and pursue opportunities in several different arenas, all of which have been invaluable to me.

My first big surprise of the year was that there’s an upper-limit on the number of hours UT students can take. So even though I couldn’t take the 30 hours of coursework I had naively wanted, I was extremely lucky to take a few small classes which invited thoughtful conversation. My government class, for instance, placed such an emphasis on active participation in thought that I’ve decided to pursue a public policy certificate to continue thinking about big questions in grounded ways. Similarly, my experience in an introductory psychology class proved to be such a positive experience that I’ve joined several psychology based organizations on campus.

Specifically, the connections I made in the psychology program connected me with a group of students who are extremely committed to mental health, and in getting closer with them, I found myself with perhaps the highlight of my freshman year. I was fortunate enough to get involved with a new peer-to-peer listening foundation on campus, the Peace of Mind Foundation. Through this organization, I’ve been able to build skills in community outreach, active listening, and crisis management. I’m especially looking forward to increasing our outreach and campus presence in the upcoming semesters.

In a similar vein, I was able to begin my journey in research at UT. This year, I became a research assistant in the Griffin Cognition and Communication lab. So far, this experience has helped lay the foundation for future research while granting me numerous opportunities to work directly with participants, code projects, and analyze data.

This first year at UT far surpassed my expectations and laid the groundwork for the next three years. It was the unexpected highlights that stand out most clearly to me, looking back on this year, reminding me not to get bogged down by expectations of how things should be and instead to find opportunities as they arise. As I approach sophomore year, I hope to continue building the soft skills I’ve found all across UT. This summer has been another great opportunity to work on these important but nonspecific skills. I’ve been working in a local restaurant, which has taught me a considerable amount about organization and effective communication to ensure smooth sailing, not to mention putting me in a new environment. Further, taking a few courses over the summer has allowed me to flex my time-management muscles to balance my responsibilities. I can safely say that I’m looking forward to all of the new challenges, opportunities, and relationships UT in general, and the Dedman Program more specifically, have to offer.

Calista Kayatta

Plan II Honors, Classical Languages

I have always found that I function best with far too many things on my plate, and my freshman year at UT did nothing to disprove that theory. I spent most of the year racing from one commitment to the next—usually carrying a coffee, a half-finished reading, and making the questionable life decision of having a granola bar for lunch…again—but I would not have had it any other way.

The UT Classics Department quickly became my second home. I threw myself into nearly every corner of department life, from PowerPoint nights and Classics trivia to potlucks, ancient games, and Mithras. One personal highlight was playing sand volleyball for our Eta Sigma Phi intramural team and witnessing the historic occasion of us winning our first (and only) game. I have loved attending Linear B class every Monday and learning yet another ancient language that is, if nothing else, professionally impractical and intellectually irresistible. Beyond the classroom, I joined Dr. Campa’s research cohort, helping develop a database of Ancient Greek migration and getting my first real taste of academic research.

Writing has always been one of my favorite ways to make sense of the world, but this year was the first time I was able to move beyond literary analysis and write about questions that genuinely mattered to me. Whether writing for the Texas Undergraduate Law Journal about the abusive practice of “diesel therapy” in the private prison transportation systems or publishing “What Do We Owe to the Gods?” in Hapax Legomena, the undergraduate Classics journal, I discovered how rewarding it is to connect research with issues I care deeply about. Finding my voice as a writer also reinforced something I have always valued: honor. It felt fitting to be part of the Honor Cohort because, to me, honor is less about recognition than responsibility. In an age of manufactured work product and online anonymity, it is increasingly easy to avoid ownership of our own words and ideas. Choosing to stand behind them—with integrity—is something I believe matters.

Outside the classroom, I found equally meaningful opportunities to become part of the Austin community. Through the Plan II KIPP Partnership, I worked with students on writing and college applications, helping them navigate a process that had felt overwhelming to me not long ago. As a Walker Fellow, I have worked alongside a cohort developing community-based initiatives to improve nutritional literacy through cooking workshops, recipe cards, couponing guides, and practical budgeting resources. I have always believed that lasting change comes from giving people tools rather than temporary solutions, and this project has shown me what that philosophy looks like in practice.

This past May, I fulfilled one of my lifelong dreams by studying abroad in Greece. Standing on the steps of Delphi, I felt years of reading and studying suddenly become tangible. As I looked up at the ruins of the temple, I imagined the harrowing words γνῶθι σεαυτόν gazing down on me and I understood why so many had made this pilgrimage– every once in a while the journey is in fact the answer.

Since returning from Greece, I have clerked at a law firm for a second year, assisting with legal research, drafting demands, and case organization, while also spending part of the summer teaching public speaking and Model UN to middle school students. Both experiences reminded me that whether I am learning, researching, writing, or teaching, I am happiest when I get to keep asking questions.

My goal has never been to become the world’s greatest specialist in a single thing. Instead, I aspire to collect skills the way some people collect souvenirs, so that I may be rich in knowledge in my senescence. Reading remains my favorite pastime (ask me about my Classics scratch-off poster), but I also spend my free time crocheting mythical creatures and occasionally wandering into entirely new hobbies, including baking, welding, whittling, and painting.

