SENIOR COHORT

Téa Anderson

Liberal Arts Honors/American Studies/Radio, Television, and Film

In the early part of 2020, I came across a short poem, “And when the storm was over, everyone danced, new flowers bloomed, and we were all gifted new beginnings.” It has been a source of comfort and guidance, even becoming my computer’s background as something to look forward to. This last year has been challenging for everyone, to varying degrees. I am grateful for my health and my loved ones’ health. I am also appreciative of being able to continue my education and community involvement.

Over the last year, there have been a series of storms, as well as moments of sun. After five fully-remote summer courses, I felt more adapted for the fall semester in a digital landscape. Through my courses, I was able to deep dive into the world of film noir with Dr. Noah Isenberg, something I knew little about. I also took classes on advertising, the main themes of American culture, and even two digital media courses with fellow Dedman, Ingrid Piña! As part of my course load, I was able to work on many creative projects, one of which being a short documentary that focused on interviewing women and the stories behind their favorite pair of shoes.

Outside of classes in the fall, I was fortunate to find new and different ways of connecting to students and staff on campus. I was an Undergraduate Learning Assistant for Dr. Madeleine Redlick. It was the first semester of the course Introduction to Communication Foundations and we had over eight hundred students enrolled in the course! It was amazing to work with a team of ULAs in order to support student success in an online environment. I was also a part of the Undergraduate Teaching Assistant humanities team with Dr. Elon Lang as part of the Professionalism in Healthcare course. As part of this role, I worked closely with other UGTAs and a cohort of sixteen students as we developed research and writing skills throughout the semester. I also spent time volunteering as a mentor and a presenter for the Leadership and Ethics Institute. I worked with a cohort of students to develop their leadership skills, as well as present a variety of workshops to different student organizations. I participated in CoachUT as well, a program that allowed me to meet with a leadership development coach, which has truly been one of the most eye-opening and impactful experiences I’ve had at UT.

After spending the fall focusing on media-related courses, I spent the spring focused on my interests in American studies. This led to a wide array of course topics, from the food culture in America to the presentations of the prison system in films and television shows and how that impacts cultural memory. These were smaller, seminar-style courses that allowed me to get to know my classmates and professors even more than normal semesters. We had daily check-ins, and one of my professors even showed us her collection of beans. These classes also allowed me to complete projects and papers that I wouldn’t have expected. I wrote research papers on topics spanning from the role of food culture as part of the Las Vegas tourism industry to a critical analysis of the role of the gulag in Muppets Most Wanted. I also explored the intricacies of oral history in my Preserving Austin, Texas Queer History course, which allowed me to interview two people, activist Trella Ann Laughlin and Maggie Lea, co-founder of Cheer-Up Charlie’s. I transcribed these interviews and they have been donated to the Austin History Center as part of the course! Although my focus was on the liberal arts this semester, I did take a video editing course that allowed me to edit raw footage from the AMC show Mad Men, as well as ABC’s Alias, which was created by J.J. Abrams! It was such a unique experience and it reminded me that even online, UT is a special university with world class professors and opportunities.

I continued on as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Professionalism in Health Professions in the spring as well. Focusing less on research and writing skills, we worked on weekly critical thinking exercises and public speaking activities. I also became a Student Assistant in the Leadership and Ethics Institute. I worked with other students and full-time faculty to raise money for the office during the Forty for Forty campaign. We also overhauled our curriculum to be more accessible in an online environment, which included creating an engagement portal and presenting leadership development workshops to student organizations online. I was also one of two student panelists on “Making Lemons into Lemonade: Online Learning during COVID” for Moody College of Communication’s Advisory Council. It was both really cool and daunting to share my experience of online learning with leaders in the college!

Although interactions behind a screen were not always ideal, it did allow for some unique opportunities. I was able to be a virtual audience member for the battle rounds of NBC’s The Voice! I also found ways to safely engage with friends, whether it was social distancing in Aoife’s garden, or Lori hosting a game of The Oregon Trail over Zoom. I am very much looking forward to resuming the Dedman intramural soccer team this academic year (hopefully!). This summer, I will be continuing to work with the Leadership and Ethics Institute. I will be promoting our office at freshman and transfer orientations sessions, as well as assisting the office as it rebrands to the Texas LEAD office this fall! In addition, I am working on a Public Relations certificate. I’m also dabbling in new hobbies and skills as I’ve officially completed my first carpentry project with my dad!

