Peer Mentor 2021 Profiles
Senior, Plan II and Government
Hey there! My name is Katie, and I am a senior Plan II and Government major. I am also minoring in Philosophy and Arabic, and I am a member of the Arabic Flagship Program. Although I’m from Houston, I plan to stay in Austin after graduation because I can’t get enough of the nature, weather and public policy here!
When not doing homework, I enjoy watching horror movies, learning about sustainability, cooking new vegetarian dishes with my friends, listening to the My Favorite Murder podcast, and finding the best cheap bottle of wine at Trader Joe’s. My favorite TV shows are currently Killing Eve and Fleabag, and my idol is Lady Gaga. I am also keen on cycling and taking my dog on long walks in Pease Park (interesting fact: after the Civil War, General Custer and his soldiers camped in Pease Park; however, many men became ill with cholera, were hospitalized at the Neill-Cochran House in Wampus, and tragically died…I recently discovered this bit of history on my latest walk). Anyways, my dog’s name is Loopie, and she is a six month old lab/hound mutt that I adopted over the summer from APA!. She loves cheese, licking banana peels (?), and taking up all the room on my sofa.
I am thrilled to be one of your Plan II Peer Mentors this semester, and I can’t wait to get to know y’all! I am pretty much down to talk about anything, and I look forward to hearing about how your year is going. I know it’s been tough, but I am optimistic that this semester will be great. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have and/or send me your favorite meme/piece of art/song/book at katieclee@utexas.edu
Katie's Spring 2021 Peer Group: Climate Change - A Hot Topic
FORMAT: IN PERSON (OUTDOORS)
MEETS WEDNESDAYS 4-5PM
This group will come together to build community and share conversation, as well as our collective anxiety & hot takes, about climate change. We will discuss our hopes, fears, and the challenges we face as young people who care about our planet (for example, the difficulties of interacting with climate change deniers...you know, like when your eighty-year-old grandpa forwards crazy pseudoscience articles he finds on the internet that denounce climate change as a hoax because the Earth's orbit is "just changing" & he says you have to forward it on to 20 more people or you'll have bad luck for a year...) Anyways! This pod will meet outside when the weather permits, and we will go on optional group hikes/nature walks around Austin to practice mindfulness and gratitude for the environment around us. Depending on the interest level of group members, I am also happy to chat about including climate change related movies/documentaries/artwork/books in our discussions.
Praveena JavvardiSenior, Plan II and Government
Hello! My name is Praveena! I am a senior and my other major is Government, but I am also really interested in Psychology, Anthropology, and Urban Planning! Some fun facts about me are that I am very cool and extremely interesting, not to mention humble. I love watching movies, in a hopefully unpretentious way, and vibing. This winter break I read the Percy Jackson series and I am currently trying to find the motivation to read the Lost Olympus novels even though I miss Percy and Annabeth with all my heart.
I am excited to get to know all of you and be a resource for you this semester! If you find me on LinkedIn and think, "wow she is soooo cool I have to talk to her", or you want hot takes on the best Boba in Austin: you can email me here: prvnjavvadi@utexas.edu.
FORMAT: ONLINE
MEETS MONDAY OR WEDNESDAY 3-4PM DEPENDING ON MENTEE AVAILABILITY
Alex Allen
Junior, Plan II and Communication & Leadership
Hi everyone! My name’s Alex and I’m a third-year Plan II and Communication & Leadership student with a certificate in Core Texts and Ideas. I’m really interested in education policy, community storytelling, legal advocacy, and recently, building cardboard castles for my pet bunny. On campus, I’m involved in Communication Council as the External Director in charge of community relations, the Plan II/ KIPP Partnership as a youth mentor, and the McCombs LIFT program as a student consultant for local nonprofits. I also volunteer with the SAFE Alliance in my free time as an advocate for domestic violence survivors and give tours to prospective students with Texas Tour Guides. In the future, I’m planning to attend law school and use the judicial system to promote equity in our public schools. I also hope to one day learn how to rollerskate backward without falling down. I am so excited to be a peer mentor this semester and to get to know as many of y’all as possible! Please reach out to me at aqallen2@gmail.com if you want to chat, have any questions, or if you can give me some rollerskating tips.
Alex's Spring 2021 Peer Group: What Do I Care About?
FORMAT: ONLINE
MEETS WEDNESDAY 1-2PM OR 2-3PM DEPENDING ON MENTEE AVAILABILITY
This pod will help us explore our individual values, passions, and how to translate them into our personal and professional lives. It can be easy for students to lose sight of what they care about as we transition from high school to college to the workforce, so the function of this pod is to allow us all to take a step back and determine what we’re actually interested in. The meetings will be a mix of strengths surveys, discussions of current topics in the media, and conversations about why we care about what we do. Hopefully, along the way we'll learn more about what we each care about and how we can keep those things present in our adult lives.
Reilly Gsanger
Junior, Plan II and Philosphy
Hailey Hollowell
Junior, Plan II and International Relations & Global Studies
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 enjoy studying cultural imperialism and its roots in Western colonialism, as well as how these issues impact refugees and stateless people today. 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.
Hailey's Spring 2021 Peer Group: LGB-TV!
FORMAT: ONLINE
MEETS WEDNESDAY 4-5PM OR 5-6PM DEPENDING ON MENTEE AVAILABILITY
This pod will be a relaxed space where watch and critique our favorite LGBTQ+ representation in TV, movies, books, and more! Not all press is good press, and we're going to unpack messy characters and storylines and talk about what we'd like to see done differently. Of course, we'll also discuss our favorite characters and stories and how they relate to our lives and experiences. Our meetings will mostly be just casual chats with each other about these pieces of media, and we will have optional movie/ TV episode screenings for anyone interested. Overall, this pod aims to build community for LGBTQ+ Plan II kids and provide a break from life as we look for ourselves on the big screen.
Luna Malloy
Junior, Plan II and Psychology
FORMAT: ONLINE
MEETS WEDNESDAYS 3-4PM or FRIDAYS 2-3PM DEPENDING ON MENTEE AVAILABILITY
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!
Nicole's Spring 2021 Peer Group: A Lagniappe Pod
FORMAT: ONLINE
MEETS TUESDAYS 4-5PM
"Lagniappe" is a Cajun French word that means "a lil' something extra." In Louisiana, lagniappe is typically expressed with food, like an extra shrimp served with your poboy or a surprise donut hole tucked into your box of donuts. Our pod will be that lil' somehing extra that we didn't really request in college. Together, we will discuss and grapple with a myriad of topics, such as current events, college tips, careers, self-growth, and other things suggested by the pod members. This pod will continue fostering a Plan II community of support and hope. Everybody could use a lil' something extra, especially right now:)
Dayton Thompson
Junior, Plan II and Mechanical Engineering
Hey y’all! My name is Dayton, and I am a 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.
Dayton's Spring 2021 Peer Group: Coronavirus and Human Connection: The Good, The Bad, and Everything in Between!
FORMAT: ONLINE
MEETS THURSDAYS 4-5PM
This group will act as an introduction to developing, understanding, and reflecting on relationships—on the forty acres and beyond! In doing so, we will examine our own identities and desires to guide our pursuits and the types of relationships, whether professional or personal, we wish to cultivate. Besides these moments for deep thought, we will also develop action steps we can take to put our own realizations into action, whether that means something as common as joining an org or figuring out the next playlist we should dive into. To offer support for your experience, this group will also feature guests from other people on/nearby campus, introducing you to what is out there and places which might offer the community you desire.