More than anything, I am excited to join a community of people who will challenge my assumptions, introduce me to new ideas, and inevitably convince me to add a few more things to my ever-overflowing plate.

Rohan Satija

Plan II Honors, Psychology B.S.

The Panchatantra, India’s oldest collection of fables, was written to teach princes statecraft without boring them with said statecraft. The lessons were hidden inside stories about clever crows and cunning crocodiles, presented through the side door because the front door rarely works. Growing up with these tales, I absorbed this logic without realizing, and my freshman year at UT ran on this principle.

The community that surprised me most was Texas Raas. I came in knowing nothing about competitive Indian folk dance and spent my fall learning intensive choreography that drew on what had been passed down for generations. By spring, I was parading my neon orange and turquoise kediyu across Atlanta, Orlando, Philadelphia, and D.C., and we ended up winning first place at every bid competition we entered. We also built our own stage sets, a massive Phineas and Ferb themed backdrop that included floating clouds and a replica of Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated. Winning felt incredible because every part of our performance was student-built.

The other thing I built this year was QuietCare, a privacy and care navigation kit that helps UT students access confidential mental health support. I developed it as part of the Intervention Development team for the Mental Health Initiative for South Asians (MHISA). The project came from something I’ve watched happen in South Asian communities my whole life: the question “log kya kahenge,” what will people say, quietly closing the door on care before anyone even reaches for the handle. QuietCare tries to open that door from the inside.

I also spent my fall semester as a JED Youth Advocacy Coalition fellow, writing policy memos and literature reviews on youth mental health access. The fellowship culminated with a trip to Washington D.C., where I met directly with Senate and House offices to share my recommendations. Advocating on Capitol Hill reinforced how critical youth voices are in high-level policy spaces. In the spring, I deepened my policy experience by joining the Policy Committee of UT’s Business Healthcare Association, where my team researched policy gaps and eventually presented a poster on the national physician shortage.

This summer took me to numerous mental health conferences and summits in Washington D.C., New York City, upstate New York, and San Antonio (where I discovered what I can only describe as a life-altering breakfast taco). Most mornings, I worked as a Registered Behavioral Technician, running therapy sessions with kids on the autism spectrum. Most afternoons, I led book donation drives for my elementary-focused nonprofit, Let’s Learn Foundation. I’m even writing this the night before I leave for Camp Kesem, where I’ll spend a week as a counselor for children whose parents have cancer. Working with kids who are carrying something big has been the through-line of this entire summer, and it remains the most grounding thing I do.

I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Dedman family this fall. The community feels like a place where the side door is always open, and I can’t wait to walk through it.

Beau Thompson

Plan II Honors, Neuroscience

As I finished my first year at the University of Texas and headed home for the summer, I quickly realized I needed to find a response to the question, “How was your first year at college?” because I was going to be asked it more times than I could count. The answer to this relatively simple conversation starter eluded me as I attempted to identify any form of sufficient measurement I could use to describe the best year of my life. I had no idea where to start because of the sheer number of experiences I had as a freshman—ranging from my enjoyable academic journey to the countless wonderful people I met and interacted with daily. Eventually, I refined my answer to highlight the amazing classes I took with my new community of peers in a city with some really good coffee.

Throughout the year, I navigated through two contrasting worlds: Plan II and premedical sciences. I found my World Literature class for Plan II deeply fulfilling as I read seminal texts of the Western literary tradition and analyzed the diverse techniques that notable writers such as Homer and Jane Austen utilized. My Genetics and Chemistry classes collaboratively laid a foundation in the sciences that I can continue to build upon as I progress through my education. I joined the Aptamers Lab to put my coursework into practice and study blood-based diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid vasculitis.

One of the great benefits of attending UT is the abundance of opportunity the school and its students provide outside of traditional coursework. Within student-run organizations, I am an active member of Longhorn EMS and the Policy Chair for the Business Healthcare Association, where I research policy-based measures to ensure clarity in private equity acquisitions of hospitals and clinics. I hold an officer position in Global Medical Brigades, an organization focused on expanding sustainable healthcare models in developing countries. Outside of UT, I volunteer at St. David’s Medical Center and Casa Marianella, a shelter for asylum seekers.

This summer, I earned my EMT certification while shadowing physicians and paramedics in the ER at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. The many days and nights spent in the Emergency Room were a daunting challenge for my determination, but I left each shift with a clearer vision of my future in healthcare. My invaluable experiences in the ER, from influential patient conversations to performing CPR, refined my career goals and provided me with a clinical foundation I can carry with me throughout my pre-med journey.

Beyond my academics and life at UT, I frequently venture into the outdoors in various ways, including hiking, mountain biking, paddleboarding, and scuba diving. My time spent in nature profoundly deepens and strengthens my faith, allowing me to slow down and find the respite I need from the fast-paced life characteristic of college. It is safe to say I am looking forward to the fall DDSP retreat!

I am incredibly grateful to be joining the supportive community of Dedman Scholars and am eager to see how being part of such an incredible group will change my time on the Forty Acres in the coming year. From the Monday Meetings to the various planned experiences, I cannot wait to develop lasting friendships and learn valuable lessons that I can carry with me at UT and beyond.