Craig Hall Gallery: December 8, 2025 - February 13, 2026

Humans of Austin College

Humans of Austin College is a project created by first-year students during their first semester at Austin College. Through their work on this project, students challenged themselves to use deep curiosity, active listening, and empathy to learn more about the people who make up the AC community.

Over the course of the semester, they interviewed 65 students and 27 staff and faculty members. The resulting stories and photographs showcase the diversity of the AC community, as well as highlighting experiences and perspectives that will resonate with many. A selection of those stories is featured in this exhibit, and the full project archive is available on our Humans of Austin College Instagram page.

Dr. Meghan Donnelly

Professor Adriana Álvarez

"Several years ago in October, during cancer awareness month, I was given the news that I had cancer...that to me was a transformative experience because when I heard the word ‘cancer,’ I never thought that that was going to happen to me.” Professor Adriana Álvarez, a who teaches Spanish at Austin College, is a breast cancer survivor. On her long road to recovery, she learned many things about herself, and she was able to transform her perspective on life. “I found a new purpose in life. I found strength, resilience. I found power within myself.” Now she does not take anything in life for granted; she enjoys each experience she encounters and soaks it all in because she is so grateful to have a second chance. “When I go to the park and listen to the nature sounds, that brings me peace. When I see a sunset, I just pause for a moment, and I’m very thankful that I have a second chance in life.” With such a powerful and inspiring experience, Professor Álvarez learned that “we all have experiences in life that are challenging, and they can make you a bitter or a better person.” She strongly believes that you can always turn around a rough situation because you are in control of you, and realizing what you have in life, and what you could have in life, is a fundamental part of transforming yourself and growing as a person. When asked what advice she would give to students at Austin College, Professor Álvarez replied, “...no matter what your situation is, you can change that pain into power and passion. That it’s your choice, because we all have a choice.”

Photograph: Jocelin Pacheco
Anaya Interview: Rachel Sellers

Ashlyn Simek

“Probably my mother… well first of all, without her, I wouldn’t have found out about this college, so I wouldn’t be here.” This is what Ashlyn Simek, a freshman at Austin College , said when she was asked who has helped her get to where she is today. Ashlyn admires that her mom is assertive but still manages to be friendly: “She doesn’t come off as bossy, she comes off as, ‘Hey, listen to this, I know how to help.’” Ashlyn tries to live by these characteristics that her mom presents, which is easy for her because it comes naturally. Ashlyn and her mom have a very close relationship, and sometimes when they are together, they go camping. “I went through scouts, BSA… she and I did a lot of camping, and that was kind of our thing, and horseback riding is also our thing.” Ashlyn has been horseback riding since she was five years old; her inspiration for riding comes from her mom as well. Ashlyn looks up to her mom a lot. The biggest inspiration Ashlyn’s mom has given her is “to keep going, even when things get really difficult. Even when, you know, I feel like everybody’s against me or the world’s against me.” 

Photograph: Rachel Sellers
Interview: Erika Valdez

Professor Andrea López

“When I was around 7 or 8 years old, I felt for the first time that a book spoke to me.” These were the words of Andrea Lopez, an assistant professor of Latin American History, Culture, and Literature at Austin College. She grew up during the 1980s and 1990s in Peru, a time marked by its harsh political and social events. As an only child, Andrea’s mobility was limited by the dangerous state of her country. Things like hanging out with friends, going to parks, and overall being active were impossible. However, her curiosity never faded. She often sneaked into her uncle’s library to read many books. One book that deeply impacted her was” The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka, a complex story about a man named Gregor Samsa who wakes up one day to find himself transformed into a giant verminous insect, facing harsh social issues such as alienation. As 8-year-old Andrea read this, she realized it was more than just a fairy tale. She explained, “I felt like I had a way of connecting with other people through literature other cultures…other perspectives a way of seeing life through an artistic message…now that I reflect on it I think it was the moment I decided I wanted to dedicate my life to literature not only to read it for pleasure but also to study and analyze it.” Andrea carries those early experiences with her as she teaches her students at Austin College, continually learning from them, too. Valuing diverse experiences and perspectives, she tries to “empower them to believe that they have the talent for something. They can make a difference in this world...I love to be that person who reminds them.”

