EXPLORE. BELONG.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Among the greatest milestones of Austin College
are the achievements of its alumni.
By Leigh-Ellen Romm
While Austin College marks its 175th year, the timeline teems with the lives of thousands of alumni who have experienced an Austin College education—from Joab H. Banton, the first graduate in 1854, to Cynthia Y. Zapata, the most recent in May 2023.
As the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under its original name and charter, Austin College has endured pandemics and wars, and has expanded its student body with co-education in 1918 and desegregation in 1959. All those souls, with their hopes and dreams, have had opportunities to learn more about the world, find friendship, and help their neighbors—in the community and around the world—through acts of service.
The following alumni, all graduates since 2000, were nominated by faculty and staff members to represent the outstanding outcomes of an Austin College education. Although their stories are as different as the lives they lead, these alumni agree that an Austin College education has uniquely prepared them for the future.
You can read more alumni profiles that exemplify the celebration theme Explore. Belong. Make a Difference. on the 175th Milestone Celebration webpage of the Austin College website.
EXPLORE.
Trusting his intuition to reach a lifelong goal
How does a D3 soccer player who majored in economics and Spanish become a Power Five Division I assistant coach at the University of Maryland, recruiting talented soccer players from around the world and preparing many of them for the professional stage? Miles Vaughn ’09 would say it’s by having the emotional intelligence to consider his many options and then leaning into the choices he made.
“In my current work, the most important thing I do is communicate with people all over the country and world,” Vaughn says. “I firmly believe that the international experiences in studying abroad in Spain and JanTerm in Guatemala helped open my eyes to different people and cultures. After graduation, I spent two years as a Teach For America corps member in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Then, with the help of mentors at Austin College, I was able to win a Fulbright English Teaching award to Colombia. These experiences have informed my approach to my career and have helped to steer me toward my current career in coaching.”
He always wanted to coach soccer, but he says he assumed it would be at the club level or a youth recreational program. So, after his Fulbright experience, rather than continue to law school or a Ph.D. program, Miles returned to Baton Rouge to first teach in a private school and eventually coach soccer full-time at a large club with 7,000 members. When his wife began the MBA program at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, Miles found a new club coaching job in a new part of the country. It was there that he met University of Maryland’s head soccer coach; he says he was in the right place at the right time.
“I had been in the state for about six months,” Miles says, “and when he had a job opening, he called me and said, ‘do you wanna come work at the University of Maryland?’ I said, ‘that sounds like a great opportunity.’”
In the six years since, Miles has worked with many international student athletes from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and Asia. “I think that going to different countries and experiencing different cultures through Austin College has helped me to understand what these young athletes are going through,” he says. “So, I think being able to help them as they are exploring this different culture is sort of like a really cool, full-circle moment.”
BELONG.
Finding harmony between music and medicine
When she came to Austin College, Megan Chiu ’18 had a dream to go to medical school—and she had a cello.
“Music really served as my kind of therapy,” she said. “I would always go back to music and always want to either just put in headphones and tune out everything or play cello. Being in the Sherman Symphony, when we had those long rehearsals ... it felt like we were all a big community of just people who loved music.”
When the time came to apply for medical school, Megan felt her dream had changed and her major could, too. She credits Austin College faculty members, Associate Professor of Music Dan Dominick, Professor Emeritus of Music Dr. Ricky Duhaime, and the late Kim Snipes from the Biology department, for helping with that decision and introducing the idea of music therapy.
“I could use everything that I’ve learned so far in my lifetime to really do something in the medical field that’s more holistic,” she said. “That’s more talking about the healing environment, that’s more talking about wellness overall. My experience at Austin College has encouraged me to pursue a career that incorporates all my passions equally: music, medicine, and service.”
Megan works as a full-time, board-certified music therapist at Baylor Scott & White Health – All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, and has recently completed her Master of Music Therapy degree from Texas Woman’s University. “My liberal arts degree from Austin College has taught me core values of who I am as a developing professional and human. These core values include leading with compassion and empathy so that I may empower and advocate for my patients, future music therapy professionals, and the field of music therapy.”
Clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions can address a variety of healthcare goals such as decreasing anxiety, decreasing perception of pain, and increasing emotional expression. Megan sees patients across a variety of units in the hospital including ICU, palliative care, transplant, and oncology.
