Thanks to your continuing generosity over the years, we are very pleased to announce that this year, RFSA is awarding a total of $50,000 in scholarships to 20 accomplished UT students! Each student is selected by the Office of Student Financial Services on the basis of academic merit and financial need and will receive $2500 for the year. RFSA has been awarding these scholarships every year since 1988, funded by the earnings of an endowment with a market value of over $1 million. Available income from that fund varies, depending on prevailing interest rates and market conditions. Our 2020-21 RFSA recipients are shown below, along with their amazing and inspirational responses.
In addition to undesignated donations, the scholarship endowment benefits from gifts made in memory or honor of family, friends and colleagues; in celebration of particular events; and estate donations. Please consider making a contribution to the scholarship fund – it will make a difference in a student’s life!
Contributions, made payable to “The University of Texas at Austin”, may be mailed to: Carol Barrett, Director of Special Projects, Texas Exes, P.O. Box 7278, Austin, TX 78713. Or to donate online, go to http://giving.utexas.edu and complete the information requested. If you are donating in honor or memory of a person or event, write that information in the “notes” section.
RFSA Scholarship Winners
Lilibeth Ramirez
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
School: College of Education
Major: Bilingual/Bicultural Education
Year in School: Senior
Why did you choose your field of study? I want to help shape the future of Texas, which is
becoming increasingly diverse. I am also passionate about bilingual/bicultural
education because there is power in being bilingual, bicultural, and biliterate.
What are your career goals? I hope to obtain a Master’s degree in Higher Education
to gain the skills necessary to become an active contributor in higher education
institutions. This passion stems from my personal experience with educational inequity
and my long-held determination to advocate for low-income first-generation students of
color.
What or who has influenced you the most so far in your life, and how do you plan
to benefit from this influence going forward? It could be a relative, friend, a
public figure, an event, an organization, a sport-whatever you feel has been most
important to you: My mother growing up was not allowed an opportunity to obtain an
education. Growing up, she had to walk miles to get to school because there was no
other method of transportation that she could afford. The eagerness she had to learn
would make her walk barefoot because there was no money to buy shoes, all the way
up hills full of dirt, rocks, and pieces of glass. Despite flayed and bloody feet, she tried
to obtain an education until her mother made her quit to work. She was then obligated
to migrate to America because of the Salvadoran Civil War. Thanks to her migration and
efforts in raising me as a single mother, I will graduate in May of 2021.
What does receiving a scholarship mean to you? The dream I have of obtaining my
higher education is one step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to the Retired Faculty
Staff Association Scholarship.
Outside of class, what are your interests – hobbies, volunteer work, etc.? I enjoy
tutoring emergent bilinguals across all the academic domains and spending time with
my family.
If you had two extra hours in a day, what would you do? I would read books for
pleasure, unwind, and spend more time with God.
Keion Rasti
Hometown: Houston, TX
School: Liberal Arts
Major: Psychology and History
Year in school: Senior
Why did you choose your field of study?:
Psychology was my favorite class that I took in high school. I find learning about how the human mind functions and develops to be really fascinating. Once I got to college, I added history as a second major after taking a Russian history course I really enjoyed. I think learning about the past is incredibly important to understand the present. I’ve always been a big believer in studying what truly interests you, so that’s the philosophy I adopted in college.
What are your career goals?:
My goal is to attend law school and become a lawyer. In many ways I find law to be the cornerstone of all the subjects I’m interested in (psychology, history, and philosophy). Ultimately, I want to use my position as a lawyer to do some sort of good in the world.
What or who has influenced you the most in your life, and how do you plan to benefit from this influence going forward?:
I think what influenced me the most in my life was my experience in speech and debate in high school. I not only gained an appreciation for argumentation, but I learned that I was smart enough to achieve my goals if I applied myself. Just as I have in college, I plan to continue putting in the effort to achieve my goals in the future in a similar way.
What does receiving this scholarship mean to you?:
Receiving this scholarship means being able to truly apply myself to learning about the subjects I’m interested in. It gives me a means to afford a world-class education from UT Austin that I might not have been able to get otherwise. Being able to pursue my education without considerable financial constraint allows me to put in all my effort to doing my best in school, which is incredibly valuable to me.