Photograph: Rachel Sellers
Interview: Jocelin Pacheco Anaya

Will Nelson

“Doing things correctly or completing things the way I think they should be completed.” Will Nelson, a freshman at Austin College, believes it's the simple and small things in life that bring him joy, like “being organized, getting my work done on time, or parking straight.” With the help of his church community, parents, friends and teachers, Will has been able to keep a schedule and regimen that has helped him get to where he is today and continues to guide him as he begins his college career. “I like being organized. I can't do everything on my own so the people in my community have surrounded me and helped me... stay on track, focus on the right things.” As he adjusts to the college life, Will hopes to keep growing, stay motivated, and hold on to the values that have shaped who he is.

Photograph: Yohana Bernabe Juarez
Interview: Lola Ortiz

Layla Mireles & Myles McGaha

“My dad...was an athlete, and he was actually going to go play D2 baseball, but he ended up having a kid...so it stopped his dreams for going to college. So I'm kind of doing that for him...he's the main person who got in me here, who's making me better every day, the reason...I work as hard as I do.” Layla Mireles, a junior at Austin College, was inspired by her dad, and she’s playing sports now here at Austin College. “My parents, family, or being with friends, or just playing soccer...my teammates or my friends in my sorority, just they push me to be better every day.” Myles McGaha, a junior at Austin College, said that this is what brings her joy in life. She has found that these relationships and playing soccer can really bring her happiness and laughter in life, and that she gets better every day from it.

Photograph: Ryan Dupre
Interview: Keaton Bradshaw

John Williams standing with cane by chapel door

Rev. Dr. John Williams, Chaplain and Director of Church Relations

“So that's the continuity, it's bright people, it’s people who aren't scared of each other and not scared of the world, and people who understand that it's okay that we’re not all alike.” John Williams, the Chaplain at Austin College, has been working here for 33 years, after attending himself and graduating in 1984. Throughout his years of working here he has met many different people. “I always say, you know, there are two kinds of Austin College students. There's the ones that I really like, and the ones that I don't know that well yet...I'm never disappointed by getting to know a student better.” He believes that every Austin College student is bright, and that even though there is a lot of diversity, we are drawn together through a shared sense of wonder—that's why we chose Austin College.

Photograph: Emma Garza
Interview: Diego Mancinas

Mariana Rangel

“I used to be super introverted...until Covid hit, and since most of the time I was isolated and couldn’t talk to my friends or anyone, no physical contact. I realized how much I missed actually having conversations.” Mariana Rangel, a freshman at Austin College, used to be incredibly shy in her younger years. The shyness she would feel would hold her back from having conversations with the people around her. When covid hit, she realized how lonely it was being isolated from the people around her and how she missed having the opportunities to talk to others. “Instead of holding myself back because I was shy...I would just talk to them.” When quarantine had ended, Mariana took the chance to get out of her comfort zone and finally make connections with the people around her. Today, she makes connections with the people here on campus and is always looking to get to know new people.

Photograph: Emma Garza
Interview: Vivika Rowland

Caleb in red shorts, thumbs up on the Mall

Caleb Thompson

“I was having a tough year ... and she just kept me motivated.” Caleb Thompson, a junior at Austin College, was having a rough time starting school during his freshman year, but there was one person who helped him get through that: Traci Moore, the director of the Center for Student Success and Access Services. Traci helped Caleb learn how to be more organized, as well as provide him with advice for personal things, and in dealing with classes. “It made my grades better, not miss assignments ... when I have a planner, I can just see when I need to be ready for a test or something, or when a paper is due, and I won’t forget about it.” Caleb struggled making friends his freshman year since he is an Austin College commuter student. However, he was able to overcome this by involving himself with more activities on campus, including the baseball team, and these days he spends more of his time on campus with teammates and friends.