“Austin College gave me a platform to learn about accessibility and advocacy,” Megan says. “A lot of times our patients are just having such a hard time processing what they’re encountering at the hospital. So, for me to come in and say, listen, I’m not going to talk about anything medical with you yet, but
let’s talk about some music. We’re not going to tell a patient this is how they’re supposed to be coping, but that they’re finding their own way, and I’m just guiding them through. Working at the hospital has provided me a way to foster human connection and focus on the whole person, rather than their diagnosis.”
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Going to serve, returning for love
Emily Coufal Vann ’00 has traveled to Kenya many times to visit the Maasai People of Amboseli. As a board member of Coins for Change, the nonprofit established in 2010 by her aunt and uncle, she has helped provide education, livestock, and skills training. In return, she has developed friendships that feel like family ties.
“Over the years, Coins for Change has sent roughly 150 children through high school and five have gone on to higher education,” Emily says. “CfC has also raised money to purchase more than 1,500 cows and countless goats, which are invaluable in the Maasai community for nourishment and currency.” CfC has also supported surgical operations, famine relief, teacher housing, and provision of water tanks for communities throughout the Amboseli National Park area.
The organization’s low overhead allows it to maximize funding directed into the hands of the people who need it. Using a texting app, Coins for Change sponsors can regularly communicate with their friends and partners in Kenya, such as Chief Mary, the first female chief of police, who helps navigate the school system for the sponsored students.
“In 2019, my family sponsored one of the Coins for Change students, Jackson Sinyok, to come live and work in Dallas with our family for the summer. While here, he was able to get an internship in accounting, thanks to fellow alumnus Matt Sisk ’99,” Emily says. “That was an invaluable experience for him.”
“Two years later, we were invited to celebrate Jackson’s wedding in Amboseli, which I attended with my 13-year-old son,” Emily says. “On this trip we represented Coins for Change, visiting students, purchasing goats, taking tea in many of the surrounding bomas and enjoying the cherished friendships.”
Emily currently supports six students herself and credits her work as a senior sales manager at Hudson Energy for making that possible. “What I love about my job is that I help people,” she says. “I manage people, and I help them make money. I help the company as the liaison between my company and the customer and then salespeople. And so, for me, that brings me joy and resources to allow me to do my stuff that I love in Kenya.”
“It continues to fill my soul with love and happiness as my connection to people in Kenya deepens,” she said. “There are many Maasai I now consider family, who have enriched my life beyond measure. Austin College instilled a lifelong love and interest in different countries and cultures, opening my heart to new perspectives in the world. I feel so fortunate that I attended Austin College—it changed my life beyond measure and for that I am eternally grateful.”
Alumni recount stories of inspiration for meaningful careers
Katy Walters ’07
Minister of Word and Sacrament
Forest Hills Presbyterian Church
Helotes, Texas
ACtivators prepared minister for life of service
Katy Walters says that no day as a pastor ever looks the same—she could be praying at the bedside of a congregant before surgery, teaching scripture in a Bible study class, or traveling to a youth conference making sure the snacks never run out and everyone is hydrated and enjoying God’s creation.
“Austin College nurtured my faith, my love for serving the children of God, and willingness to give the gift of time and care for others through AC’s Religious Life, specifically through the ACtivators program. AC was a safe space for me to grow, fail, play, and learn, and I’ve seen it do the same for many other ’Roos,” she said.
Being prepared to learn and adapt has helped Katy at Forest Hills Presbyterian Church. “I lead worship on Sundays, preside at funerals and weddings, lead and attend more meetings than I think are necessary, and try to be present in our community,” she said. “During this current call I’ve also learned much about managing a staff, multiple buildings, facility usage—and how to correctly use plungers.”
When not on campus, she serves the larger church through Mission Presbytery committees, helping by preaching, teaching, and leading small groups at youth conferences, or serving as a summer camp chaplain. Katy shares, “I often say that my theology involves four words: God loves all y’all.”
Anthony Swift ’03
Senior Director
Natural Resources Defense Council
Canada Program
Strong foundation strengthened environmental activist
There’s a lot at stake every day when Anthony Swift goes to work. As a member of the Natural Resources Defense Council, he says he must effectively communicate and advocate before a number of audiences such as policy makers, technical and scientific experts, corporate stakeholders, broad coalitions of other NGOs, grassroots organizations, Indigenous allies, and the general public.
