Meet our Student Ambassadors
Connect with recent graduates and current students who can answer questions about their experience studying at Texas McCombs, career management/outcomes, and life in the program. Student ambassadors don't address admissions questions but can share their personal experiences as a student.
Visit us in-person
Student smiling and looking a colleague

Current AMBASSADORS

Sakshi Nevage

Class of 2027

Meet Sakshi

  • Hometown: Mumbai, India
  • Undergraduate Major: Mechanical
  • Months of Work Experience: 19
  • “Having studied at IIT Bombay and now at UT Austin, I know how useful it is to have someone you can reach out to for honest advice and support. I would like to share my experiences with other students and help them make the most of their time here.”
  • View Sakshi’s LinkedIn

Jessica North

Class of 2027

Meet Jessica

  • Hometown: Spring, TX
  • Undergraduate Major: Advertising
  • Months of Work Experience: 0
  • “I love this program, and I love the way it has been shaping me as a professional and as an individual. Therefore, I want to pass it forward to the next person so they can have the same experience (if not better) as I have!”
  • View Jessica’s LinkedIn

Sahithi Paliviri

Class of 2027

Meet Sahithi

  • Hometown: Anantapur, India
  • Undergraduate Major: Statistics and Data Science
  • Months of Work Experience: 6.9 years
  • “I’m excited to serve as a Student Ambassador because I’d love to help prospective students feel confident and connected as they explore the MSBA program. Having recently gone through the same journey, I’m excited to share my experience, connect with students from different backgrounds, and give back to the McCombs community.”
  • View Sahithi’s LinkedIn

Dipti Patil

Class of 2027

Meet Dipti

  • Hometown: Leander, Texas
  • Undergraduate Major: Physics
  • Months of Work Experience: 8 Years
  • “The MSBA journey has already been transformative for me, and I’d love to be that person for someone else, especially someone wondering whether this is the right time to take the leap. I’m happy to share my experience with application, decision, coursework, balancing the program with life outside of school, and simply what it’s really like to be part of the Longhorn community. “
  • View Dipti’s LinkedIn

Jacob Posner

Class of 2027

Meet Jacob

  • Hometown: Los Angeles, California
  • Undergraduate Major: Statistics
  • Months of Work Experience: 12
  • “Being a student ambassador is a chance to share the passion of data and decision-making with others and show them what a career built on it can look like. I want to help people see the same value in the MSBA program that I have.”
  • View Jacob’s LinkedIn

Naomi Thadikonda

Class of 2027

Meet Naomi

  • Hometown: Allen, TX
  • Undergraduate Major: Information Technology and Systems
  • Months of Work Experience: 2 years
  • “I’d love to help others decide if this program is right for them and talk about the opportunities it has to offer.”
  • View Naomi’s LinkedIn

Arjun Rajesh

Class of 2027

Meet Arjun

  • Hometown: Tyler, Texas
  • Undergraduate Major: Statistics and Data Science
  • Months of Work Experience: 6
  • “Coming into the program as a bridge student can be daunting, and I would like to reassure anyone thinking of applying to submit their application, because I thoroughly enjoy being a student here.”
  • View Arjun’s LinkedIn

John Young

Class of 2027

Meet John

  • Hometown: Houston, Texas
  • Undergraduate Major: Marketing/Management
  • Months of Work Experience: 12
  • “When I was exploring the MSBA program at UT McCombs, both alumni and student ambassadors gave me incredible insight and guidance. I hope to give back in the same way and help answer any questions prospective students may have.”
  • View Jonathan’s LinkedIn

Alumni AMBASSADORS

Anita Yadav

Class of 2025

Meet Anita

  • Hometown: Kuruksh, India
  • Undergraduate Major: Electronics & Communication Engineering
  • Months of Work Experience: 108
  • “I have mentored many colleagues at my workplace and have witnessed their growth which has been incredibly fulfilling for me. I want to create a similar supportive environment for new students at the university.”
  • View Anita’s LinkedIn

Jyoti Kumari

Class of 2025

Meet Jyoti

  • Hometown: Uttar Pradesh, India
  • Undergraduate Major: Mechanical Engineering
  • Months of Work Experience: 65
  • “I am interested in serving as a student ambassador to guide prospective applicants, just as I was supported during my own journey.”
  • View Jyoti’s LinkedIn