I am so grateful for the graciousness of the Dedman family. Through this program, I have received the best Buc-ee’s gift basket, opportunities, and friends that I could have ever asked for. I was also able to obtain a new computer that was essential for my studies this year because of the generosity of the Dedman family. I am looking forward to more dancing, more flowers, and more new beginnings this fall. Hook ‘em!

Madison Ketter

Plan II/Business Honors Program

I would like to start off by saying thank you to the Dedman family for their gracious contribution and support. Their generosity has truly blessed me and my family.

This was an unprecedented time for all of us. I never thought I’d be spending my junior year at home, but there I was sitting in my childhood bedroom. I’m blessed to say that I was still able to find joy in the chaos. The fall semester I took Sociocultural Influences on Learning taught by Dr. Brown. This class opened my eyes to how different structural influences impacted the way I, and other students learn. I’m beyond grateful for Dr. Brown and her course because I learned so much about myself and how I could make an impact on our educational system. I also got to take Organizational Behaviors with Professor Trent that gave me necessary life skills to be a better leader and mentor. This class inspired me and pushed my understanding of community and leadership.

The spring semester I enrolled in the History of West Africa. I truly appreciated learning new insights from Dr. Falola. The class was meaningful for me because I got to learn more about where my people came from and the unique experiences those that stayed on the continent experienced. This year we had our first virtual recruitment for Novas and recognized our first graduating seniors who have now become Supernovas. I am so thankful to my amazing officer team for working to foster community during difficult times. Next year I will be stepping down from President and look forward to watching the new leadership take over and grow our organization. I am so honored to have worked with my fellow Dedman, Brynna, on the BHSA officer team. I loved assisting with the BSO workshop, participating in game nights, and developing our sweatshirt design. I can’t wait for what we will continue to accomplish as an organization next year. Additionally, I took a leap of faith, no pun intended, and joined a Christ-centered sorority Sigma Phi Lambda. I am excited to say I will be serving as the co-service officer and on the worship team next year.

Throughout this difficult semester I’m so blessed to continue to work for Tiffany Galligan at Too Good Strategy. It’s been such a wonderful experience to work under a female entrepreneur who aspires to make change. I’ve gotten the opportunity to hone in on my marketing skills by creating social media content and newsletters, learn more about problem solving by engaging in client projects and overall how to be a better person. This summer I will continue to work for Too Good Strategy and can’t wait to see what the rest of this year will unfold.

Aoife McDonnell

Plan II/International Relations & Global Studies

As I write this bio in the summer of 2021 (in New York City!) and look back on last year’s bio, I am struck by how quickly this year has gone by! I think that it is fair to say that from a global level to a personal level, the 2020-2021 academic year is one that we are unlikely to forget.

In an unexpected turn of events, I found myself starting the school year taking my online classes from Ireland; I was very grateful to be able to take my classes from over 5,000 miles away, though I was not a fan of taking classes at 11pm! After returning to Texas in early October, I settled into a rhythm of school work, spending time with my family and small dog (Bobby!), Facetiming friends, and taking long walks as the seasons flew by.

Despite the sharp contrast of online classes, I feel that I truly found my niche within my coursework this year. I was very fortunate that my professors took the time to make their Zoom classes engaging and stimulating. After long deliberation, I decided to declare “arts, media, and culture” as my track within my International Relations major. This has turned out to be the perfect choice for me as I was able to dive into anthropology, cultural geography, and sociology classes. In one of my favorite track courses, taught by Dedman mentor Dr. Weinreb, I was able to further explore my interest in studying and analyzing urban spaces. I had a great time working on the class’s final group project with fellow Dedman scholar, Milena! I also finished up my French minor this year and enjoyed practicing my French skills (and watching French TV shows) with another fellow Dedman scholar, Hailey, over Zoom!

Through the Plan II Honors program, I took one of my favorite classes so far at UT: the “Best Pictures” signature course. In this class, we watched and analyzed the best movies of 2019, handpicked by the professor, Dr. Kornhaber. Through this course I was able to attend my first ever film festivals, the Austin Film Festival and South By Southwest! We were also fortunate enough to have an array of amazing guest speakers ranging from New York Times film critics to Oscar-winning sound engineers. I also enjoyed the opportunity to improve my fiction writing skills through the workshops and author visits that were part of Plan II’s “Writing Narratives” course. Classes and experiences like these make me feel so grateful for the multidisciplinary nature of the Plan II Program.