“To be effective in my current role, I have had to be able to achieve mastery, or at minimum a proficient understanding, of a broad range of fields ranging from forest ecology, the economics, logistics and supply chains of the oil and gas and pulp and paper industries, as well as law and policy issues at the subnational, national, and international levels in the United States, Canada, and Europe,” he said.
“While no four-year program could have taught me everything I needed to know to excel in these varied contexts, Austin College did something better. By giving me an excellent, multi-disciplinary foundation of knowledge and teaching me how to approach learning and communication, Austin College gave
me the tools I needed to build the evolving expertise necessary to be an effective advocate for the planet and the natural systems on which we all depend.”
PHOTO by Rebecca Greenfield for NRDC
Blair Whalen ’17
Renal Social Worker
DaVita Dialysis
Houston, Texas
Exposure to cultures set social worker’s trajectory
Blair Whalen connects her varied experiences at Austin College to meaningful outcomes in her post-graduate education, career, and acts of service. “It really can’t be overstated how I was able to do everything I wanted while at AC, and how it set me perfectly along the trajectories that led me to what I’m doing
today,” she said.
While living in the Jordan Family Language House, she not only learned Japanese language and culture, but also enjoyed friendships with students studying Spanish, French, German, and Chinese. She took advantage of opportunities to study abroad in Japan and Scotland. “All of the cultural insights I gained from these experiences really helped me to become a better social worker. Being able to view the world through lenses and systems different from your own and what you have experienced is so important to the work,” she said.
In addition to her career, Blair has devoted her efforts to fostering dogs that are waiting for adoption or euthanization in the Houston animal shelter system—saving 24 pups in the past year! “My education at AC focused on giving back as much as possible to help remedy systemic problems. The fact that I’m able to take pups into my home, getting them ready for their forever homes, helps me feel like I’m personally making an impact in what is really an overwhelming problem.”
Casey Kaczmarczyk ’08
Senior Service Delivery Analyst
Axos Systems
Wellington, New Zealand
Communication skills led to work & life abroad
It’s not what you know, it’s where you want to go, that matters. Casey Kaczmarczyk says he knew the whole world was available to him after graduation from Austin College, so he started with three years in Japan, followed by two years in Gambia, West Africa, with Peace Corps.
He says that he and his partner continued to ride the teaching wave. “We were not being tourists,” he said. “We were working in the middle of nowhere. I’m talking mud hut and no electricity.” In time, they chose to settle in New Zealand, where Casey works in the energy market, helping move the country toward its goal of 100% renewable energy.
“Austin College taught me to put myself out there and get out of my comfort zone,” he says. “I also joined an industry that has nothing to do with either of my majors (communication studies and Japanese studies), and I still felt prepared to jump right in and give it my best. I am so glad I did.” What started as a six-week data entry job 10 years ago escalated into a meaningful career. “I didn’t have any direct skill set—no technical ability for the job. But AC did give me really good communication ability which I leveraged hard. So, when I did not have the skills, I did know how to learn and how to teach others,” he said.
Celeste Longoria ’04
Deputy Director of Constituent Services
U.S. Congress Representative
Phoenix, Arizona
Opportunities inspired dedication to public service
“I think my story emphasizes that the liberal arts experience is designed to introduce you to things you didn’t even know you were going to be passionate about studying,” Celeste Longoria says. She majored in communications and history, completed all pre-med requirements, and studied abroad in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.
Since graduating, Celeste has dedicated her career to community service, working in direct roles as an educator, a poverty law paralegal, and currently in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she engages with constituents and federal agencies on behalf of Congressman Ruben Gallego.
“Austin College instilled in me a dedication to public service and a desire to always give back to the community …,” she says. She recalls the Alpha Phi Omega service project picking up trash on State Highway 56 in Sherman. She said, “This is a simple project, but it was also humbling and eye-opening. This is a perfect analogy for direct service to community: it’s simple in concept, but exponentially impactful.”
“I am endlessly proud of being an Austin College alumna and consider myself a steward of the education it provided,” she says. “When professional folks ask where I honed a skill such as writing or public speaking, the answer is always Austin College. I attended a school that made it a point to send me out into the world with the tools I needed to excel, and I have.”
Kola Alade ’10
Pediatric Psychologist
Cook Children’s Medical Center
Hurst, Texas
First-year class opened door to psychology career
Kola Alade is a lifelong athlete who says his four years on the Austin College basketball team were some of the best times of his life—and they prepared him
for his future. “I was around teammates who not only were a great group to be around but were ambitious about their career goals, and they are doing great
things today,” he said.