Outside of class, what are your hobbies?:
Outside of class I like to exercise, play guitar, read, watch movies, spend time with friends, and play video games!
If you had two extra hours in a day, what would you do?:
I would probably use it to cook a nice home-made meal everyday.
Sung Hoon Jung
What is your hometown? Austin, TX
School: UT Austin Cockrell School of Engineering
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Year in school: 3rd
Why did you choose your field of study? I have always been fascinated with biological systems: how atoms make the molecules that make our cells that create our functional body. I chose BME because I am able to solve the most crucial problems in the intersection of biology and medicine that can greatly improve the lives of everyone. In addition, it is a rising major that has great potential in the future as the general population gets older.
What are your career goals? Our cells are extremely complex molecular machines, and it is truly fascinating that these little things can come together to comprise us. However, when there is a mishap in our little machines, unfortunate things can happen. In my career, I would like to elucidate some of the many unknown workings of our body and cells.
What or who has influenced you the most so far in your life, and how do you plan to benefit from this influence going forward? It could be a relative, friend, a public figure, an event, an organization, a sport-whatever you feel has been most important to you. My faith in God is what keeps my head up and my feet moving in the right direction towards my ultimate purpose in life. Also, my mother is the one that set a solid foundation in my academic and nonacademic life and always picked me back up in the lowest points. Finally, my 10th-grade biology teacher sparked my interest in biology and science in general.
What does receiving a scholarship mean to you? It is a great honor, and I am very fortunate to have people and organizations support me for doing what I love. This scholarship means I can worry less about funding my studies and dedicate much more of my time to learning.
Outside of class, what are your interests – hobbies, volunteer work, etc.? My favorite hobby is calisthenics, which is a form of art and physical activity that focuses on controlling your body weight with your own mind and strength. Also, I like to analyze chord progressions in every music I listen to, along with playing the piano, violin, and trumpet sometimes. As a contribution back to the BME department, I work as an undergraduate learning assistant for a biomedical engineering course.
If you had two extra hours in a day, what would you do? Access to knowledge is easier today than ever before, and there are things that I will never learn in school that are just a click away. If I had a couple more hours a day, I would like to learn new things that are not necessarily related to my field of study or my career.
Felipe Gonzalez Gutierrez
Waxahachie, TX
College of Natural Sciences
BSA Biology Honors
Junior
I have always been interested in science, especially relating to organisms and healthcare. Being a BSA Biology major allows me to pursue a variety of classes in this field while also being able to widen my horizons with non-science related classes.
My career goal is to go into healthcare and serve as an orthopedic surgeon, an area in which I have had exposure and really loved.
One of the most influential experiences in my life has been my involvement with C.D. Doyle clinic in Austin. C.D. Doyle is a clinic that offers free healthcare to people undergoing homelessness. The impact that we make in the clinic has been instrumental in continuing to reinforce my desire to pursue a career in medicine.
Receiving this scholarship is a blessing for me. With this scholarship, I can focus more of my attention to my passions for medicine and healthcare. Without having to worry as much about the financial cost of college, I am able to spend more time in the classroom, the lab, and in my volunteering activities.
Outside of class, I love to spend as much time as I can outdoors. I love to workout and go for a run around Lady Bird whenever I have the chance. I am a member of C.D. Doyle clinic, the Health Science Scholars honors program, and also the vice president of Bridging Texas, a student organization that works with seniors in retirement homes. I also love to play basketball with friends. Before the pandemic, we even participated in the intramural league. Finally, I am a huge Dallas Cowboys fan; I do not miss the games.
As bad as it sounds, if I had two extra hours in a day, I would most likely spend that time taking a nap or relaxing in some way. In a year I am preparing to take the MCAT, balancing my schoolwork, extracurricular activities, MCAT prep, and social life can be a bit overwhelming at times. However, some extra time to refocus would never hurt.
