Michael Boyd | Spring 2021
Michael, from within Houston's "famous" second loop, is passionate on all reasons why Houston is the best city in Texas. Austin has now caught his fancy where he studies Computer Engineering with plans to concentrate on computer architecture and embedded systems. On the forty acres, Michael is interested and involved in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Student Engineering Council (SEC), and various smaller clubs from tech to tennis. While away from the luscious grounds of UT, Michael enjoys exploring coffee shops and new cuisines, and serves as Coordinator for the Houston Museum of Natural Science. If you find this ginger, ask him about his family of six or his glory-less years of high school tennis.
Scott Fonseka | Spring 2021
Born in a Hobbit house in Middle Earth, Scott was raised in Houston by way of Venezuela. He is a fourth-year Business Honors major involved in the Honors Business Association and the University Securities Investment Team, where he serves as a Junior Analyst. He is always down to talk about the latest movies, Formula 1, traveling, or Houston sports teams (RIP). Outside of the strenuous McCombs curriculum, you will often find Scott watching old SNL skits or quoting stand-up comedians.
Michael Gerhard | Spring 2021
Originally from South Africa and Germany, Michael has spent the last several years amidst the glorious greenery of the Woodlands, Texas. Here at UT, he is a fourth-year Business Honors and Computer Science major who dreams to one day best the USCIS and become a US citizen. On campus, he is involved with the Texas Equity Group and serves as an elected representative for the Undergraduate Business Council. He loves to travel, play sand volleyball, and watch the Bundesliga. He can often be found clearing up any confusion between himself and Michael Boyd. In the summers, he escapes the sweltering Texas heat in Traverse City, Michigan where he plays beach volleyball and eats too many cherries.
Parth Parikh | Spring 2021
Parth is a senior majoring in finance. He is actively involved in TEG and serves as secretary for the Silver Spurs. In his free time he enjoys pushing more weight than Thomas in the gym, blasting Fisher in the shower, and teaching Jebin how to meditate.
Jebin ‘Jebman” Justin | Spring 2021
Hailing from the great metropolitan area of Texarkana, Texas, Jebin is a fourth-year psychology major on the pre-med track. In his free time, he enjoys making music (check out his hit single “Garfield” on all platforms) and staying active. Outside of Tejas, Jebin is an active member of the CHMC student advisory committee, GMT, and SECL.
Shahmir Masood | Spring 2021
Though officially born in Portland, OR, Shahmir is honored to call Austin, TX, his hometown. At UT, Shahmir is entering his fourth-year as a Computer Science major. He's been a NASA enthusiast since day one and hopes to find his way into space exploration. Some of Shahmir's prominent livelihoods include following the Seattle Seahawks as they inevitably crash and burn, binging a sci-fi book series, and dominating the Tejas Club in the fine arts of Super Smash Brothers and Poker.
Tarun Bobbili | Fall 2021
Tarun is a senior Management Information Systems major. Although he was raised in Houston, Tarun takes pride in always speaking in his near-perfect Royal British accent; you will never catch him using a contraction or any form of slang. On campus, Tarun is an elected representative for the Undergraduate Business Council and the president of the Lil Baby Fan Club at UT Austin. When he is not counting every calorie he consumes, Tarun also enjoys swimming and doing goat yoga with the boys.
Thomas Grannen | Fall 2021
Thomas is a fifth-year majoring in Plan II and Business Honors. Though born in Houston, he grew up in the quaint town of Saratoga Springs, New York. He is very actively involved in TEG (Texas Equity Group) as well as its very closely related sister group, IBF. He wrestled in high school, and this is something that pervades every single aspect of his personality all these years later. This is something you’ll understand more clearly if you’re ever fortunate enough to make his acquaintance. A freethinking soul, Thomas can often be found discussing deep philosophical topics, ranging from the nature of our reality to the ethical ramifications of investment banking. In his free time, you can find him tickling the ivories, annihilating Parth in chess, or even (sometimes) living in a society.