Photograph: Jocelin Pacheco Anaya
Interview: Erika Valdez

David in blue shirt, hands in pockets, outside WCC

David Stanford

“I really like reading history... I think it’s fascinating to see that the people back then were just as human as we are.” David Stanford, a senior at Austin College, is really interested in history. His spark for interest in history started through his uncle, who was a Dean at the University of Texas at Austin. David connects to history in a way where it helps him gain knowledge and growth from it, and how intriguing it is to find the difference between fact and fiction from it. It’s something David likes to look back on and learn rather than travel to. As a history major, he looks to educate others about history just as well as he has educated himself and looks to put a more positive and entertaining twist on teaching history to others. “Pretty much everything that’s going on now today has some sort of cause to something that happened in the past. I think if maybe we just looked a bit more into the actual history, we could probably understand how to solve a lot of the problems we’re facing right now.” David has learned a lot about history and he will spread that information to other people in the future.

Photograph: Avery Ridge
Interview: Juin Stanford

Strey DuBose & Zar Greer

“One of my favorite song artists in middle school, NateWantsToBattle, was part of a [Dungeons & Dragons] podcast, and so I asked him at an anime convention, ‘How do you get into D&D?’ And he said, ‘You need to find a group. And there's a bunch of free resources, but just start with a group.’...So when I entered high school...my comp sci professor, who was my favorite teacher, established a D&D club, and that's how I started playing, and it's how I made my high school friend group.” Strey DuBose and their friend Zar Greer, now both seniors at Austin College, went on to help found the D&D club at Austin College. Zar acknowledges that they have been shaped by both negative and positive experiences while at AC. Reflecting on the positive, they shared, “I was shaped a lot by my sophomore year, the complete work of William Shakespeare abridged...That’s how I got super interested in experimental theatre, and also being in the improv troupe—those are all positive things that have affected me.”

Photograph: Diego Mancinas
Interview: Vivika Rowland

Bryce throwing peace sign against wood cabinets

Bryce Morris

“It was mainly me looking to get out of my introvert bubble, because in high school, I didn't talk to anyone. People would talk to me. So, I decided, let me go into something that will put myself in a position to talk to others. I was like, improv will do that. So, I decided to go in. I got into the troupe, and I’ve been in it since.” Sophomore Bryce Morris told us about his decision to join the improv troupe and how it helped him get out of his comfort zone and build his social circle at Austin College. Improv brings him joy through laughter: “I like doing improv, something that just makes people laugh, that makes me laugh.”

Photograph: Keaton Bradshaw
Interview: Ryan Dupre

Etni Matías Espinoza

“Well, originally it was about chemistry majors since I'm a pre-med student. But after taking a class with Terry Hoops...and I actually really love culture, stuff like that. So, I decided to mix medicine with anthropology.” Etni Matías Espinoza, a junior at Austin College, explains how her love for culture and medicine is helping shape her future path. What began as a straightforward interest in science has grown into a deeper curiosity about how people, traditions, and healing connect across cultures. Her passion for travel also plays a big role in how she imagines her future, combining exploration with purpose. Etni’s identity further inspires her to pursue medicine through a cultural lens. “So, I'm Mexican and I grew up in Mexico, so I definitely want to study more medicine based in my culture, but I also want to learn type of medicines in Asia, specifically like in Korea, Japan, China, and stuff like that.”

Photograph: Timothy Wallace
Interview: Emily Garcia

Marcelo Leal & Joe Franklin

“Because if you dwell in your past, your heart and your soul, it really does temper with it because it just like affects how you outlook on life...just like, ‘Oh yeah, everything used to be better before.’ And you're not seeing all the good sides of life now, and it just blurs your vision.” Marcelo Leal and Joe Franklin, freshmen at Austin College, have overcome past challenges by focusing on the future. After his parents’ divorce, Marcelo learned that life doesn’t always work out as planned, and it’s best to move on. Joe, whose ankle fracture his senior year in high school ended his basketball season, found healing through building community at Austin College. “I found a family here. And so it allows me to just be myself in every moment. So it's kind of hard to dwell on the past when the focus is to enjoy the time that I have with my family here.”

