After a successful rush process organized by Jared Wiese, Theta Tau Xi Chapter is very excited to welcome our 13 new pledges! We’ve asked them a series of questions to get to know them better. We can’t wait to see them participate in events and activities as well as teaching them the traditions that the fraternity hold so dearly.
Aditya Ashok
Hometown: Singapore
Year: Sophomore
Major: Computer Science (Business and Math Certificate)
Why your major? : “Problem solving is really rewarding to me.”
Why UW Madison? : “Great comp sci program, and I have a bunch of family that went here. My sister actually goes here now.”
Favorite place on earth: “Bali”
Describe yourself in 3 words: happy go lucky
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “Create something that benefits the world.”
Interests/ Hobbies: Sports, music, video games
Fun fact about you: “I’ve lived in 4 countries, gone to 4 schools, speak 4 languages, and play 4 sports”
Marc Cheah
Hometown: Malaysia
Year: Sophomore
Major: Industrial Engineering
Why your major?: “I want to solve the economical problem by promoting efficiencies and optimizing systems through data analysis”
Why UW Madison?: “I wanted to go outside my comfort zone by gaining new perspectives while getting a great education in the College of Engineering”
Favorite place on earth: “A chalet overseeing the white sanded clear-blue beach”
Describe yourself in 3 words: Quirky, Optimistic, Risk-taker
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “To establish & start up my own company”
Interest/ Hobbies: Graphing stuff, Badminton, Dota 2, EATING, Guitar
Fun fact about you: “I survived a really bad car accident 5 months ago, coming out unhurt even though the car was totalled. It started when the car’s bottom left wheel suddenely burst. As the uber driver turned towards the emergency lane, a truck hit the car. Fun fact about this is that I survived!!”
Kenta Cojerian
Hometown: West Windsor, New Jersey
Year: Freshman
Major: Chemical Engineering
Why your major?: “My best subject is chemistry and engineering is a good career so it made sense”
Why UW Madison?: “I really like the atmosphere of the city and it has a great chemical engineering program”
Favorite place on earth: “I really liked snorkeling in Indonesia”
Describe yourself in 3 words: Fun sometimes quiet
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “I guess graduate and get a job for now I don’t know for life”
Interest/ Hobbies: Football basketball music
Fun fact about you: “I’ve lived in 3 countries and been to 14″
Alexus Edwards
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Why your major? : “I want to make a difference in the healthcare field when it comes to tools.”
Why UW Madison? : “It has an amazing engineering program and allows me to be close to my family”
Favorite place on earth: “Manhattan Beach”
Describe yourself in 3 words: Funny, persistent, caring
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “I want to get a doctorate or phD”
Interests/ Hobbies:EMT, volleyball, Reading, board games
Fun fact about you: “I was an intern firefighter for two years in high school”
Luis Finol
Hometown: Caracas, Venezuela
Year: Sophomore
Major: Industrial Engineering
Why your major? : “I like to administrate and organize resources, and I wanted to further develop my skills in science”
Why UW Madison? : “Very good engineering school and amazing social atmosphere, not to mention the scenery”
Favorite place on earth: “Aruba”
Describe yourself in 3 words: calm and reliable
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “Set up a company with several branches over many cities”
Interests/ Hobbies: Politics, History, Geography
Fun fact about you: “I can name you every country on Earth”
Gabrielle Kohn
Hometown: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Year: Freshman
Major: Electrical Engineering
Why your major? : “I chose Electrical Engineering because I wanted a major where I could be versatile and be able to contribute to multiple aspects of any operation. Electrical engineers play an integral part in most engineering projects, and I know that I am strong-willed and skilled enough to be able to take on the challenges that electrical engineers face. I am pursuing this major as a route to becoming a renewable energy engineer. I want to do what I can to improve our way of living and the health of the planet.”
Why UW Madison? : “I love the atmosphere of a big state school.”
Favorite place on earth: “My bed”
Describe yourself in 3 words: Extra, Sarcastic, Unique
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “I want to discover/invent a groundbreaking form of renewable energy”
Interests/ Hobbies: Music, weightlifting, volunteering
Fun fact about you: “I am very good at tongue twisters”
Anthony Krotiak
Hometown: Orland Hills, Illinois
Year: Junior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Why your major? : “Engineering has always interested me with its problem solving techniques and inventiveness. I hope to be able to create or perfect something with my work.”
Why UW Madison? : “I wanted to study somewhere that would challenge me and give me opportunities for experiences and life.”
Favorite place on earth: Lake Monroe, Bloomington IN
Describe yourself in 3 words: Ambitious, determined, tired
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “Create something important to the world.”