Kevin Wang | Fall 2021
From the mystical and faraway lands of Austin, Kevin has been an local resident for 20 years but still can't drive around the city without Google Maps. Kevin is a Senior BHP and Finance major seeking to sell his soul to Wall Street. Outside of Tejas, Kevin is a member of the University Securities Investment Team, Texas Equity Group, and enjoys playing Spikeball, Hackysack, and Tennis in his free time. He also enjoys playing casual chess, promoting Austin Metrobike and Dollar Slice Club, pulling all nighters, and skipping leg day.
Smaran Velidi | Fall 2021
Hailing from the small town of Plano, TX, Smaran found the move to the even smaller city of Austin somewhat challenging, but has found his place here at UT. Catch this senior BHP and Finance major sporting 5” inseam shorts and spending his days playing ungodly amounts of Spikeball (he’s actually, like, pretty good). On campus, Smaran is involved in the Sustainability Investment Group and the Longhorn Entrepreneurship Agency. Talk to him about gut health, Spotify’s curated mixes, and martial arts.
Devon Whitsel | Fall 2021
Devon is a fourth-year Government and Political Communications student from the best (actual) small town in Texas: Rockdale. Outside of Tejas, Devon is a proud member of the Texas Tour Guides family, Terry Scholars Student Association, and dabbles in intramural sports when the opportunity presents itself. When he is not listening to the NPR Politics podcast or talking about the Netflix show he is currently watching, Devon can be found blasting Lady Gaga at any social function, playing tennis, attending any and all UT sporting events, dancing on elevated surfaces, or relaxing on the Tejas balcony. Devon has aspirations to attend law school so he can be like his idol, Olivia Pope, and hopes that when you read this you’ll come say hi!!
Varun Jawarani | Fall 2021
A near-native Austinite, Varun is a fourth-year majoring in Computer Science (ew) and dabbling in the Creative Writing Program. Always looking for ways to diversify himself so he can feel special, Varun can be found lounging on the Tejas couches reading classic fiction novels, creating playlists that are far too long, or researching mental and physical health. On campus, Varun will stop you to ask you where you got those cool pants, so make him feel awkward when he does that. Like Jalen, don’t waste your time giving him the aux, but do read his writing when he asks. He really likes when you do that.
Dalton Kile | Fall 2021
Dalton is a fifth-year biochemistry major from Georgetown, TX. Born and raised a Longhorn, he has a deep love for anything Texas no matter how disappointing some of the the recent football seasons have been. While he is not premed (unlike everyone seems to ask), he hopes to pursue astrobiology or a role within a life science company in the future. If you ever meet him, suggest some of your favorite music, talk about video games, or invite him to go workout because he definitely needs the motivation.
Constantine Rubarth | Fall 2021
Constantine hails from the lovely town of Dallas and is consistently disappointed with the performance of his and America’s favorite football team, the Dallas Cowboys. He was the founder and organizer for RevAMP Dallas, a charity concert which raised $30,000 for the North Texas Food Bank. In Austin, he is a fourth-year neuroscience major on the pre-med track to fulfill his lifelong dream of being an oncologist. He is a proud member of the Texas Taekwondo club, the Healthcare Leadership Apprentice Program with Dell Medical School, the water polo club, and he regularly volunteers at the Baylor Scott and White Hospital in Dallas. He is passionate about mental health awareness, sustainability, and healthcare equity. When not studying, you can find the Greek menace reading and writing fantasy stories or philosophy, playing Dungeons and Dragons, or gaming his heart out.
Jay Shah | Fall 2021
Jay is a fourth-year finance major from the greatest city in the world, Houston. However, he was originally born in Gujarat, India. Here on the 40 acres, he’s a part of Seva Charities and AKPsi (which he affectionately calls JayKPsi). In his free time, he enjoys playing Fifa, shooting hoops at Greg, and doing other Jay Shah things. Catch Jay usually relaxing with fellow braves on the balcony after a long day and laughing his heart out.
Yuki Ebashi | Spring 2022
Yuki is a fourth-year finance major from Houston, but he originally hails from the little-known, quiet rural town of Tokyo. He also lived in the UK for quite some time before arriving in Texas, where he mastered the craft of making the perfect English breakfast. Outside of Tejas, Yuki is an active member of the Undergraduate Business Council and Texas Stock Team, and has mastered the previously unthinkable art of being a “nice” finance bro. In his free time, you can find him drawing/painting stuff, cooking Southeast Asian cuisine, visiting art museums, or floating on Lady Bird Lake. As Tejas’s Mr. Worldwide, ask Yuki to speak in his native British accent and he will be happy to oblige.