While a first-year student at Austin College, Kola learned about psychology in an introductory class. Today, he has a Ph.D. in school psychology from Texas Woman’s University and is a nationally certified school psychologist. He works at Cook Children’s Hospital in Hurst, Texas, as a licensed psychologist.
“I primarily conduct psychological testing and evaluations for kids as young as two years old and teens up to age 17,” Kola says. “Concerns for my patients typically include autism, ADHD, trauma, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, and various neurodevelopmental disorders.” Based on the evaluations, Kola provides treatment plans and feedback to parents and caregivers, and therapy and counseling for the children.
Kola returned to campus as the 2023 Cunningham Lecturer, presenting his talk titled, “The Mental Health Umbrella: Our Need for Diversity & Equity.”
Lauren Wheeler Hutton ’16
Registered Nurse
Sanford Health Family Birth Center
Fargo, North Dakota
’Roo athletics instilled discipline needed for nursing work
Lauren Wheeler, postpartum nurse, takes care of moms in the hours they are first learning to care for their brand-new babies. Every family is unique, and Lauren says having a minor in Spanish from Austin College has been helpful. Although the Spanish language is not prevalent in that part of the country, when migrant workers travel through, there is a need to speak and understand it.
“One of my favorite parts of living up here is … I’m able to be a resource for the postpartum team and help with assessments and teaching for Hispanic moms, without using a translator,” says Lauren.
She says the high level of detail, compassion, and determination that is needed in her nursing job was instilled in her by Austin College professors, swim coaches, and Athletic Director David Norman ’83 (MA ’84). While on the Austin College swim team, Lauren earned All-SCAC honors four seasons in a row and broke the program record for the 100M butterfly. Now she excels on the hospital floor as a three-time nominee for the international Daisy Award, a recognition program that celebrates outstanding nurses.
Lauren and her husband, Robert Hutton ’14, moved to North Dakota for work, where he is a teacher. “I am so grateful for the community we have found here in Fargo, 1,000 miles away from where we both grew up and everything we knew. Without Austin College, we would have not been open-minded enough or had the relationship skills instilled in us to thrive in a far-away place that we now call home,” she said.
Nancy Pineda Gama ’21
Conservation Educator
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center
Seagoville, Texas
Applied learning built confidence for COVID-era grad
Nancy Pineda Gama can tell you her favorite insect—the six-spotted tiger beetle—faster than you can say, ‘Go ’Roos!’ She uses her passion for informal education and nature to share that information and so much more as she leads immersive field research experiences for the next generation of nature lovers.
She is a double-certified Texas Master Naturalist and facilitates community events and expos, guided nature walks, and field trips for the public. “As an immigrant, Latina, and first-generation college graduate, I often felt out of place in a predominantly white- and male-dominated environmental field,” she said. "Therefore, I am proud to be part of an organization that is committed to providing education, outreach, and service that not only helps with the management of natural resources but strives to increase access to environmental education and appreciation for nature.”
Applied learning courses and career shadowing opportunities helped give Nancy the experiences she needed to be successful in the nonprofit and education sector. “It allowed me to familiarize myself with software programs, grant reporting methods, and public outreach and engagement,” she said, “… even preparing me on what to expect with leadership styles, communication, and challenges in the workplace and the variation within the nonprofit field. Most importantly, these experiences and courses empowered me to always ask questions and never stop learning.”
Natalia Carter ’05
Independent Solar Consultant
Powur, PBC
Fort Worth, Texas
Environmental studies lit the path for international student
In 2000, Natalia Carter, a Russian college student, won a debate club speech contest in her homeland. The prize was a month-long trip to Washington D.C. to study with Dr. Shelly Williams, Austin College political science professor at the time. After returning to Russia, she applied for admission to Austin College and secured scholarships and financing. In 2003, she returned to the United States, this time to Texas, where she would find her purpose and make her new home.
In her excitement, Natalia took many different classes about international relations and economics, and then she discovered environmental economics. “I remember the light bulb just came on,” she said. “It’s like something in me shifted, and I became really interested in the true cost of goods, the true cost of pollution—the environmental cost of everything. I knew at that time that I need to know more.”
Although that was many years ago, Natalia has gained momentum through her career as a solar energy consultant and with her family that lives an environmentally conscious lifestyle.