Arantza Garcia Delfin

Class of 2025

Meet Arantza

  • Hometown: Monterrey, MX
  • Undergraduate Major: Computer Science
  • Months of Work Experience: 26
  • “I would like to inspire more international students to enroll in the master’s degree.”
  • View Arantza’s LinkedIn

Alex Parson

Class of 2025

Meet Alex

  • Hometown: Layton, Utah
  • Undergraduate Major: Economics
  • Months of Work Experience: 30
  • “I’d like to assist future students with their admissions process”
  • View Alex’s LinkedIn

Aryan Shah

Class of 2025

Meet Aryan

  • Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Undergraduate Major: MIS & Supply Chain Management
  • Months of Work Experience: 3
  • “The student ambassador’s from last year were extremely helpful to me, especially during the winter happy hour. I hope to be a similar resource for prospective students as well!”

Alina Hota

Class of 2026

Meet Alina

  • Hometown: Delhi, India
  • Undergraduate Major: Electronics and Communication Engineering
  • Months of Work Experience:36
  • “Before joining the program, I had the chance to speak with Anita Yadav, a student ambassador from the previous MSBAi cohort. I had a million questions, about coursework, living in Austin, recruiting, and even what to pack. She answered all of them with so much honesty and patience, and that conversation played a huge role in my decision to join McCombs. It made the program feel more real, more human, and far less intimidating.”
  • View Alina’s LinkedIn

Bhagya Puppala

Class of 2026

Meet Bhagya

  • Hometown: Bapatla, India
  • Undergraduate Major: Computer science Engineering – AIML
  • Months of Work Experience: 36
  • “As someone who transitioned from corporate to being a student again, I understand how valuable peer insights can be when navigating career pivots.”
  • View Bhagya’s LinkedIn

Lena Weissman

Class of 2026

Meet Lena

  • Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona
  • Undergraduate Major: Marketing and Management Information Systems
  • Months of Work Experience: 0
  • “When I was considering applying to the MSBAi program last year, I reached out to a student ambassador, Sarah, on Linkedin. It was nice to see someone with a similar background as me that I could relate to– a recent graduate with a marketing background and less developed technical skills but wanting to grow in this area. She played a major part in my understanding of what to expect from the program before I applied, and getting me excited to start. I want to help prospective and new students in the same way.”
  • View Lena’s LinkedIn

Manny Escalante

Class of 2026

Meet Manny

  • Hometown: Houston, Texas
  • Undergraduate Major: Finance
  • Months of Work Experience: 3
  • “I know what it feels like to be full of questions and unsure of the path forward. I never even considered pursuing a master’s degree until a career coach introduced me to MSBAi, and that moment sparked a journey that has already shaped me in meaningful ways. I would love to serve as a resource for others who are curious about the program, offering both answers and perspective.”
  • View Manny’s LinkedIn

Melissa Cai Shi

Class of 2026

Meet Melissa

  • Hometown: San Jose, Costa Rica
  • Undergraduate Major: Actuarial Science & Applied Statistics
  • Months of Work Experience: 36
  • “I’m excited to be that friendly voice helping prospective and new MSBAi students navigate the “Is this right for me?” moments and “How do I survive this?” questions. I believe the best advice comes from someone who’s been there, done that, and lived to laugh about it.”
  • View Melissa’s LinkedIn

Rohini Sondole

Class of 2026

Meet Rohini

  • Hometown: Nagpur, India
  • Undergraduate Major: Computer Technology
  • Months of Work Experience: 66
  • “After several years in industry, I joined McCombs to sharpen my technical skills and gain a strategic view of how data drives business impact. The MSBAi journey has been transformative, and I’m happy to share insights on coursework, career prep, and life in the program.”
  • View Rohini’s LinkedIn

Simoni Dalal

Class of 2026

Meet Simoni

  • Hometown: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
  • Undergraduate Major: Economics
  • Months of Work Experience: 56
  • “I’m most excited to help build opportunities for and within McCombs. Having personally benefitted from the guidance of student ambassadors in my own MSBAi journey, it would be a full-circle moment to now serve in that role for others.”
  • View Simoni’s LinkedIn