Announcing Summer 2024 Student Employees

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Published:
June 13, 2024
A group of eight people stands indoors in front of a wall with a mosaic pattern. They are smiling and pose together for the photograph.

(LEAD Interns and Supervisors from left to right: Stephanie Tran, Tanush Kaushik, Heather Wright, Samantha Tonini, Angeline Aloysius, Michelle Gaston, Sarah Schoonhoven, Jade Lessing)

We are thrilled to announce new and existing student employees who are working with us for the summer. These talented students bring fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, and a passion for education that will undoubtedly enhance our work.

Please join us in welcoming the following Graduate Research Assistants, Communications Specialist, and LEAD interns:

 

  • Michal Calo, Experiential Learning Graduate Research Assistant (Returning)

    • PhD student in the Department of English
    • Michal’s summer will be dedicated to building the workshop materials and experiential learning frameworks for the inaugural Assessment of Learning and Teaching (ALT) Fellowship, as well as working with our data science intern, Tanush, to collect data and construct a database of PTF research output.

     

  • Shiva Chitta, Students as Partners Graduate Research Assistant

    • Graduate Student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs
    • This summer Shiva will be working with the broader Second Year Experience team to understand, streamline and define the possible project outcomes for the academic year (2024-25). Shiva will also be coordinating and facilitating the development of the Webpage for the Second Year Experience Program along with Stephanie Tran.

     

  • Alice Kurima Newberry, Student as Partners Graduate Research Assistant (Returning)

    • PhD Student in the Department of Anthropology
    • Alice’s summer will be dedicated to coordinating, facilitating, and uplifting the Second-Year-Experience (SYE) data utilizing the Students as Partners framework for generating student-led initiatives around learning innovations. She will be collaborating with the talents of Sam Tonini and Ibrahim Bawa to transform research from the SYE onto digital platforms and beyond!

     

  • Precious Oyeka, Communications Specialist

    • Majoring in Informatics, Concentration in User Experience (UX) Design
    • This summer, Precious will enhance our communication strategies by developing content, managing social media, and assisting with newsletters and outreach materials to better engage our community and promote CTL initiatives.

     

  • Angeline Aloysius, Graduate Materials Accessibility LEAD Intern

    • Majoring in Informatics, Bridging Disciplines Program (BDP) Certification in Design Strategies 
    • This summer, Angie is updating our graduate teaching assistant training materials to meet web content accessibility guidelines. This includes making materials screen reader-friendly, adding video captions, providing image alt text, and ensuring color contrast to enhance accessibility for all UT students.

     

  • Tanush Kaushik, Data Science Consultant LEAD Intern

    • Majoring in Human-Centered Data Science, Minors in Computer Science and Business Administration
    • This summer, Tanush is working on scraping Google Scholar and other publication databases for data relevant to the CTL and stakeholders. He will build both a database and a data visualization implementation to strengthen the case for securing more funding for the CTL from stakeholders.

     

  • Jade Lessing, Web Design and Editing LEAD Intern

    • Majoring in Human Development & Family Sciences, Minor in Computer Science and Pre-Health
    • This summer, Jade is updating and expanding the Provost's Teaching Fellows (PTF) website to include the impacts of PTF initiatives on the university and the broader scholarship of teaching and learning.

     

  • Samantha Tonini, Qualitative Data Analysis LEAD Intern

    • Majoring in History and Sociology, Minor in American Sign Language, Pre-Law
    • This summer, Sam is working on analyzing interview and focus group responses for the Second-Year Experience project for the Center for Teaching and Learning. These results will then be presented in a research manuscript that will also provide different interventions that could best help second-year students. 

     

  • Stephanie Tran, Research and Scholarship LEAD Intern

    • Majoring in Psychology, Minor in Computer Science and Korean
    • This summer, Stephanie will be analyzing user needs and behaviors to develop a set of webpages for the Center for Teaching and Learning. These webpages will present research findings on the Second-Year Experience and provide resources for students/faculty, ensuring clarity and usability.