“I would say most of our lifestyle is powered by solar, including our house and the electric car,” she said. They have made other adjustments by composting, recycling, and cutting out animal products. “I believe that we have all the tools and resources to combat the worst consequences of climate change. How we take action and encourage other people to take action is up to us.”
TJ Randers ’01
General Dentist
Lubbock, Texas
Dentist credits college experiences for continued service
TJ Randers arrived at Austin College with a solid plan to become a dentist. Largely for practical reasons, such as budget, time, and long-term goals, he dedicated himself to pre-dental coursework—and yet, many additional opportunities crossed his path.
He says that because the school is small and close-knit, it naturally eliminated the things he didn’t need and cut straight to the things he wanted. He played soccer and tennis. He participated in Habitat for Humanity; he learned about environmental science and got to build a house out of hay bales. For a JanTerm he traveled to Peru for a photography class. He learned to lead and serve—two things that have helped him as a dentist who serves others locally and in other countries. TJ volunteers regularly in Lubbock at the Impact Clinic and has traveled to Mexico and Peru several times on health mission trips. He says that returning to Peru as a dentist is a meaningful full-circle moment.
“I’m really grateful for the time that I got to spend there—what fit so well for me was I got to be involved with as many things as I wanted to be involved with,” he said. “The encouragement to be a well-rounded person and the emphasis on service has been something I have tried to put into practice in my life.”
Victoria Briscoe
O’Connor ’13
Assistant Director of Clinical and Professional Services
Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support
Dallas, TX
Broad worldview equipped trauma-informed therapist
For many students, Austin College has been life-changing. For Victoria Briscoe O’Connor, Austin College is life. She runs with a long line of alumni including an aunt, uncle, her parents, her husband, and many of their best friends. She remembers scrambling over the bleachers as a little girl at ’Roo football games and appreciates the great comfort when generations of Austin College family and friends recently offered support when her mother passed away. “That’s a way I feel like I belong within the community from all of the powerful connections AC provides me,” she said. “That just speaks to the heart that we’re such a family.”
“The Austin College experience prepared me to be an empathetic, thoughtful, and informed clinician,” Victoria said. As a licensed professional counselor, she provides trauma-informed therapy to women and children survivors of domestic violence and supervises other counselors at the agency.
“I learned critical thinking skills to appropriately evaluate research findings as well as thoughtfully examine the impact of societal issues that many people face today,” she said. “I had volunteer opportunities where I found a passion for nonprofit work and helping others. Through my JanTerm study abroad experiences and my post-graduate Fulbright year, I developed a desire to learn about other people and broaden my worldviews. I would not be the same person I am today without Austin College!”
Blooming Where They Were Planted
While Austin College alumni make a difference all over the world through their work, citizenship, and service, many make significant contributions right here on campus. The proud alumni pictured here work as members of the faculty and staff to deliver the unique Austin College experience to current students.
Left to Right:
Front Row: Maddie Wilson ’23, Rebecca Jones ’13, Marian Bailey Jones ’20, Margie Briscoe Norman ’83, Gillian Grissom Locke ’07, Rosie Fasullo ’19, Clara Harper ’23
Second Row: Lisa Holloway ’11, Emily Eldridge ’12, Kendall Armijo ’21, Kimberly Harder Donnell ’08 (MAT ’09), Cathy Raines ’86
Third Row: Julie Mielke Macpherson ’91, Mari Elise Ewing ’07, Baylee Locker Kowert ’05, Carey McClain ’88, Darian Johannsen ’23
Fourth Row: Courtney Sellars ’22, Carlos Estrada ’23, Pan Bridgwater ’23
Fifth Row: Melanie Brown Oelfke ’84, Joseph Allison ’01, Shannon Cornelison-Brown ’04
Back Row (on stage): Frank Williams ’81, Chris Goldsmith ’07, Sandy Philipose ’99, Athena Padgett Todd ’13, JR Ohr ’07, Heidi Rushing ’04, Xavier Maxwell ’22, Ed Richardson ’95, Dan Pucul ’04, John Williams ’84, Brian Watkins ’04, Scott Austin ’83, David Norman ’83 (MA ’84), Bradley Oh ’15, Steven O’Day, Hon. L.H.D. ’21
Not Pictured: J’Lee Bumpus ’01, Karson Dykes ’22, Taylor Goyen ’19, Mark Monroe ’81, Liz Preas ’09, Christen Reamy ’13, Ashley Tharayil ’10