Freshman Admissions Center Wendy Combs

Hometown: Dallas area

College Major: Advertising (with a Business Foundations Certificate)

Territory: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts

Location: New York City

Phone: 917-297-0210

E-mail: wendy.combs@austin.utexas.edu

Q: Why did you decide to attend The University of Texas at Austin?
A: I decided on The University of Texas at Austin within the first 30 minutes of a campus tour. I knew I wanted to attend a large university with nationally-ranked programs located in an urban setting, but I wasn’t quite sure which school would be the right fit for me until I visited several campuses. As soon as I visited UT, the energy, the people, the campus and the city of Austin made quite an impression on me, and I knew it was the only place for me.

Q: What did you study in college?
A: My major was initially biology with pre-med advising, but during my freshman year I discovered that I wasn’t as true to myself in my choice of major as I probably should have been. I thought that because I took AP classes in math and science in high school, I should be pre-med. Simple, right?  During my freshman year, I spent a lot of time in the Career Exploration Center on campus and discovered that I was ignoring several other areas of interest. I determined that I needed to study an area that was more of a creative-analytical blend and eventually changed my major to advertising.  

Looking back, I was incredibly fortunate to be at UT where there are more than 170 areas of study to explore. My degree in advertising in combination with a Business Foundations Certificate has provided me with a solid foundation for my career, which has spanned across advertising, marketing and higher education.

Q: Where are you from?
A: I was born in Hawaii but spent my entire childhood in the suburbs of Dallas including Allen, Garland, Sachse and Plano.

Q: How long have you been working in higher education?
A: I’ve had the opportunity of working with the UT Office of Admissions in four different roles. First, I worked as a student campus tour guide. Because the campus tour made such an impact on me as a high school student, I wanted to do the same for other incoming students. I’ve also been an admissions counselor, coordinated campus recruiting events, and worked with student volunteers.  

After working in education in several different roles I spent the last five years working in advertising and marketing. I’m now extremely excited to re-join the Office of Admissions and to have the opportunity to once again help students as they move through a very exciting and important time in their lives. In addition to being an official link to UT for students in the Northeast, I hope that I can help students by sharing my experiences as both a UT student and a UT alumna.

Q: What is your favorite place on campus?
A: Well, it’s not one place, but several - the residence halls! The UT residence halls form such a community that make an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience.  

Q: What's one of your fondest memories about your time here at UT Austin?
A: Walking up the South Mall to the Main Mall during commencement. The Main and South Malls are such symbolic places on campus during your experience as a student–Gone to Texas, Hex Rally, having class or taking a nap on the South Mall. To walk up the South Mall during commencement with your fellow students and friends as you walk past your family is such an amazing finale.

Q: What are some of your favorite things to do in Austin?
A: So many! Austin is an amazing city with so many things to do. It’s large enough to have an urban feel but small enough to get to know pretty quickly. You can see a live music show downtown (Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital of the World”) or you can also spend a day in one of the 200-plus parks or hiking through one of the greenbelts. I think austintexas.org gives a great little peak into the city of Austin. It’s no wonder Austin is consistently ranked by multiple publications as one of the top 10 cities to live.

Some of my Austin favorites include:

• First Thursday - live music, dining and shopping along South Congress Ave
• South by Southwest – one of the largest music conferences in the United States
• The Salt Lick - the best BBQ
• Canoeing on Town Lake
• Alamo Drafthouse – eat dinner while seeing a new release movie or independent film.

Advice to Students

• When choosing the right school for you, remember to think about several factors: Does the school have a great program for what you want to study but also have other programs and resources to help you explore other options? Is the school located in a town or city where you’d like to live during college? Is the environment such that you’ll feel comfortable but also be given room to grow? Campus visits can help you through this process and are incredibly important in finding the right match for you.
• Ask questions and prepare early: The college application process can be lengthy and full of small details. Ask a lot of questions to ensure that you understand the process for each school to which you’re applying. Also, start the process early enough so that you can put your best foot forward rather than rush to meet a deadline.