Peer Mentor 2020 Profiles
Brynna Boyd
Junior, Plan II and Communication & Leadership
My name is Brynna Boyd, and I’m an incoming junior majoring in Communication & Leadership and Plan II with a minor in Educational Psychology. I’m from Flower Mound, TX, and I’m so excited to be a peer mentor!
Outside of class, I’m a research assistant in the Human Development and Family Sciences Department’s African American Resilience in Context (AARC) Lab for a study on school-based marginalization. I’m also president of the Black Honors Student Association and the Afrikan American Affairs (in the Multicultural Engagement Center) Director of External Affairs in Educational Enrichment. I’m also a member of the Texas Novas spirit group!
Within Plan II, I’m a founding member and co-chair for the Plan II Student Association Diversity Committee. We gather student opinion and work with faculty to improve the program. We also do outreach to admitted students, so you may have heard from me before! In my free time, I enjoy embroidering, binge-watching Netflix, and hanging out with friends!
My main focus and passion is education access, inclusion, and equity, and I’ve found many avenues to work on these issues on and around campus. I can’t wait to meet you all. If you have questions about ways to get involved, Plan II, or college in general, feel free to reach out: brynnaboyd@utexas.edu.
Grace Farley
Junior, Plan II and Social Work
Reilly Gsanger
Junior, Plan II and Philosphy
Hailey Hollowell
Junior, Plan II and International Relations & Global Studies
My name is Hailey and I am a rising third year, pursuing a B.A. in International Relations and Global Studies on the Culture, Media, and the Arts track and Plan II with a French Minor and a certificate in Human Rights and Social Justice. I realize what a mouthful that all is, but it’s a Plan II bonding moment to list all your majors and minors and have no one understand what you’re actually studying. I’m from the Dallas suburbs so you can find me there with my mom and Pomeranian mix during breaks (and quarantines!), or in Cedar Park with my dad and other pups. I love being with people, and in my free time I'm usually watching and critiquing movies with friends, baking French pastries and then asking my French professor for extra credit, reading for fun, or thinking about some creative writing project that I will probably never start. When I’m not doing any of the above, I'm busy with several student orgs and jobs. I have served as the Co-Chair of the College Ambassadors committee of Liberal Arts Council where I will return as a general member this year, and I currently work as a Government Department research assistant studying exclusionary citizenship law and as a Business Development intern for a local humanitarian nonprofit. I’ll also be preparing this semester for an internship and study abroad in Paris during Spring 2021!
UT has a wealth of opportunities to explore, and through a mix of internships, study abroad, orgs, and coursework I have learned more about myself and my goals than ever before. I am passionate about rooting out implicit white supremacy and cultural levels of discrimination in the humanitarian field, as well as studying Islamophobia and education inequity in the 21st century. Plan II has been a motivating community, giving me the confidence to explore opportunities outside of my traditional field, as well as the source of my closest friendships! I served as a Peer Mentor last year as well, and can’t wait to come back to the program to meet you all in person. If you want to ask about anything in my bio, resume, or life in Austin, please send me a message at hollowellhailey@utexas.edu
David Koeller
Junior, Plan II and Chemical Engineering
Hi y’all! My name is David, and I’m a senior studying Chemical Engineering and Plan II, with a certificate in Core Texts and Ideas with the Jefferson Scholars Program. I grew up in Austin, and love the city’s food and culture. When I’m not spending late nights studying in the Chemical Engineering building, I like to explore Austin’s food trucks and try to find new hidden gems!
On campus, I’m involved in Texas 4000, an organization dedicated fighting cancer. After preparing this year, I’ll bike 4,500 miles from Austin to Alaska to raise money and awareness for cancer. I also spend my time writing and taking photos for Afterglow, a music magazine on campus. I care about music and photography, and love getting to speak with local musicians and watch their shows. I can talk for hours about Stevie Ray Vaughn or how the tradition of Blues music is still alive and well in Austin! Finally, next year I’ll be a mentor for the Plan II KIPP program. I try to stay active (especially now that I sit at home and eat nonstop out of boredom), and enjoy rock climbing, running and ultimate frisbee.
I’m passionate about scientific communication and climate change, and continue to look for paths where I can combine my interests in science and humanities. I’m also interested in what makes a community, and the things that bring us together. If you’d like to chat, don’t hesitate to drop me a line at: david1koeller@gmail.com.
Sharif Long
Junior, Plan II and Biology
I proudly hail from the city America’s team calls home, Dallas, TX, and I am a rising junior studying Biology and Plan II with a certificate in Pre-Health Professions.
On campus, you might find me sporting my Orange polo and Bevo Horns as I give tours to prospective students as an ambassador for the Guides of Texas. I am also a Resident Assistant for Moore-Hill residence hall and a member of The Tejas Club, the premier men’s social club on campus. This upcoming fall, I will be serving as the Co-Vampire of the Tejas Club. Previously, I have served as the Longhorn Legislative Aides (LLA) co-director in Student Government and volunteered with the YMCA and Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership organization. My involvement has shaped my deep passion for mentorship, leadership, and equity.
When I am not lip-synching the iconic songs of female pop divas, you might find me exploring downtown Austin, playing spikeball on the Tejas lawn, or taking spontaneous trips to Pluckers thanks to my Wing Club Membership. The experiences I have garnered during my time at UT have shaped me in more ways than I had anticipated, and I look forward to meeting the incoming Plan II freshman class, learning about your goals, and best serving you. Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns you have about campus life or Plan II: sharif.long@utexas.edu
Luna Malloy
Junior, Plan II and Psychology
Nicole Roy
Senior, Plan II and Chemistry
Hi! My name is Nicole Roy, and I am a senior studying Chemistry and Plan II Honors with minors in History and Communication Studies. I am an organic chemistry research assistant, and I work on new synthesis pathways, present lectures about organic chemistry, and critique research journal articles with my group. I love chemistry, and I love telling people all about it! Plan II has helped me to do just that. I was a Plan II Skaaren Climate Change Scholar, and I wrote an op-ed about how Louisiana organic chemists and chemical engineers are using alligator fat for biodiesel fuel.
I’m from New Iberia, Louisiana, and I’m a die-hard New Orleans Saints and Louisiana Tigers fan. I love cooking and eating signature Louisiana dishes with my family. When I’m not in the lab or in the Plan II office, I’m usually drinking lattes at local cafes with my bank account’s permission. I also enjoy reading Caribbean literature, scrolling through Pinterest, and practicing new yoga poses. Email me at niroy@utexas.edu if you want to chat!
Celesia Smith
Junior, Plan II and Business Honors/Marketing
Dayton Thompson
Junior, Plan II and Mechanical Engineering
Hey y’all! My name is Dayton, and I am an incoming junior studying Mechanical Engineering and Plan II, alongside a minor in English. I hail from Fairview Texas, which is one of those little places north of Dallas yet south of Oklahoma. Outside of the 40 acres, you might find me performing as a musician/songwriter, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or tinkering with my latest project.
Back on campus, I stay involved as a competitor for the University of Texas Weightlifting Team, member of the Plan II Director’s Student Advisory Council, and as a social officer for the Tejas Club, a spirit organization here at UT. I will also serve as TA for Professor Lee Walker’s Plan II Pathways to Civic Engagement course this Spring!
I’m passionate about community, expression, and ideas, and I am excited to meet all of y’all! If you have any questions about life at UT, feel free to email me at dayton.thompson@utexas.edu.