Interests/ Hobbies: Climbing, Snowboarding
Fun fact about you: “I once got a sunburn indoors.”
Eric Lin
Hometown: Hong Kong
Year: Sophomore
Major: Computer Science
Why your major? : “I enjoy problem solving, and I’m interested in fintech.”
Why UW Madison? : “Great academic institution, decent student life.”
Favorite place on earth: “Bed”
Describe yourself in 3 words: optimistic, friendly, sensible
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “Start a business”
Interests/ Hobbies: Frisbee
Fun fact about you: “Broke the record for the heaviest baby in my hospital.”
Emma Noraian
Hometown: Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
Year: Freshman
Major: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Why your major? : “I want to have a positive impact on the environment and the world.”
Why UW Madison? : “When I visited, it felt like home. Everyone was so nice and welcoming, I just knew I could see myself being happy here.”
Favorite place on earth: Grand Teton National Park
Describe yourself in 3 words: Pun-enthusiast, outdoorsy, energetic
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “Visiting every National Park in the U.S. Also, having a meaningful job and life!”
Interests/ Hobbies: I love hiking and being outside. At school I’m on the concrete canoe team and a DJ on WSUM Student Radio.
Fun fact about you: “Two truths and a lie: my elementary/middle school had a circus that I was in, I went to a ranch camp in Wyoming for 4 summers so I know how to rope(lasso), and when I was a kid my parents used to only buy me blue clothes to make my eyes look even bluer. Fun fact, they’re all true!”
Samantha Perskin
Hometown: Manalapan, New Jersey
Year: Sophomore
Major: Industrial Engineering
Why your major? : “I chose Industrial and Systems Engineering because in high school I always excelled in math and science, and dreaded attending my history and language courses. Once I was accepted into the College of Engineering, I wasn’t quite sure which major I would choose. After taking intro to engineering courses, I realized that I wanted to pursue an engineering degree related to business. I found that Industrial Engineering created the perfect harmony between both my interests and intended career path.”
Why UW Madison? : “I wanted a large school with a lot of school spirit that was far from home. When choosing a college, I wanted to do something different and be around people that had different experiences than I did growing up.”
Favorite place on earth: Jersey Shore
Describe yourself in 3 words: Hardworking, ambitious, and sincere
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “Owning my own business.”
Interests/ Hobbies:Hanging out with my friends and playing sports.
Fun fact about you: “I have two golden doodles, Sunny and Stella.”
Shashu Saravanan
Hometown: Carol Stream, Illinois
Year: Sophomore
Major: Electrical Engineering
Why your major? : “I love working with electronics (Teslas are dope too)”
Why UW Madison? : “It has a large city feel but also a lot of great views. It has a great reputation as being one of the top engineering schools too!”
Favorite place on earth: California
Describe yourself in 3 words: Laidback, funny, caring
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “Helping as many people as possible”
Interests/ Hobbies:Sports, Video Games, Cool engineering stuff
Fun fact about you: “I moved to the United States when I was 4 years old from India.”
Brianna Tobin
Hometown: Franklin, Wisconsin
Year: Freshman
Major: Computer Engineering
Why your major? : “I’ve always been fascinated by how simple, yet incredibly powerful and versatile computers can be. Learning about them was something that I could see myself doing for the rest of my life.”
Why UW Madison? : “I chose Madison because it’s a school of everything. Academics-wise, athletics-wise, social-wise, and location-wise, this school excels, and so, especially growing up in Wisconsin, the choice had always been pretty clear to me from the start.”
Favorite place on earth: Chicago
Describe yourself in 3 words: BIG cheese gal
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “Publishing a novel!”
Interests/ Hobbies:Writing, drawing, lacrosse
Fun fact about you: “In high school, my cousin was voted prom king and I was voted queen—a weird coincidence that made for some pretty funny conversation at the next family gathering.”
Josh Weinstock
Hometown: South St. Paul, Minnesota
Year: Sophomore
Major: Civil Engineering
Why your major? : “My great uncle was a civil engineer and designed one of my favorite bridges in Minnesota and my high school Physics teacher was also a big influence.”
Why UW Madison? : “I chose UW Madison because it had a good engineering school but also was a great campus atmosphere.”
Favorite place on earth: Switzerland
Describe yourself in 3 words: Intelligent, Kind, and Caring
What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?: “I would love to climb Mount Kilimanjaro”
Interests/ Hobbies: “I love playing blackjack, I like photography, and I like writing”
Fun fact about you: “I paid for entire first semester of freshman year food using money I won off blackjack.”