Harrison Q. Jin
Hometown: The Woodlands, TX
School: Cockrell School of Engineering
Major: Computational Engineering
Year in school: Sophomore
Why did I choose my field of study: I am very interested in software development, particularly in the field of robotics and other engineering-related disciplines.
Career Goals: I hope to pursue a career in autonomous vehicles and help make self-driving cars the standard in society.
Most influential person: My mom has always driven me to be the best version of myself, and she has sacrificed a lot so that my siblings and I could have the opportunities to pursue our passions.
What receiving a scholarship means to me: Receiving a scholarship enables me to pursue extracurricular activities and projects that I’m interested in rather than those that meet my financial needs. It helps my family a lot, especially because I have a twin sister who is also attending UT at the same time as me.
Interests: Sports, board games, clarinet, and Super Smash Bros Melee
What I would do with two extra hours: I would probably spend 2 extra hours with my friends. We are all so busy that it is hard to find time to see each other!
Garrett Gu
Hometown: Allen, TX / Shanghai, China
School: CNS
Major: CS + Math
Year in School: Junior
Why did you choose your field of study? I chose CS because I’ve had a passion for working with computers ever since I discovered powerpoint when I was 8. Before he passed, my grandfather worked hard to help me develop this passion and skill.
What are your career goals? I think my ultimate goal is to come up with new ideas or implementations that make peoples’ lives more easy or fun. I plan on doing so by writing systems software and performing research in this area.
What or who has influenced you the most so far in your life, and how do you plan to benefit from this influence going forward? It could be a relative, friend, a public figure, an event, an organization, a sport-whatever you feel has been most important to you. My mother has been a great influence in my life so far. Although we disagree on a lot of things, she taught me to give generously, to strive for the highest level of honesty, and to work unremittingly. Although she was diagnosed with colon cancer this year, I admire her for continuing to follow her passions as a schoolteacher in between chemo sessions.
What does receiving a scholarship mean to you? Receiving a scholarship means that I do not need to work during the school year to avoid putting more strain on my family’s finances in between my father losing his job in China and my mother going through chemotherapy. Instead, I can focus on performing research.
Outside of class, what are your interests – hobbies, volunteer work, etc.? I play a lot of Tetris, and I started a Tetris club at UT this semester. We’re at 60 members right now!
If you had two extra hours in a day, what would you do? I would probably work on my piano skills again. I used to play quite a bit but I ended up reallocating my time because learning piano is a significant time commitment.
Chloe Rice
Hometown: Spring, TX
School: McCombs
Major: MIS
Year: Third-year (junior)
Why MIS: I am very interested in technology and want to target the intersection of technology, innovation, and communications.
Career goals: I hope to pursue a career that allows me to bring positive chang through technological innovation and effective management.
Meaningful experience: Last summer, I had the opportunity to conduct accessibility research for a large technology company and write a standard for their future approach to alternative text. This experience showed me how technology can be used to improve the lives of others, and inspired me to pursue similar opportunities throughout my career.
What does this scholarship mean to me? This scholarship will help me afford a semester abroad in London next semester. In London, I plan to finish my business core curriculum in the finance capital of the world and learn more about the global marketplace.
Interests/hobbies: Outside of classes, I spend most of my time soccer coaching, cooking, trying new coffee shops and going on road trips.
Two extra hours: If I had two extra hours in a day, I would dedicate them to research in topics outside of my course of study. I find that I often do not have enough time to pursue interests that are not directly related to my classes, but I am always hungry to learn new things.
Preethi Keerthipati
What is your hometown? Cedar Park, TX
School: College of Natural Sciences
Major: Biology BSA and certificate in Biomimicry in Textiles
Year in school: 4th
Why did you choose your field of study?
The first time I took Biology was in 9th grade, and it was immediately my favorite subject. When I was younger, I would dissect various things around my home like clocks and my toys to figure out what’s inside. That same curiosity has followed me and grown to include the contents that make living organisms function.
What are your career goals?
I would like to be a doctor and later on in my career teach at a medical school or university. I’ve found that I really enjoy connecting and teaching others through my current job as an undergraduate teaching assistant.
