This scholarship is given in memory of Maralyn S. Heimlich, who served students at The University of Texas at Austin for more than twenty years. For the last eleven years of her service, she directed the orientation program for new students and was responsible for the training and teaching of the student staff and Orientation Advisors (OAs). Maralyn was a teacher, mentor, and friend to the OA staff who served as a professional role model by demonstrating respect and care in the way she performed her job duties and lived her life. It is these attributes and values we seek to honor and recognize in scholarship recipients.
These students have all served as Orientation Advisors, where they went through a semester of training and successfully welcomed students to the University. They also submitted applications about their experience in Orientation and were chosen through a committee of professionals who work closely with orientation.
We are excited to celebrate them today!
2026 Maralyn Heimlich Scholarship Recipients
Adrita Rahman
Orientation Advisor for Summer 2025 and 2026
Impact of Orientation Advisor Position: "The OA role has helped me develop skills that will be valuable in my future career across communication, leadership, and organization skills. As someone who wants to work in film and entertainment media relations and event planning, orientation has provided me with hands-on experience managing large groups of people, responding and adapting to unpredictable situations, and making sure everyone involved in my team stays supported and informed. One of the biggest skills I developed was learning how to communicate with several different types of students. Every orientee I encountered came from different backgrounds, with different skills and concerns. I routinely explained several complicated processes, such as registration, in several different ways that matched the interests and knowledge of my students into something easy to understand. Being able to break down complex information into something students could confidently act on is a skill that directly connects to the communications field I want to pursue. I was able to further grow these skills through my collaborations with my several peer OAs. more...
Arianne Icaro
Orientation Advisor for Summer 2025 and 2026
Impact of Orientation Advisor Position: "The Orientation Advisor role has helped me develop skills that will directly support my future career goals. As a Management Information Systems major, I hope to pursue a career in consulting, where strong communication, adaptability, and leadership are essential. Through this role, I gained confidence in my ability to guide others, solve problems, and relay information clearly. One of the most valuable skills I developed was communication. As an OA, I answered countless questions each day and learned how to explain complex processes like registration and degree planning in a way that was clear and approachable. I also learned to adjust my communication style depending on the student I was speaking with, which is a skill that will translate directly to working with different clients and stakeholders in consulting. The role also strengthened my adaptability and problem-solving abilities. Orientation rarely goes exactly as planned, and students often faced unexpected challenges during registration or throughout the program. In those moments, I had to think quickly, remain calm, and help students find solutions. These experiences mirror the kind of strategic thinking and flexibility required when consulting for businesses and helping them navigate challenges. Finally, the role gave me valuable experience in leadership and facilitation. I regularly guided groups of students through discussions, activities, and decision-making processes. These experiences are directly transferable to leading teams, managing projects, and collaborating with clients in a professional environment."
Daniel Medina
Orientation Advisor for Summer 2024 and 2025
Impact of Orientation Advisor Position: "Being an Orientation Advisor taught me how to connect with diverse audiences and communicate with people from many different backgrounds. One of my favorite parts of the role was meeting new students and learning about their unique experiences and perspectives. Each student brought something different, and that helped me become more adaptable in how I communicated, listened, and provided support. As a returning OA, I also developed stronger leadership skills. I learned how to guide a team, support my peers, and lead them with empathy. This role showed me the importance of communicating with understanding and patience, especially when people are navigating new or stressful situations. These experiences will carry into my future career because they strengthened my ability to build relationships, communicate effectively, and support others in meaningful ways. Being an OA allowed me to refine skills like public speaking, presenting, event management, and teamwork, that will carry me through an endeavor I reach int he future. Ultimately, my time as an OA taught me that leadership is not just about giving direction, but about confidence, listening, understanding different perspectives, and creating an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions and seeking support."
Leslie Montalvo
Orientation Advisor for Summer 2025 and 2026
Impact of Orientation Advisor Position:" Serving as an OA has helped me grow in ways I didn't fully expect. I had the opportunity to speak with many new people at once, which pushed me out of my comfort zone and strengthened my communication skills. There were several moments where I had to improvise without warning. Those situations forced me to think critically and stay calm under pressure. I also had the responsibility of leading incoming freshmen, which felt like a unique and meaningful opportunity. Being someone they could look to for guidance made me more aware of how I carry myself and how my words impact others. As an aspiring lawyer, I know there will be many moments when unexpected events happen and I won't have the chance to rehearse what to say. I will need to think quickly and make thoughtful decisions for the sake of the people I represent. In many ways, this role felt like practice for that future. It challenged me to respond in real time, trust my judgment, and remain composed even when I felt uncertain. This job also taught me a lot about myself. I became more aware of my mental and physical limits, especially during long days when I felt exhausted but still needed to show up for my team. I learned how to recognize when I was tired and push through in a healthy way so I could carry my weight within the committee. Before this, I had never worked a job, so this experience was new for me. More importantly, it helped me truly appreciate teamwork. I realized how much stronger we are when everyone contributes, supports one another, and works toward a shared goal."
Olivia Cantu
Orientation Advisor for Summer 2025 and 2026
Impact of Orientation Advisor Position: "Being an Orientation Advisor has helped me develop many important skills that I will be able to utilize in my future career and personal goals. Before orientation began, I had already gained and learned various skills during our training process. Through training, I strengthened my leadership skills and learned how to facilitate events effectively. We also explored concepts such as group development, emotional intelligence, customer service, creating a sense of belonging, and engaging communication. These lessons helped prepare me to professionally interact with students and families while working collaboratively with my co-workers. During orientation, I gained a lot of hands-on experience applying these skills I've learned in real situations. I learned how to adapt to unexpected changes, communicate effectively, and present information with confidence and clarity."
Gifts from alumni, parents and friends of The University of Texas at Austin fund the Maralyn Heimlich Scholarship.
Donate Here