Welcome to The Student Experience!
In a college with as much breadth and depth as ours, it is impossible to do justice to our talented student body. And so the people you will meet here are but a handful of the wondrous students who come our way.
Tanya Maldonado
Major: Advertising
Favorite Class:
Advanced Media with Lisa Dobias." It's so incredibly hands on, and so much like a real ad agency that it opened my eyes up to lots of new things. We recently completed a project where we had to conduct a target market analysis for the Texas Department of Agriculture. They market Texas wines, so it was a very fun project. We had six agencies within the class, and my team's agency won. We pitched our proposal to the client and suggested a target market for their upcoming campaign, and our work really impressed them. They are going to use our plan."
Nicole Esperanza Zepeda
Major: Radio-Television-Film
Inspiration:
Her father, a theater teacher for 27 years in the Rio Grande Valley. "My dad has been a big influence on my life. He's amazing, and he has received lots of awards for his work as a teacher. I grew up in an area populated by economically disadvantaged Hispanics who normally don't go to college, but my dad really pushes kids to do more with their lives, he helps make their dreams a reality. A lot of kids who have had my dad as a drama teacher go on to college."
Favorite Class:
Television Production with Robert Foshko. "Being in his class is like being in my dad's class at home. It's very hands-on: we're building sets, casting, taking on all areas of production. We're behind the camera and in front of the camera. It's so much work, but to me it's energizing, not draining."
Where UT Meets the Real World:
Burnt Orange Productions is a commercial organization that brings films to Austin and, through the University of Texas Film Institute, pairs students with professionals working on independent, low-budget movies. "I worked in the art department on Burnt Orange's first production, "The Quiet." We designed the rooms for the scenes, and I got to work with Edie Falco from "The Sopranos." I stayed to help edit, and then I did some script supervising. It was an amazing experience. A member of the Austin crew recommended me to an MTV recruiter, and I got a job as associate producer on ‘Room Raiders.'" Aspiration: Nicole is already getting freelance production jobs, she will be a script supervisor on a movie beginning production this summer and she's currently working for Disney to produce a documentary on the making of a musical—a Spanish rendition of Aladdin—that Disney commissioned her father to produce. "I just want to continue working in this field, and eventually, I would also love to open a production company with my sister."
Favorite Means of Communicating:
Performing. "Acting is in my blood and I love it. That's why I'm in this business."
Nathan Lynch
Major: Radio-Television-Film
Most Rewarding Experience:
The FIG (Freshman Interest Group) program. "I participated as a freshman, and it really helped me adapt to the university environment, not only in terms of academics, but also on a social level. I've been involved with the program for three years as a FIG Mentor, and it's been a lot of fun. I've been able to keep track of students since their freshman year, and now I see how well they are doing, and I feel like I've played a role in their college experience. As a mentor, it gives me a great sense of accomplishment to be involved, and I enjoy giving back to the university."
Andrew St. Jean
Major: Journalism, Bridging Disciplines Program
Where UT Meets the Real World:
Through the Bridging Disciplines Program.
"Through this program I was able to incorporate my love of the environment and my deep interest in conservation issues with my studies in journalism. I hope to work for the New York Times as an environmental journalist, or pursue research opportunities with the Environmental Science Institute and the Society of Environmental Journalists."
Emily Blond
Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders (Speech Language Pathology)
Motivation:
"I like having a positive impact on others. Speech pathology allows me to work with people and have an immediate and direct impact on their lives. Through NSSLHA (National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association) I can also inspire other members to think about their impact and contemplate the bigger picture."
Derek Chien
Major: Advertising, Pre-Law
Proudest moment:
"My first acceptance letter to law school was definitely a proud moment. On top of that, I'm also proud to be working at Clark, Thomas, and Winters. It has been a real humbling experience so far."
Joshua Jaedicke
Major: Radio-Television-Film
Inspiration:
Friends. "I get my best ideas when I am hanging out with my friends. I first became interested in film in high school when some friends and I started messing around with a little camera on the weekends. We made really cheesy movies. They were all terrible, but I was hooked. Now, it's ridiculous how much fun my friends and I have. The work load is insane, but we don't mind it because we're having such a good time."