I further explored the arts, media, and culture world through my role as a film reader in Apricity, UT’s international literary and arts magazine. I loved learning about the behind-the-scenes work involved in putting together a literary and arts magazine. I also enjoyed the chance to meet some new people over Zoom! I am looking forward to returning to Apricity next year as its performing arts editor! I also had the opportunity to work as a research assistant to Dr. Thompson as she compiled a collection of interviews about multiple Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. All of these experiences have allowed me to see tangible results of my passions and I am so excited to continue following these interests back on campus this fall.

This summer, thanks to the generosity of the Dedman family, I will be spending 4 weeks in New York City through UT’s African and African American Diaspora Studies department “domestic study abroad” program. My classmates and I will be staying in Greenwich Village and studying New York as a global and transnational city with the city itself as our classroom. Additionally, during my time in New York, I will be working on an independent research project on collective memory under the guidance of Dr. Tang.

This has been a year like no other, and I am so grateful for the Dedman community and for the security of the Dedman scholarship during these stressful times. The online group and cohort meetings, the online ceremonies, and the lovely holiday gifts we received from the Dedman family further reinforced the sense of support and togetherness that characterizes the Dedman Distinguished Scholars Program. I cannot put into words how excited I am to see everyone in person when we return to UT in the fall! Though I am unsure of what the future looks like, I am very reassured to have this community by my side.

I am so very appreciative of the Dedman family’s generosity. As I head into my final year at UT, it is clear to me that this scholarship has transformed, deepened and enriched my academic experience and has led to close friendships and a sense of community. I am also very grateful to Julie Casey and Dr. Musick for helping to foster this sense of community. From the bottom of my heart, go raibh míle maith agat (a thousand thank you’s)!

Cesar Martinez

Plan II

I feel blessed to finish my third year of college thanks to the incredible support of the Dedman Distinguished Scholars Program.

In the fall, I undertook an independent research course on Biblical and classical rabbinic wisdom literature with Dr. Schofer from the Religious Studies department. I learned so much in the course, and I am eager to begin my Plan II thesis this fall under Dr. Schofer’s guidance. Also in the fall, I began an economics minor which has gone very well thus far. I look forward to advancing further in my economics coursework during my senior year.

I am also very happy that we Dedman scholars were still able to meet every Monday on Zoom to share our little triumphs and challenges. Those meetings have been a real testament to the community of this program and its strength.

I am very thankful for the Dedman Distinguished Scholars Program, especially the continued support of the Dedman family. My education would be much poorer without everyone involved in the program.

Juliet Suarez-Calderon

Liberal Arts Honors/Women & Gender Studies/Race, Indigeneity and Migration

The year was a blur. A difficult one that brought loss and growth and new direction.

Last fall, I began taking graduate courses towards the 5-year BA/MA in Women and Gender Studies. Disability and the Environment with Dr. Alison Kafer fueled my intellectual fire like no other course has. In addition to being the most accessible educational environment and providing a genuine sense of community, this class re-sparked a joy for learning in me. My second graduate class, while enriching, confirmed my concerns about academia as a system and helped me decide to change course. I feel thankful for the intellectual challenges, growth of my social justice framework, and the opportunity to learn from and with brilliant graduate students. I am excited to say I will now be pursuing the Race, Indigeneity, and Migration (RIM) major along with Women and Gender Studies. This is a new major at UT, but luckily it aligns so well with my intellectual and personal passions that I have completed enough to graduate on time. I am grateful for how the generosity of the Dedman family has allowed me to take my time to explore courses across departments to finally find the best program for me.

This year, I continued participating in Latinx Honors Student Association and joined Junior Fellows. I was also looking forward to leading an immersive service-learning trip to Puerto Rico with the Alternative Breaks program. Although we had to cancel the trip due to the pandemic, I was able to work with the education committee to redesign the training for future trip leaders and provide a foundation for the trip curriculum. The program is now merging with other student groups into a Community Engagement Collective and I am honored and excited to serve as the Chair of City Community Relations and connect organizations across Austin to each other and to UT’s resources.

