Sophomore Spotlight: Arel Rende
Meet our 2015-2016 Sophomore Class
Name: Arel Rende
Official Site of UT Speech
Meet our 2015-2016 Sophomore Class
Name: Arel Rende
Meet our 2015-2016 Sophomore Class
Name: Cimmi Alvarez
Describe yourself in three words?
Hardworking, enthusiastic, organized
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Working as a lawyer and planning my entrance into state politics.
Where do you see yourself in 10 minutes?
Studying for statistics…
What’s your favorite pixar/disney movie and why?
Toy Story, because I’ve always wanted toys that were that awesome.
What’s your theme song and why?
Confident by Demi Lovato. It reminds me to be confident in myself in every moment.
Who inspires you and why?
My grandmother, she is the strongest person with the biggest heart I know. She pushes me to be my best everyday, in everything I do.
If you could be born in a different time what would it be?
50s, I have always wanted to wear a poodle skirt.
Meet our 2015-2016 Sophomore Class
Name: Blake Bergeron
What’s your favorite event and why?
Informative: I love how you can learn something new and interesting in every round. The topics fascinate me.
What do you look forward to this year?
I look forward to getting to know all of the new people on the team and watching everyone grow!
What do you get at Starbucks?
I get a grande coffee frap.
Who would play you in a movie and why?
Jim Sturgess will play me! There are two reasons. We look alike (at least I think so). Also, he is good at playing the awkward/kinda nerdy fun guy, as shown in the movie 21, and I would like to think that’s me.
What do you think?
What does your power suit combo look like?
Something grey with something green!
What is your major?
I’m a finance major
What do you want to do when you graduate?
When I graduate, I want to go into management consulting!
Meet our 2015-2016 Sophomore Class
Name: Alex Meed
What’s your favorite part of being on the team?
My experience on the team wouldn’t be complete without my amazing teammates. They’re always fun to talk to and interact with, and I know I can always head over to the team room when I’m exhausted from my day and want to chill. But they’re also an incredibly hard-working bunch who always help me make sure I stay on my game, in speech and in life. I’ve only known the vast majority of my teammates for less than a year and a half, and they’re already among my closest friends.
Who inspires you and why?
I could say “my speech teammates”, but I’ve talked enough about them already. Instead, I’ll talk about my fellow Computer Science majors at UT—not one in particular, but as a whole. I’m consistently surrounded by a huge amount of talented, hard-working people who know a lot about computing, and I can only dream to someday possess the knowledge, experience, and intelligence that they have. Also, shout-out to my competitive programming teammates, who have always inspired me to push the limits of my computer programming skills.
What’s the nicest thing a teammate has ever done for you?
I commute to campus from a suburb north of Austin, so it’s often hard to get transportation to team functions and activities. So several of my teammates have filled that gap, driving me to and from campus when I couldn’t obtain a ride otherwise. (I don’t have a license yet… don’t judge me… please?) Shout-out to Cimmi, Mary Claire, and our team mom Shannon, as well as anyone who I might be forgetting.
If you could be born in a different time when would it be?
MAJOR NERD ALERT: I’d love to be born exactly 20 years before the first time a quantum computer calculates the prime factorization of a 1024-bit number. That sounds pretty random—but once that happens, it’ll instantly nullify a lot of the methods people use to protect computerized information, including the “https” protocol used by email providers, banks, social networks, and more. Quantum computing research has been steadily progressing, and I’d love for it to reach a critical mass when I’m old enough to understand it, think about it, and maybe even work on solving the problems it would create. If this makes no sense, look up post-quantum cryptography on Wikipedia. Or get in touch with me if you know me. I could talk about this stuff for ages.
What are you most afraid of?
I’m afraid of dogs. Sorry, dog people.
Meet our 2015-2016 Sophomore Class
Name: Macy Bayern
What’s your favorite event and why?
My favorite event would have to be Prose, because it is simple. In prose you simply tell a story to either relate to others, or help your character’s voice be heard. People tell stories every day, so I think it’s nice to tell stories that could resonate with, or even help, other people.