William Hearne | Spring 2022
Born and raised in Houston Texas’s Third Ward, William Cotton Hearne is the son of two proud and loving parents—Earl Hearne, and Julie Cotton Hearne. As a current Senior at UT Austin, William is a triple major (Plan II, Government, and African & African Diaspora Studies) pursuing a minor in Philosophy of Law, and a Jefferson Scholar. Outside of the classroom William is particularly passionate about Black student advancement and empowerment, serving several roles in the Black Honors Student Association including Vice President and President, and having served as the 2021 Black Student Association Political Action Chair. In his personal life, William is a dabbling artist having recently written and acted in work within the thespian space as well as being a 16-year violinist. William is also a sports fanatic who loves playing basketball and watching and supporting UT football. Ultimately, William seeks to be a change agent in the social justice space during and beyond his time on the 40 acres.
Niels Levy-Thiebaut | Spring 2022
Niels is a fourth-year Biochemistry Honors and Plan II Honors student from the twee town of Houston, TX. Before moving to Houston, he lived in the even smaller settlements of New York City, Paris (France, not the Texas knockoff), and London. Outside of Tejas, he's the President of Reading Aces, a volunteering organization, a co-leader for the UT PALS' French language circle, and is involved in a few other orgs, including a podcast. He also loves lifting heavy circles for UT: you can usually find this Frenchman hogging the squat racks at Greg and skipping calves in true powerlifter fashion or knitting scarves in protest against Texas heat.
Marius Streit | Spring 2022
Born and raised in the great city of Houston, TX, Marius enjoys all things outdoors including running, hiking, and rock climbing. A fourth-year mechanical engineering and physics major, Marius hopes to work on sustainable technologies to mitigate the effects of climate change when he graduates. You can spot Marius around campus sporting his trademarked man bun and bright smile.
Kevin Wang Jr. | Spring 2022
Perhaps the only person to ever say he likes going back to the Woodlands, TX, Kevin is a fourth-year Electrical and Computer Engineering major, but is a business major at heart. Outside of Tejas, Kevin spends his time representing Cockrell students in the Student Engineering Council, consulting for non-profits as a member of 180 Degrees Consulting, and preaching the Gospel through Ignite Texas. When he isn't busy having a career crisis, he can be found passionately defending the GOAT Tom Brady, working out, or singing songs from his favorite musicals. However, his favorite pastimes are thinking of puns to gas up his friends in their Instagram comments and being the better looking Kevin Wang in Tejas.
Aryan Panjwani | Fall 2022
Aryan is a fourth-year Management Information Systems student from the renowned city of Sugar Land, or as he likes to call it: “The Suge.” At UT, he’s involved in Texas Convergent, Phi Chi Theta, and Texas Blockchain. Aryan has a habit of dabbling in one too many hobbies at a time and is currently enjoying piano and poetry (there will probably be something new in a month). If he’s not “working” in the McCombs Atrium, you can likely find him relaxing on the Tejas swing lost in deep thought.
Parker Ayles | Fall 2022
Parker is a fourth-year HDO major. He grew up in the small town of Guilford, Connecticut before moving to Houston for high school. Outside of Tejas, Parker is the President and Captain of the UT Lacrosse team. He prides himself on not being just another “lax bro”, but his choice of ‘Texas Lacrosse’ sweatpants and t-shirts say otherwise. He has worked in commercial real estate for the last three years and plans to continue in real estate brokerage after college. His best friend, worst enemy, and biggest supporter is his big brother, Cameron. Parker has embraced the fact that he is the youngest of three children; always being the loudest, and quite honestly, the most obnoxious person in the room at all times. He loves to rock climb, golf, and talk incessantly about music — as long as it’s not country.
Ethan Chan | Fall 2022
Ethan is a fourth-year Finance major from Seattle, WA. On campus, he is actively involved with the Longhorn Investment Team. In his free time, you will find him either at Greg amped up on Gorilla Mode pre-workout listening to J-Cole or getting sunburnt while paddle-boarding on Lady Bird Lake. A diehard Seattle sports fan, Ethan patiently awaits the Seattle Seahawks return to the Super Bowl and the Seattle Mariners to finally win at something. Ask Ethan about his barbering skills he developed during COVID, his passion for discovering the best ramen spots around Austin, or why he was a cooler freshman than Chris McDonald.