Photograph: Emily Garcia
Interview: Danelle Dwomo-Bediako

Grace Moothart

"Being an athlete here... teaches you a lot of life lessons, how to be a good teammate, how to hold yourself accountable, work hard, be disciplined, and work on a team all trying to go for the same goal," shares Austin College senior athlete Grace Moothart. Sports cultivated friendships and a sense of community for Grace: “showing up to other people’s games...you become friends kind of naturally and so I do think sports have led to a lot of friendships because of the ability to be more open.” Grace’s journey at Austin College began with a passion for sports: "Sports brought me to Austin College... without it, I would not be here." Sports have not only shaped her character but also connected her with lifelong friends.

Photograph: Cameron Mclver
Interview: Isaiah Barragan

Taylor Pope

“Music, because I was in choir for a long time, and music gets me through anything and everything.” Taylor Pope, who is a part of the Aramark staff here at Austin College and a student at Grayson College, shares that music is something that brings her joy. “I grew up in the church, so we used to do choirs... it kept me motivated through hard times, so I turned to music.” When Taylor’s mom passed away, music was a source of comfort and peace for her. In addition, Taylor expresses her love for helping others in any way she can. Her selfless demeanor is shaped by her experiences, and her love of being part of a community has reflected onto her future aspirations. “I am actually in school to be a police officer at Grayson, I'm in criminal justice, I like helping people but I want to work with juveniles...but yeah, my goal is to help people stay out of trouble.” Whether through music, the support of others, or her career aspirations, Taylor is committed to making a difference in her community.

Photograph Kole Townsend
Interview: Avery Ridge

Jessica with Daisy Roo (her dog) on driveway

Jessica Bauer, Administrative Assistant for Social Sciences & Humanities

“Just making magic happen...I don't like to be front and center. I like to be behind the scenes. I like to make the magic happen.” It's awesome that Jessica Bauer, who is the divisional administrative assistant for social sciences and humanities at Austin College, has such a passion for working with students and that she values them so much. “I get students that come in my office going, ‘Hey, I need to get into this class.’ ‘Great. Have a seat. Let me make a phone call.’ Or, you know, ‘I need help with something.’ ‘Great. Let me get those resources for you.’ So, it's really just making sure that everybody's taken care of and they have what they need. And I get to do it all behind the scenes.”

Photograph Keaton Bradshaw
Interview: Ryan Dupre

Professor Lindy Olsen

“I would open up a cat rescue.” Lindy Olsen, who teaches in the psychology department at Austin College, has an immense love for cats and hopes that one day she can rescue and give them a better home, starting with the Sherman area. Her dream began when she was only 10-11 years old, and her parents did not allow her to keep her very first cat named Whiskers. Ever since then Professor Olsen’s love for cats grew, as did her desire to help. She now has three cats; their names are Neville, Mikey, and Murray. “I just really love cats, and I think that as a culture, we don't give cats enough respect...everyone’s like dogs are so cool and they’re so smart, but cats are also cool and smart.” Her love for cats keeps inspiring her dream of starting a place where every cat can feel safe and loved.

Photograph Lola Ortiz
Interview: Bailey Austin

Alex Montemayor

“I used to play this game...in high school. It's a fish game. I learned about a ton of fish that I didn't know about. So I like to think I'm pretty well versed in my sharks and stuff. And it just made...sparks. And I was like, ‘Wow, this is awesome.’ Like, I didn't know how cool orcas were until I played that.” Austin College sophomore Alex Montemayor found his love of marine life from a game he played in high school, and it made him want to study marine biology. However, when Alex got to Austin College, he struggled academically for the first time in his life when he did poorly on his first biology exam. He described the hard lessons you learn when you try really hard but don’t end up doing well: “You put in a lot of effort. And despite all the effort, despite you knowing everything, you still don't do that well.” Despite this minor setback, Alex has persevered and is on the pre-health track, continuing to pursue his love of science.