Favorite Class:
Film II, taught by Nancy Schiesari. "In this class you are shooting on real film, not digital video, and you make two full-blown short films over the course of the semester. You have to do budgets, plan locations, write the script, call shoots, put a crew together, everything. I learned so much because it was such an intense class. Sometimes I just couldn't get to my other work, because I prioritized this class. I'm a film major and I'm building a career, so in my mind, this was most important."
Where UT Meets the Real World:
In its faculty. "The professors here are awesome. We have award-winning documentary filmmakers, screenwriters, independent filmmakers, all kinds of professionals. And they're all so eager to work with the students and to connect us with outside opportunities. I got a job with the Texas Film Hall of Fame through my Intermediate Editing class. My professor, Don Howard, recommended I cut together a reel of past honorees that they played at the event, which was at the Paramount Theatre. It was great to watch my work on a big screen and to be in the same room with Ethan Hawke and Jack Valenti."
Aspiration:
Making it in Los Angeles. "I worked as a production assistant at Bob Industries and at Villains/Smuggler in L.A. the last couple of summers, and I did some freelance editing for Fine White China, a band based in L.A. So, I've got some connections out there, and I'm moving there after graduation."
Favorite Means of Communicating:
Talking. "I talk a lot. You can't beat a one-on-one conversation, a good meaningful conversation."
Joseph Grasso
Major: Public Relations
Where UT Meets the Real World:
"The diversity of the students genuinely enhances the college experience and has allowed me to interact with people from different backgrounds that I might have never worked with before. I came from a small town setting, and I appreciate the fact that The University of Texas at Austin develops students who challenge themselves to look at things from the perspective of those around them and in the world at large."
Kate Lummus
Major: Advertising (Texas Creative)
Inspiration:
Childhood overseas. Politics. "Because I grew up on six different continents, I could never understand why, when I got back to the United States, people didn't understand or respect others' opinions. The more I know about how the government works, the more I realize that there is a huge need for my skill set in that forum. You need to know about how the media works, how to speak in public, how to write well, how to connect with an audience. Parties win or lose the war for public opinion simply by how well they perform in the communications battles."
Favorite Class:
Introduction to Creativity with Deborah Morrison. "I'm good at taking tests and following directions and rules, but this class was incredibly challenging. I'm not very creative, but it helped to unlock the creativity inside me. Our primary assignment was to create a short film prompted by The University of Texas at Austin's tagline: ‘What starts here changes the world.' I also loved Sex-Based Discrimination, taught by Sarah Weddington. I'm an equal rights junkie."
Where UT Meets the Real World:
The Archer Fellowship Program sends recipients to Washington, D.C. for a semester where they work on Capitol Hill or in other uniquely Washington environments. "I worked in two Congressional offices when I was there. I wanted to do something that I couldn't do anywhere else in the United States."
Aspiration:
To hone skills in an agency, then move into the public sector in some kind of a public policy role. "I don't want to get niched into something. I don't plan on following many rules, and UT taught me how to think, not what to do."
Favorite Means of Communicating:
Amir Maki
Major: Communication Studies (Corporate Communication)
Inspiration:
His family and their challenges. "I think it is easy to claim success when everything suits your needs and there are no battles to fight. Before moving from Sweden, my family and I had to overcome battles that make most people kneel. The events in my life and my Persian parents' diligence and constant push for independence led me to move to the U.S. As an international student, leaving my family behind was tough, and I remember being terrified of failing in my new environment. One of my professors told me, "It's okay to fall as long as you dust yourself off and keep running, falling is not failing." Those words still inspire me and are the foundation for my research."
Favorite Class:
Dr. Mark Knapp's Nonverbal Communication class. "Dr. Knapp made me pay attention to the highly detailed information in people’s facial expressions and body language. In communication, I think this is one of the most useful skills you can have; when you understand people on this level, you can figure out how to approach them so that you can be more effective. Dr. Knapp is the perfect example of a master communicator in action."
