Freshman Admissions Counselor Lauren Mcdowell
Hometown: Baytown, Texas
College Major: English and Public Relations
Territory: East and West Texas
Office: Freshman Admissions Center
Phone: 512-475-7417
Q: Where are you from?
A: I'm from Baytown, Texas, a mid-sized city not too far from Houston on the Gulf Coast. I went to Robert E. Lee High School and was an avid volleyball player. At one point, I thought I wanted to play volleyball in college. Unfortunately, being only average height doesn’t get you far in the world of competitive volleyball, so I settled for playing on intramural volleyball teams in college.
Q: Why did you decide to attend UT Austin?
A: I wanted to go to a school that provided lots of options. I wanted to be able to play lots of different intramural sports, take many kinds of classes and join numerous organizations with like-minded students. As a total book nerd, I was also impressed with the fact that UT Austin has one of the largest library systems in the country. There are 15 libraries on campus! Additionally, I was excited about the fact that I would have opportunities to meet so many interesting and different people.
Q: What did you study in college? Why did you choose that major?
A: I started out as a Journalism major my freshman year and decided in my second semester that wanted to take advantage of the courses offered in the College of Liberal Arts so I became an English major, too. Later I decided that I didn’t want to be a reporter, and studying public relations seemed like a good way to continue writing while using the creative aspects of advertising, so I changed my major from Journalism to Public Relations.
Q: What is your favorite place on campus? Why?
A: While I think the creek behind the Texas Exes Alumni Center and the Turtle Pond are the two most beautiful places on campus and the best places to experience nature and relax, I have to admit that the majority of my time on campus was spent napping or reading on the second floor of the Texas Union. I love to hear people practicing the piano downstairs while resting in the cool, quiet area next to the Texas Union Ballroom.
Q: What are some of your favorite things to do in Austin?
A: Any water activity in Austin is great! I love boating on the lake or swimming at Barton Springs. It’s also fun to play sand volleyball at Zilker Park or visit the beautiful gardens there. The natural beauty of the Hill Country is evident at Mount Bonnell and the Barton Creek Greenbelt (a great place to hike). The Alamo Drafthouse also has a lot of fun events (like a "Newsies" sing-a-long!) that are fun to attend with friends.
Q: What is your favorite UT Austin fact?
A: The Perry-Castañeda Library has so many books (approximately 3 million volumes) that if you placed all the bookshelves end to end, they would nearly reach from Austin all the way to San Antonio. (San Antonio is 74 miles away; the bookshelves would stretch 70 miles.)
Q: What's one of your fondest memories about your time here at UT Austin?
A: The best memories from UT always involve being with the special people who are a part of this university. While there are a few specific incidences that stick out in my mind, like winning the 2005 football national championship, attending the Liberal Arts Council banquet or taking part in my commencement, the best moments overall are comprised of simple, good times among friends: staying up late and goofing off, taking road trips and driving around with the windows down and laughing, and having late night talks.
Q: What parts of admissions counseling do you enjoy the most?
A: I enjoy meeting prospective students and helping them in their process to become what I believe is part of the greatest university in the country! I hope I am able to convey my love and enthusiasm for UT and pass that on to others.
Advice to Prospective Students
Deciding on a college can be a daunting task; it’s difficult to imagine where you want to spend four years that will change your life forever. The best advice I can give is to go with the school you feel offers you the best overall package; academics and athletics are only a small part of your college experience. Ask everyone you can while visiting campus about their own experiences.
Updated 4 October 2007
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