If your life was a movie which movie would it be and why?
If my life was a movie it would be “She’s the Man.” I’m horrible at soccer, but I respect Amanda Bynes’ character standing up for what she believes in, and defying those trying to put her down. I also like Gouda.
Who would play you in your own movie and why?
The person that would play me in my movie would be Amy Schumer. Because Amy Schumer
Where will you be in 10 minutes?
I’m currently sitting in my Astronomy class (lol). In 10 minutes we’ll be taking a mini-quiz we have at the end of each class…wish me luck.
10 years?
In 10 years I will ideally be an editor of a newspaper somewhere in the northeast. Oh, and I’d be happy! That’s important!
What’s your favorite thing about UT Austin?
My favorite thing about UT is the opportunity. At UT you can really do anything. Whatever you are passionate about, I promise there is a club or organization for it.
Meet our 2015-2016 Sophomore Class
Name: Abigail Onwunali
What are you watching on Netflix/TV?
Courage the Cowardly Dog
Why is speech important to you?
It gives me the opportunity to pour out my heart to something I feel passionate about and know that someone will be there to listen, understand and respect the love of the performance.
What are you reading right now?
An organic chemistry book (like aways).
What is your spirit animal?
I feel I am a dolphin. Always happy and willing to take a challenge!
Best advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I ever received was quoted by Ernest Hemingway but told to me by one of my closest friends Fuad Matti “A coward dies a thousand times deaths, the brave but one.”
If your life was a movie what would it be?
My life ALREADY IS a Spongebob Squarepants Movie!
What’s something you want to accomplish in the next 4 years?
I want to tell stories and change lives! That’s been my biggest motto in life.
Meet our 2015-2016 Sophomore Class
Name: Gavin Dass
What’s your favorite part of being on the team?
The sheer camaraderie
Who inspires you and why?
Ernest Hemingway, that guy had no chill. He never let anyone change his style.
Whats the nicest thing a teammate has ever done for you?
Anything involving me getting food.
What do you eat before a tournament?
Birthday cake poptarts.
If you could be born in a different time when would it be?
I wouldn’t be born in another time, because I don’t want some ancient disease.
Meet our 2015-2016 Freshmen Class
Name: Andrew Rodriguez
Mac or PC?
I like PC because I find Macs complicated. My mind turns like the rainbow wheel icon when I try to use one.
Favorite place to study you like to study?
In the library, because there my roommate’s cats won’t distract me with their cuteness.
What disney character do you most resemble?
Aladdin, because I think that’s the only brown looking character…and well… I’m brown.
If your life was a movie what would it be?
Comedy because bad things happen to me in the most inconvenient moments. Like when my laptop stopped working and I lost the 6 page report I was writing -that’s classic comedy.
Whats something you want to accomplish in the next 4 years?
I hope to accomplish many things, but the two that stick out to me are: growing as an actor and experiencing new activities that I couldn’t in the small town I grew up in.
Welcome to the team Andrew! #TF3
Meet our 2015-2016 Freshmen Class
Name: Angelo Gaunichaux
Whats your favorite tournament snack?
Anything greasy
What are you most excited about for college speech?
I’m excited to be able to travel and compete with the team.
Whats your major?
I am studying journalism and government.
What do you want to do when you graduate?
I want to write, speak, and teach in the future.
What’s your favorite cartoon?
Scooby doo!!!!
Welcome to the team Angelo! #TF3
Meet our 2015-2016 Freshmen Class
Name: Collin Hopkins
Describe yourself in three words?
I love arguing.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself living in Seattle, Washington and practicing corporate law. Maybe I would be campaigning for a senatorial position. Dream Big.
Where do you see yourself in 10 minutes?
Probably watching The Walking Dead on Netflix or trying to find my dorm key. This is the second time I’ve lost it this year.
What’s your favorite Disney movie?
Tarzan, because Phil Collins is bae. And also imperialism sucks.
What’s your theme song?
White Iverson by Post Malone
Welcome to the team Collin! #TF3