Karthik Karuppiah | Fall 2022
Karthik is a Senior computer science major from Irving, Texas. On campus, he is involved with the Quantitative Market Intelligence group and USIT. Karthik suffers from being a Cowboys fan and has mastered being constantly let down every season. He LOVES Nicki Minaj. Karthik suffers from chronic back pain as he constantly carries Tarun in the BMOT position. Some of his interests include ping-pong, camping and hiking, and exploring new restaurants in Austin.
Joshua Hou | Fall 2022
Josh is a fourth-year Business Honors and Finance major from the faraway lands of North Potomac, Maryland. Outside of Tejas, he is actively involved in the Texas Undergraduate Investment Team (TUIT) and the Undergraduate Business Council (UBC), but, more importantly, is a 2-sport IM champion. Josh is also the author of "Josh With a Blog" and is one-third of the "Minimally Edited" podcast. In his free time, Josh can be found reading short-form writing, eating his friends' leftovers, or trying to get like Niels at Gregory Gym. Ask Josh about how he locks Kevin Li up in and out of the court.
Kevin Li | Fall 2022
Kevin is a fourth-year Electrical and Computer Engineering and Math student hailing from the greatest city in North Texas: Frisco – or so he says. In reality, Kevin is from McKinney – per the license plate holder on his beloved Subaru Crosstrek. Outside of Tejas, Kevin is an ethical businessman as part of the Scholars of Finance organization on campus. In addition to talking your ear off about moral business practices, Kevin enjoys taking W’s against Josh both on and off the basketball court. In his free time, you’ll also find him listening to sad music, cleaning his roommates dishes, or lying about his “passion” for the outdoors. Ask Kevin about why his pants never fit, why his shirts are always too large, and why his shorts are so short.
Augustine D'Eramo | Spring 2023
Augustine hails from Tyler, a marvelous city ensconced in the beautiful Piney Woods of East Texas. At UT, he is a fourth-year double major in Plan II Honors and International Relations and Global Studies and has supplemented his education with work for the Daily Texan, undergraduate research, and a semester abroad in Madrid, Spain. In his free time, Augustine likes to keep his mind busy by traveling, enjoying the outdoors, reading with a nice cup of Joe, watching his favorite tv shows, and passing time with friends both new and old. For his final year, he is thrilled to be a part of the Tejas Club and to make new memories with his fellow Braves.
Surya Chokkar | Fall 2023
Originating from New York 2.0, Surya is from Katy, Texas and can explain why Houston is basically a suburb of Katy. He is a junior studying computer science, BHP, and Finance. Apart from Tejas, Surya is an enjoyer of finance and is involved in the Texas Undergraduate Investment Team. Outside of school, you can find him making lists of restaurants he can not afford to eat at and eating egregious amounts of Chipotle to cope. When trying to work off the meat sweats, he can be found playing spikeball or enthusiastically touting his involvement in an IM dodgeball team. If you see him on campus, feel free to test his ability to dodge objects by throwing things at him.
Brooks Wade | Fall 2023
Brooks is a senior public relations major from Burleson, Texas. Outside of Tejas, Brooks is a proud member of the Longhorn Band and serves as the Bass Drum Section Leader. When he’s not sporting the fringe and Stetson, you can find him enjoying the daily NYT Games, sipping on sparkling water, or abusing the Invisable Ink text feature. Ask him why Rachel Berry isn’t really the villain or why the Nervous Charlie’s Tree-Hugger Bagel is the superior choice.
Jeremy Chen | Spring 2024
Jeremy is a senior Finance major from Pearland, Texas. Outside of Tejas, Jeremy is involved in Texas Consulting, Texas Cowboys, and Texas Blazers. Jeremy swears that Yao Ming would have been better than Shaq if he could stay healthy. Besides basketball, Jeremy is interested in Mario Kart Wii, Pokemon, music -- specifically WAP, running and shopping at Costco. Big fan of the 24 pack of organic eggs.