Where UT Meets the Real World:
Hands-on classes that get you in front of professionals. "I took a class called Interviewing Principles with Patty Malone. We had to do research on companies that we wanted to work for when we graduated and find at least four professionals in those companies to interview about their field. One of the people I interviewed, Jeremy Solomons, ended up offering me an internship. He's a diversity trainer who helps people understand how to do business in different cultural settings. I perform evaluations of his training programs both for his purposes and for research I am conducting in an independent research study class with my favorite professor Dr. Rachel Smith. The theme of my research, for which I won a University Co-op Undergraduate Research Fellowship, is Learning to Fail to Succeed in Cross-cultural Interactions."
Aspiration:
Graduate school and then a career involving international relations and research. "I would like to do research in an area that hasn't been explored. Diversity issues are being very hotly debated right now; companies need to adapt to and use the human resources that they have to the best of their ability. My hope is that my research contributions will help make cross-cultural relations an asset rather than a liability."
Favorite Means of Communicating:
Silence. "It's not the number of words, but the careful choosing of a few words that determines how effective you can be."
Corey Ann Seldon
Major: Public Relations
Inspiration:
Social Injustice. "As a freshman I saw a performance of the campus organization Voices Against Violence. They do interactive performances that address campus issues like domestic violence, sexual assault, drug and alcohol usage, and so forth. It really inspired me to do something with my career around these issues."
Favorite Class:
Public Relations 348 with Dr. LeeAnn Kahlor. "Professor Kahlor really pushed us on ethics. The press releases we worked on were all about meaningful topics like interracial adoption. We learned to write speeches for different audiences about things that really mattered, real weighty social issues. Robert Jensen, my Communication Honors professor also really challenged our beliefs. He encouraged students to ask questions about how we fit into society, what our role is as communications professionals."
Where UT Meets the Real World:
Communication Career Services. "I've gotten a couple internships through the career center. I worked for Teach for America as a recruiter trying to find passionate, talented young people to work in tough schools. I spoke to classes and passed out information at events. I used some of the tactics and strategies I learned in my classes to persuade students to become interested in the program. I also worked with 21st Century Learning Centers, helping them come up with better strategies to retain students."
Aspiration:
Social Services. "I want to take the skills I am learning in communications and take them into a different setting. I'd like to start a theater troupe or organization that works with domestic violence and sexual assault issues. I wish that people would sit down and have conversations, come to a common understanding, and base action upon that. I want to have an impact on social ills."
Favorite Means of Communicating:
Conversation. "I love a good conversation where both people are open and willing to exchange ideas."
Casey Taliancich
Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Inspiration:
Her younger sister. "My sister was diagnosed with a speech disorder when she was seven. I was in high school at the time and planning to be a lawyer. I was the one who often took her to therapy, and it was amazing to see how quickly she recovered. I started researching the career and decided that's what I wanted to do with my life. I've never looked back, I feel like this is my calling."
Favorite Class:
Language and the Brain with Dr. Harvey Sussman. "This is kind of a pre-med class and prepares speech pathologists to work in hospital settings. Dr. Sussman is very inspirational, and it was a foundational class. I also loved Dr. Lisa Bedore's class on therapy techniques. I learned how to determine what's best for the child, how to work with different populations, how to develop therapies and come up with structured activities, how to listen, and how to talk to parents."
Where UT Meets the Real World:
Applying basic research to help real people. "I am a research assistant for Dr. Bedore, who's in the child language research group in the department. One of her research projects is on Spanish language-specific impairment, and she's developing tests for Spanish language speakers, since most assessments of language impairment only exist in English. One semester I went out to schools and gave the pilot tests, and now I'm working with the data and compiling it so Dr. Bedore can write and publish the results."
Aspiration:
Research. "I'd like to pursue a doctoral degree and conduct research after getting some experience in the field.
Favorite Means of Communicating:
Talking. "Talking is my favorite means of communication because I can easily get my point across. I know people can't read minds, and talking is the best way for me to illustrate what I am thinking."
Leslie Mantaring
Major: Communication Studies (Corporate Communication), Business Foundation Program
Leadership Role:
President of Communication Council, the student governing body of the College of Communication. "We participate in a variety of events from community service, to academic events, college-wide events, inter-council events, and university-wide events. We have an amazing group of talented and diverse people in our organization who love being involved. Though we are all different in our own ways, we all come together for the purpose of serving the College."
