A University of the First Class: Emily Gruener

By Emily Gruener in A University of the First Class, Features, May | June 2013 on April 30, 2013 at 9:54 am | No Comments

On the occasion of the Alcalde’s 100th anniversary, we asked Longhorns what “a University of the first class” means to them.

A University of the First Class

Emily Gruener

Forty Acres Scholar
Class of 2015, English, Government, and Plan II Major

This summer, while volunteering abroad in Guatemala, I found myself hopelessly lost. I was trying to catch a bus to the school where I was supposed to volunteer that day, and unfortunately I couldn’t pronounce the name of the village it was located in or even use Google Maps to help me find my way. As I wandered around in circles, my sense of panic rising steadily, I ran into a UT student who recognized my burnt-orange shirt and offered to help. He helped me board the bus (which I had to jump on while it was still moving) and feel more at ease in my surroundings. This encounter exemplifies one of the things I love most about UT-Austin—its enormous network of students, faculty, and alumni. A university of the first class must successfully build a network between the people whose lives it changes, and UT-Austin has introduced me to a network of diverse, talented, and influential leaders—a network that, fortunately for me, extends as far as places like Guatemala.