What or who has influenced you the most so far in your life, and how do you plan to benefit from this influence going forward? It could be a relative, friend, a public figure, an event, an organization, a sport-whatever you feel has been most important to you.
My mother has definitely influenced my life the most. I don’t think I’ve realized the full extent to which she has impacted my life. However as I grow older and experience adulthood for myself, I’ve come to understand better the struggles she has faced raising my sister and me. And my respect and admiration for her only continues to grow.
What does receiving a scholarship mean to you?
I wasn’t expecting to get this scholarship, so in a way it means that the hard work I’ve put in during my time here at UT was noticed, which is really nice because sometimes I feel like what is the point of working so hard. This scholarship also means financial independence for me. I remember when I was younger, wishing that I would grow up faster, so that I wouldn’t be a financial burden on my mother anymore. And now in college I’m very grateful for the scholarships that allow me to do that.
Outside of class, what are your interests – hobbies, volunteer work, etc.?
Outside of class I really enjoy going bouldering with my friends, watercolor painting, and photography. I also really want to learn how to surf, so hopefully that’ll be a future hobby of mine!
If you had two extra hours in a day, what would you do?
Realistically, sleep or study (which is kind of sad). Alternatively, I would want to use the time to properly learn the banjo.
Marco A. Hernandez
What is your hometown?: Laredo, Texas
School: Moody College of Communication
Major: Public Relations
Year in school: I’m a 3rd year, class of 2022.
Why did you choose your field of study?: I chose Public Relations because I believe it’s an integral part of Marketing and it’s important for many organizations to establish and maintain positive goodwill with its publics.
What are your career goals? My ultimate career goal is to go to law school and become either a corporate lawyer or personal injury lawyer.
What or who has influenced you the most so far in your life, and how do you plan to benefit from this influence going forward? It could be a relative, friend, a public figure, an event, an organization, a sport-whatever you feel has been most important to you. My parents have definitely influenced me the most so far in my life. They have provided me with the essentials I’ve needed and have shown me down the right path towards a successful future. I plan to benefit from their influence by striving toward my ultimate career goal and not giving up until I achieve it. I hope that one day I can give back to my parents in a way that shows how much I truly appreciate them.
What does receiving a scholarship mean to you? This scholarship means a lot. It has allowed me to concentrate solely on my studies and has allowed me to not have to work during a critical time in which I’m beginning to study for the LSAT, the entrance exam for law school.
Outside of class, what are your interests – hobbies, volunteer work, etc.? Outside of class, I love being with my family and friends, traveling, and watching/playing sports. I also like doing volunteer work; however, during these times, I haven’t been able to do much. But, giving back to the community is an important standard of mine in which I always try to live up to.
If you had two extra hours in a day, what would you do? If I had two extra hours in a day, I would be outside more and just enjoy nature and its scenery. Being outside gives me a sense of relaxation especially since I find myself inside much of the day glued to my computer.
Merhdad Heydari
What is your hometown? Austin
School UT Austin
Major Neuroscience
Year in school Senior
Why did you choose your field of study? The structure of brain has always been an interesting thing to me. We are made of billions of neurons. Each of the neurons are unaware of their existence but when they work together, they make us which are aware of ourselves.
What are your career goals? I want to become a dentist to provide oral health for people in under served areas.
What or who has influenced you the most so far in your life, and how do you plan to benefit from this influence going forward? It could be a relative, friend, a public figure, an event, an organization, a sport-whatever you feel has been most important to you. My first grade teacher. When I started the first grade, I didn’t pay attention to the school and I didn’t want to study at all. One day she asked my mother to come to school and she had a serious talk about my future with my mother and I. I felt embarrassed and from that time I decided to work hardly in my classes to make my mother proud of me at any stage of my life.
What does receiving a scholarship mean to you? It means that there is still great people who cares about the education of those who are not their relatives but are the next generation of the United States. This scholarship has encouraged me to strongly keep working on my goal of becoming a dentist to help the people of my society.
Outside of class, what are your interests – hobbies, volunteer work, etc.? I usually play soccer with my friends on the weekends. I also go to hiking and biking with my family when the weather is good. I volunteered at a food pantry for some semesters before the pandemic came.