Erik Castro
Major: Photojournalism
Inspiration:
I look to a few photographers for inspiration, and among them, James Nachtwey. You can show people a lot things about the human experience, but you can use beauty to help people look at issues that are hard to understand or hard to watch. For example, tackling issues that people don't like to discuss, such as minimum wage, dealing with poverty, etc.
Where UT Meets the Real World:
Through its faculty. "Meeting professors who were willing to use fiction to educate students in journalism. Great storytelling is one of the greatest tools to teach kids different subjects. Being in communication, professors that moved the class emotionally on some of the topics we were discussing that really made the whole experience enjoyable."
Aspiration:
My real goal is to produce some really long-term photography pieces. I'm not sure if those will be here in the U.S., or in Mexico, or overseas, but that’s really what I'm working toward. Photography that deals with issues that are under the radar: economic, social, and racial issues. Those are the things I’m really looking for. It takes time and money, but those are the things that I'm excited about.
Favorite Means of Communicating:
Photography.
Ariawna Talton
Major: Journalism (Print Journalism)
Inspiration:
Her high school journalism teacher, Mr. Harlan. "He was the best teacher. He nominated me to be an honorary sports reporter for the Mavericks, and I was chosen to do that. It was a game in January 2003, and I wrote a story about it that appeared in the paper. It was really his encouragement and my mother's that inspired me. My mom is an English teacher, and she taught me to always be aware of what I'm saying, to think before I speak."
Favorite Class:
Introduction to Reporting with Mary Love Bigony. "This is a really intense class where we do a lot of timed writing. She critiques our stories at a very high level, and the class is structured like a newsroom."
Where UT Meets the Real World:
Communication Career Services. "Events such as the Communication Career and Internship Fairs have helped me to get involved with Study Breaks magazine and Celebrate magazine."
Aspiration:
Newspaper Columnist or Editor. "I don't have to be the most visible person, but I'd like to leave a mark through my writing. There aren't a lot of women sports writers, and that’s something I'd like to try. I feel like I can walk out of here and get a job anywhere. I have no fears about my future; just being a product of The University of Texas at Austin means something."
Favorite Means of Communicating:
Writing. "I can say things on paper that I probably wouldn't feel comfortable vocalizing. I feel like I can write anything, given the chance. I also really enjoy poetry—I like free-form poetry because there are no limitations, and I can address whatever I'm thinking about."
Raheel Ramzanali
Major: Journalism (Broadcast Journalism)
Inspiration:
His parents. "My parents moved to the U.S. from Pakistan when I was five for our education, and they've always done everything they could to make sure that my siblings and I had the best opportunities. Part of the reason that I'm driven to be a success is to show them that I appreciate all they've done for me and that I’m proud of my race and my culture."
Favorite Class:
Sports Communication. "Professor John Fortunato really gave me the context to be able to talk about sports and the business of sports in an intelligent way. I learned about why PR is so important, how contracts are negotiated, and the origins and history of the different leagues. When you're on the radio and you get a call from a listener out of left field, you need this kind of background to be able to respond."
Where UT Meets the Real World:
Student-run stations. "I've been involved with the campus radio station, KVRX-91.7, since I started school. It's a fully operating radio station that is completely run by students. I have my own two-hour morning sports show now, but it was pretty scary at first; I had to learn to use a mixer board and microphone and I had to figure out the phone system, and everything happens at a very quick pace. Once you get the hang of it, though, it's second nature. Working at KVRX has given me completely relevant skills and a comfort level with broadcast technology that I can turn around and use tomorrow in any broadcasting job."
Aspiration:
Host of a national sports radio program. "I love sports and I love radio. I think the future of radio is very bright—with the introduction of satellite and subscription radio, there will be more opportunities, more listeners, and more choices. And what makes radio so appealing to me is that it’s part of the community, people can call in and share their opinions, and as a host you can interact with your listeners."
Favorite Means of Communicating:
Joking. "If I can crack a joke about something, that's my segue into anything. I try to bring a comedic sense to life and to sports, and I think that's a great way to connect with people."