Being a Writing Fellow again was just as rewarding as I remembered from last fall. It was wonderful to connect with new LAH scholars and witness the growth in them and in their writing. Working with PODER, a grassroots, BIPOC, environmental justice organization, for 7 months was invaluable. In addition to my responsibilities as a community sustainability analyst, I was able to create and facilitate discussions and lessons on ableism and disability justice to contribute to their “Young Scholars for Justice” program social justice framework. In the spring, I interned with the Fair Housing and Disaster Recovery project at Texas Appleseed. The learning experience was invaluable. Sitting in on coalition meetings reinforced my conviction to work with grassroots organizations. In addition to legislative tracking and research, I was also able to delve into racial inequities for housing and disaster recovery in Houston and for nonprofit funding in Austin.

Despite the pain and challenges of the pandemic, I appreciate the accessibility that virtual life brings to us all. After coordinating with Anderson High School in the fall, I virtually returned to the Refugee Student Mentorship Program, one of the highlights of my time at UT, in the spring. I was able to complete a Restorative Justice training program through Penn State University and look forward to utilizing the skills and resources I gained not only in my pursuit of abolition-informed alternative education methods but in my day-to-day relationships.

This summer I am writing my bio from Lisbon! I am interning for the Portuguese Refugee Council with their program for unaccompanied refugee youth. After just over a month I can’t imagine leaving this job and the incredible young people I have met. Nothing here is as I expected but I am learning, honing my Portuguese, and eating pastry to my heart’s content. I cannot thank the Dedman family enough for giving me my first opportunity to go abroad and sustaining me through the pandemic.

Lori Woo

Plan II/Social Work

Timing is a funny thing. I remember feeling so lonely one Sunday in September. A few days later, I met the love of my life. I reached the end of another school year, exhaling, finally able to unwind, then the next day I found a five-week-old kitten on the side of a road. His name is Forrest, and we are inseparable. I expected my junior year to overflow with plans and ambition, but in the year of a pandemic, that was when I learned to savor stillness and appreciate where I stand in the present moment. I accepted that I will never be everything for everyone, but I can and always will be enough for myself.

One of my favorite classes I took this year was Social Welfare Programs, Policies, and Issues with Doug Smith. We learned about the role social workers take on as policy analysts and advocates to end mass incarceration, the school-to-prison pipeline, and juvenile detention. My team created and presented a policy brief to the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition on youth probation. At the end of the year I was inducted into the Phi Alpha Honor Society, the International Honor Society in Social Work.

I returned for a second year of directing Absolute Pitch A Cappella. We kicked off the year with virtual auditions and invited five new talented members to join. I wrote six new arrangements ranging from holiday music to R&B. Thanks to the Dedman family’s generosity, I was able to use a professional microphone and Logic Pro X to record, edit, and mix our covers. Absolute Pitch was selected to perform at Texas Revue, UT’s premier talent show! I was so proud of our members’ dedication to growing – both as musicians and in friendship – through weekly meetings, fun socials, and even our annual Secret Santa exchange.

In October, I was tapped into the Texas Orange Jackets. Being virtual and unable to perform most of our university hosting duties, my tap class had an unconventional experience, yet we shared many laughs over zoom meetings. In December I graduated from the Mental Health Peer Educators program with a cohort of 18 other students. For three semesters we learned about topics such as stress management, suicide prevention, and bystander intervention and presented dozens of workshops to student organizations and freshman classes. My experience promoting mental health through a community building lens has inspired me to pursue a career in medical social work.

On the side, I worked part-time as a peer mentor for the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. I could not imagine my freshman experience without in-person social support and resources from living on campus; therefore, it was an honor to witness the strength and resilience of my mentees throughout their unusual freshman year. My favorite part was making the mentees customized care packages and cards during finals season. I am excited to continue my mentor role this upcoming year!

This summer I am interning for the Longhorn Wellness Center’s Body Positivity program. Eating disorder prevention is one of my passion topics, so I am grateful for this platform to promote healthy relationships between the mind and body among college students. So far, I have worked on designing a Mindful Eating table tent for the dining halls, creating a page for the LWC’s website, and revamping the UT Body Project, a four-week workshop focused on helping female-identifying college students foster body acceptance.

The last few years have seen countless changes we never saw coming, but the lifelong friendships and abundance of educational opportunities I am privileged to receive remain constant. I am grateful to the Dedman family for making my college years so special.