Photograph: Shaylee Lane
Interview: Cameron McIver

Marian Jones Bailey, Assistant Director of Career Services

“I actually just talked to my brother yesterday. He lives all the way in Seattle, and every time we talk, I’m reminded how much my family means to me. I keep pictures of them up in my space because even on tough days, just seeing their faces brings me joy.” For Marian Jones Bailey, who is Assistant Director of Career Services at Austin College and an AC alum, family is the foundation of everything. Growing up with a brother ten years older meant they didn’t always live under the same roof, but a recent summer visit to Washington brought everyone back together, parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews. “We hadn’t all been in the same place for years. Just being together, laughing, and spending time with each other meant everything.”

Photograph: Shaylee Lane
Interview: Cameron McIver

Caryss with short crop and bangs by flower bed

Caryss Fraser

“One thing on my bucket list is to travel to as many places around the world as I can,” said Caryss Fraser, a freshman at Austin College. “I would love to see all different places.” Traveling has always been something she’s dreamed about. Growing up watching BBC shows with her family, Caryss found herself fascinated by faraway places and the stories that came from them. “This is really silly,” she admitted, laughing, “but I want to go to England and Scotland really badly and be like, ‘That’s where they filmed that crime show my mom likes.’” She imagines walking through old cities and seeing the scenery she’s only watched on TV. For Caryss, traveling isn’t just about the places; it’s about connection and perspective. She wants to experience new cultures, hear people’s stories, and understand what makes each place unique. “It helps you realize you’re not the center of the universe when you realize how many beautiful things there are to learn about.”

Photograph: Timothy Wallace
Interview: Danelle Dwomo-Bediako

Professor Frank Rohmer

“I grew up in a very modest family in a modest neighborhood in Mobile, Alabama,” said Professor Frank Rohmer of Austin College. “And I grew up with parents who neither of them ever went to college, my dad didn’t even finish high school." Dr. Rohmer explained that his family’s struggles during the Great Depression and his father’s hard work shaped his appreciation of learning and curiosity: "From my mother, everything that was beautiful in life. From my dad, all kinds of analytical and more intellectual things involved in politics.” Those lessons, along with his Southern upbringing, inspired his lifelong love of teaching and community.

Photograph: Emily Garcia
Interview: Timothy Wallace

Renata & Prana arms around each other on campus

Renata Loyo & Prana Govindacharyula

“Probably get a Corgi.” Renata Loyo, a senior at Austin College, decided she would get a Corgi as one of the things that is on her bucket list. She is someone that really enjoys having a vision board or a bucket list and over the summer Renata, along with her friends, decided on a summer bucket list which consisted of receiving points based on the activities they did. “Regular stuff for 10 points, kind of more difficult stuff for 50 points, and then crazy stuff for 100 points... and we each had $10 and whoever wins get like $70.” If she decides to get her Corgi, she will want it to be a boy, and his name will be Walter. “I like W names, I don't know why...my cars name is Wonda, and if I have another car it’s going to be Willy.”

“So, after I graduate, I really want to take a gap year and go to... It’s like a historic Christian Pilgrimage, but I’m not even Christian, I’m not religious. It’s called the Camino de Santiago.” Prana, Govindacharyula, a senior at Austin College, would love to do the Camino de Santiago, located in Spain, and learn about new people and new things since that is something she likes. “I really just want to throw myself into the fire and then see if I can survive.” Prana would like to experience this trip alone and be able to face the challenges that may come along with her trip. “I know Spanish...I know I can understand it better than I can speak it, so it’s going to force me to speak it, and I really need a push.” Prana hopes after doing the Camino de Santiago she comes back “rejuvenated, completely different... fluent in Spanish.”

