SOPHOMORE COHORT

Eddie Bankston

Liberal Arts Honors Program
Psychology/Philosophy/African & African Diaspora Studies

If anything, I am defined by my relentless curiosity. I spend many evenings on campus stumbling over my various interests; chasing new ideas as they flutter down a bustling Speedway; and clasping at questions as they fall from the crowns of lofty trees.

I am a dreamer, a thinker, and, maybe more pertinently, a sophomore double majoring in Psychology and Philosophy, with a minor in African and African Diaspora Studies. I am interested in how certain historical processes impact the lived experiences of marginalized communities. This past year at The University of Texas at Austin, I was able to act on some of my interests. While working with the Liberal Arts Honors Diversity Action Committee (LAHDAC), I helped host events that promoted career exploration and cultural fluency, cultivating a restorative community in the process. In doing research with Project SEED, I learned about the nuanced advantages and disadvantages that come with bilingualism. And as a mentor in the admissions office’s On Our Way to Texas Program, I acted as a point of contact for students of color, supporting them in the admissions process. These activities gave me insight into various challenges my peers face. More importantly, however, I bore witness to their strength in the face of such adversity.  I plan to pursue research in graduate school in the hopes of becoming an academic. I know the Dedman community will aid in my development–personally and academically–and I am excited to forge new relationships!

Nina Mbonu

Plan II/Human Growth and Development

I am currently a Plan II and Human Growth and Development double major with an interest in medicine. I am passionate about children and healthcare, and I hope to one day intertwine my two passions by entering the field of pediatric medicine. I want to contribute to the work being done by current Black physicians who are pushing towards making the field of healthcare more equitable for all members of the Black community.  Aside from my academic interests, I am very creative at heart and enjoy singing and expressing myself through poetry and photography. I was involved in choir all throughout high school and was able to find a home on campus with the Longhorn Singers where I served as historian during the Spring 2021 semester. My first year at UT was filled with so much excitement, and I am ready to continue exploring Austin and our colorful UT community. I cannot wait to see what else the future holds for me, and I am so thankful for this opportunity to be a part of the Dedman family.

Aditya Namjoshi

Plan II/Chemical Engineering

I’m currently a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering and Plan II. Looking back at this year, I’m thankful for all the opportunities I got to explore in Austin – I couldn’t be more grateful for the amazing community I found through Plan II and the organizations I joined. Through the Ideator Fellowship of the Social Entrepreneurship Learning Lab (SELL), I explored cultural-relevancy in nutrition education and worked on developing Nurture, a recipe platform for the families of first-generation K-12 students. I also found community through UT’s Hindu Student Association (HSA) and the Roden Leadership program. I found a creative outlet through the Vector Student Engineering Magazine, authoring an article on the female deification of water in Maharashtrian rivers, as well as on the engineering principles behind Zarathushti fire temples, through interviews with professors and faith leaders. In the summer, I had the chance to study Urdu through the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship Program. Next year, I’m excited to support student-founded social impact ventures as the Accelerator Fellowship Venture Development Lead in SELL, and serve as the Media and Sankranti festival Co-Chair for HSA. I’m also thrilled to have the chance to get to know my peers in the Dedman Scholars program!

Isabel Webb-Carey

Plan II/Psychology

After 18-years spent living in London, England, I moved to Austin in late August 2020 and was met with an almost-overwhelming amount of change, for which I will be forever grateful. My international adjustment was compounded by a pandemic which disorientated and uprooted every single one of us, and so my freshman year was spent navigating the unfamiliar. Through the TXOrator, TexasPolitics, and local congressional campaigns, I stumbled into political and advocacy journalism, as well as social entrepreneurship through the Social Entrepreneurship Learning Lab, which inspired me to kickstart a social media campaign to address plastic consumption on campus. I have spent the summer working in two psychology labs studying the ontogeny of cultural learning and language analysis, tutoring kids impacted by disruptions to their education, reigniting my love of medieval castles, and drawing on insights from Dr. Pennebaker’s lab to consider the power of language in politics, health, and art. In the year ahead, I am excited to continue pursuing my academic interests in Psychology, adopting new editorial roles at the TXOrator, applying my experiences in journalism to assist charities’ community outreach efforts, engaging in voter mobilization initiatives ahead of the 2022 elections, and taking on a new mentorship position within the Plan II community. A new year of soaking up sunlight and knowledge alongside my wonderful fellow Dedman scholars is tantalizingly close; I am eagerly awaiting my return to Austin and all its unfamiliarity!