If you had two extra hours in a day, what would you do? I wish I could have the extra time to study books other than the ones that I have to study for my classes. I am in love with history books especially the ones that are about ancient eras. I would also spend more time with my family cause I know someday I have to become independent and I cant spend time with my family as much as I can right now.
Christina Blake
What is your hometown? I was born in Montego Bay Jamaica
School: University of Texas
Major: Theatre
Year in school: Senior
Why did you choose your field of study? I chose to pursue acting because I discovered a love for the arts and the multitude of ways that we can convey shared human experiences. In theatre, seeing all your hard work, months of preparation and collaboration come to life each performance is one of the most exhilarating feelings. The relationship between the performers and the audience each night is extremely special.
What are your career goals? I hope to pursue a career in film and television.
What or who has influenced you the most so far in your life, and how do you plan to benefit from this influence going forward? My mom has been my biggest influence in life. I have watched her work her hardest to make sure I can do more in life than just survive. Her hard work has allowed me to pursue my passion and given me an intense determination to accomplish whatever I put my mind to.
What does receiving a scholarship mean to you? Receiving this scholarship means a few more hours that I don’t have to spend at work that I can use to focus more and school and working on acting projects.
Outside of class, what are your interests – hobbies, volunteer work, etc.? Outside of class I like to go running and lift weights. I also enjoy reading, fantasy and dystopian novels are among my favorites genres when I want to escape the real world for a while.
If you had two extra hours in a day, what would you do? If I had two extra hours in the day I would read more. More novels, more plays, more of everything.
Yiheng Su
I grew up in Plano, Texas after immigrating here around fifth grade. I am currently a third year/junior Computer Science major under the college of Natural Sciences in UT. I elected to be in CS since I had always been fascinated by intricate machinery and I love writing programs and applications that can help make someone’s life easier! My current career goals are to become a data scientist around the areas of artificial intelligence and evolutionary neural networks, and I firmly believe that automation will become an irreplaceable part of our future everyday lives. One of the most influential people in my life (besides my parents, of course) would be my high school CS teacher Mr. Bryan Bunn, who created a stress-free learning environment and encouraged me to explore my interests in the field during class time given my required work was complete.
Receiving this scholarship not only relieves me from the stress of college tuition bills but also motivates more down the path of pursuit of knowledge and excellence, knowing that someone out there believes just as strongly as that what starts here, truly changes the world. Outside of class, I usually work on my research project under the Hofmann Lab at UT; during the weekends, before Covid I love hanging out with my friends in local arcades around Campus (really recommend Arcade UFO, which is a 15 minute walk from campus). I had volunteered as a tutor at a local tutoring center, but sadly had to remain indoors after March.
Gaining two extra hours in a day would be a tremendous blessing, seeing that there’s always something more to do. However, I would probably spent that time to bond with my family and cherish the ever fleeting time before graduation.
Allen Wen
Hometown: Seabrook, TX
School: CNS
Major: Physics, Math
Year: Junior
Why did you choose your field of study? I wanted to learn about how and why the universe just works the way it does, and physics does a pretty good job at explaining that. Soon enough, I also wanted to learn how physics works the way it does so I also studied math.
What are your career goals? Continue my education in graduate school; become a professor or researcher.
What or who has influenced you the most so far in your life? My clarinet teacher. I took lessons from him all throughout middle and high school. He was the type of person who was never satisfied and always pushed me to work harder while still making the process fun. That attitude of both requiring myself to improve while also believing that I can make it happen is something I can hope to keep with me.
What does receiving a scholarship mean to you? It makes me believe that all of the work that I have put in thus far is paying off. It gives me confidence, both mentally and financially, to continue down my career path.
Outside of class, what are your interests – hobbies, volunteer work, etc.? I love music, both as a listener and a guitar and piano player. I am a member of UT’s Longhorn Racing Electric team and the Magic Club (tricks, not the card game). I like to ride my bike and play ultimate frisbee.
If you had two extra hours in a day, what would you do? Practice more guitar or piano. If my schedule is busy, those are usually the first to go since they are purely for my own enjoyment.