Photograph: Lola Ortiz
Interview: Bailey Austin

Jakim in uniform (cop) in front of fountain

Jakim Williams, Chief of Campus Police

“An experience that shaped me and who I am today is probably just experiencing how my parents raised me.” Officer Jakim Williams, the Chief of Campus Police, credits both his mom and dad, and their extremely strong work ethic, as to how he reached his current position. “[My mother] was very intentional with the direction towards an education and towards a career.” Officer Williams believes that the values his family instilled in him are responsible for how he deals with his workload and interacts with the people he works for and with, including Austin College students. Officer Williams now has his own family, helping strengthen the original principles taught to him by his own parents: “... making sure I was cognitively connected with other people and emotionally available would be how I was able to navigate and use that value system to guide me, as far as how I was interacting with other people that I was close to.” 

Photograph Lola Oritz
Interview: Yohana Bernabe Juarez

Mitchell, 2 thumbs up, with headphones and tie die shirt in library

Mitchell Rittiluechai

Mitchell Rittiluechai, a sophomore at Austin college who is pre-med, says, “My rationale behind that is I want to make as much money as possible doing something ethical and helping other people”. For him, medicine is more than a career; it's a way to create a meaningful impact. But if money weren't a factor, Mitchell says he’d be a creator. Being an art minor, he enjoys passing time exploring artistic creations. “Theres not a right or wrong, that's pretty fun about it. It’s like an extension of yourself.” Art, for him, is freedom. It’s not about rules or outcomes; it’s about expression. While medicine gives him purpose, art gives him peace. Whether in a lab or a studio, Mitchell is driven by the desire to create something that lasts.

Photograph Cameron Mclver
Interview: Isaiah Barragan

Karla Machado-Ortiz & Lauren Hofeldt

“Sometimes people assume, because of my last name or what I look like or my race...like are you Spanish, but I'm like, no... Spanish is from Spain. The whole Hispanic community is just Hispanic or Latino. You can be from anywhere and speak Spanish. You can also look like anything and speak Spanish.” Karla Machado-Ortiz, a Spanish major here at Austin College, shares how people wrongly assume that she is Spanish and shares her story of how she became the person she is today. She shares how her parents are Puerto Rican and Argentinian, and that being able to speak Spanish was something Karla’s parents made sure she could do. Now, Karla is very immersed in her culture. In fact, she chose to be a Spanish major “because I think it is very interesting to keep strengthening my language.”

“I’ve always been in a health care field...I’ve grown up around family that are disabled, so what brings we joy really is helping people. I am in the pre-med major here looking to go to med school and a big thing really is wanting to help people, serving other people and then being surrounded by other people like family and friends.” Lauren Hofeldt, a pre-med student here at Austin College, shares her story and childhood experience of how she grew up wanting to go to med school. Lauren’s mom was diagnosed with MS, Multiple Sclerosis, when she was 25, so Lauren has been taking care of her mom since she was 5 years old. During high school, Lauren became one of her mom’s primary caregivers, along with Lauren’s dad, and this is what has inspired her to go down the pre-med route. “Growing up I wanted to do research, but throughout being here and the rest of life, research is really boring, but I think I want to do ER physician, emergency medicine.” All these life experiences and inspirations have led Lauren to hopefully become an ER physician.

Photograph: Avery Ridge
Interview: Juin Stanford

ZINES! No Permission Needed

Over the term, students investigated the history of zines and how these small publications have long supported the sharing of information, creativity, and community. From early fan cultures to contemporary activist networks, zines continue to offer a flexible, accessible way for people to speak, publish, and connect.

Zines are often free or inexpensive, shared person-to-person, and made with care. The culmination of the class experience is shown here in zines that carry this spirit of DIY publications. Every student moved from an initial concept to a final object they were genuinely excited to see “hot off the press” (or at least hot off the laser printer). These zines show the energy, curiosity, and generosity that come from making something by hand and offering it to others.

Brianna Burnett