After many fun and action filled days of rush planned by Josie Beres, Theta Tau Xi Chapter is excited to introduce you to our pledge class of Fall’19! We have asked our 16 new pledges to tell us a little bit about themselves. Our chapter is excited to see them participate in events and learn more about this wonderful fraternity they are entering into!
Sierra Coflin
Hometown: Rockville, MD
Year: Freshman
Major: mechanical engineering
Why your major? “I come from a family of engineers so I knew I wanted to be an engineer since I was little.”
Why UW-Madison? “I love football and hockey and Madison has great teams for both. Of course the engineering school is great too!! “
Favorite place on campus: The Terrace
Describe yourself in 3 words: Bubbly, Fun, Sporty
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “Travel the world”
Hobbies/other interests: “I enjoy playing soccer, watching netflix, and supporting the Capitals. “
Fun Fact about you: “I got stitches in my head from playing soccer with sunglasses.”
Mikaela DeMartelaere
Hometown: Eagan, MN
Year: Sophomore
Major: biomedical engineering
Why your major? “I’ve always known I wanted to be in or play some role in the medical industry or field. At first, it was medical school and becoming a surgeon. But, during my senior year, I took a CIS physiology course that dove deep into how the body works that really peaked my interest. This course was one of the deciding factors that pushed me towards engineering and biomedical engineering specifically.”
Why UW-Madison? “I chose UW Madison because their engineering program is really well known and very well structured. I also had a very bad football team in high school, so being able to cheer for a winning football time was a big factor for me. Because of this the school has a lot of spirit which makes it super fun to go to events and really easy to meet new people. I also really liked the distance from home that the school was and the size of the campus.”
Favorite place on campus: Pete’s Coffee
Describe yourself in 3 words: Adventurous, average, and clumsy
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “Not losing my pledge pin @megan & @joe”
Hobbies/other interests: “Soccer, traveling, watching Disney movies, eating food, and laughing.”
Fun Fact about you: “I’ve seen a live pig dissection and was able to touch the heart while it was beating.”
Anya Gessesse
Hometown: Gilroy, CA
Year: Sophomore
Major: computer engineering
Why your major? “I took a computer science class in high school that I really liked and I wanted to be in the College of Engineering.”
Why UW-Madison? “I wanted to go out of state, my parents both went to UW-Madison, and I love Bucky :)”
Favorite place on campus: 13th floor of the Educational Sciences building
Describe yourself in 3 words: Automatic, supersonic, hypnotic (funky fresh)
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “Become twitter famous”
Hobbies/other interests: “Making videos, spending time with friends, and ranking local chai tea lattes.”
Fun Fact about you: “I have an extensive sticker collection!”
Jason Goetting
Hometown: Buffalo Grove, IL
Year: Freshman
Major: biomedical engineering
Why your major? “I am pre-med and i’ve had an interest in the health field for a while now. So BME is a good way of combining those interests”
Why UW-Madison? “I wanted a school that had a good balance of academics and social life. I felt like Madison was pretty unrivaled in that area and I felt at home when I visited here”
Favorite place on campus: The Terrace
Describe yourself in 3 words: happy, kind, curious
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “I would love to be able to go to work in a place that doesn’t feel like work and make a positive difference in people’s lives”
Hobbies/other interests: “I play a lot of basketball “
Fun Fact about you: “I went to Guatemala this summer to help build stoves”
Eli Gordon
Hometown: Rockville, MD
Year: Freshman
Major: mechanical engineering
Why your major? “I have always been interested in the way things work, and what makes them work. Growing up I took everything apart and put it back together, although this did get me into some trouble I really learned a lot from the hands-on experience. I was able to visualize the components of a given object or piece of technology and determine how it works. To this day I am fascinated by how things work and areas of improvement for existing inventions.”
Why UW-Madison? “I visited UW Madison October of my senior year in high school and fell in love with it. I really like the campus and city of Madison. “
Favorite place on campus: Memorial Terrace
Describe yourself in 3 words: Outgoing, social, chill
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “One thing I want to complete in my life is to get a research paper published.”
Hobbies/other interests: “I enjoy watching and playing baseball, as well as hanging out with friends and family. “
Fun Fact about you: “I spent 3 months studying abroad in Israel during my sophomore year of high school. “
Megan Hagerty
Hometown: Mequon, WI
Year: Sophomore
Major: industrial engineering
Why your major? “it combines the business world with the engineering world”
Why UW-Madison? “It’s been my dream school ever since my first badger game with my mom when I was 6”
Favorite place on campus: discovery building
Describe yourself in 3 words: hardworking, fun, and determined
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “travel to lead a big project in a different country “
Hobbies/other interests: “soccer”
Fun Fact about you: “if I were to be reincarnated into any animal I’d want to be a flying squirrel “
Joe Holt
Hometown: McFarland, WI
Year: Sophomore
Major: computer science / finance
Why your major? “I like numbers”
Why UW-Madison? “Good social scene, large student body and Madison is good at my majors.”
Favorite place on campus: Parthenon
Describe yourself in 3 words: really really funny
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “Start a (successful) business “
Hobbies/other interests: “I like playing tennis, watching movies and Minecraft”
Fun Fact about you: “I won 1st place in a ‘reduce reuse recycle’ art contest in 3rd grade”
Sunny Jhaveri
Hometown: Long Grove, Illinois
Year: Freshman
Major: biomedical engineering
Why your major? “I hope to contribute to improving the healthcare field and to help people along the way!”
Why UW-Madison? “Fantastic balance between academics, student life, sports, etc. Also, I couldn’t say no to a school in a beautiful city with two lakes and amazing cheese/ice cream. “
Favorite place on campus: The docks on Lake Mendota
Describe yourself in 3 words: Happy, Ambitious, Caring
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “Being able to wake up knowing that I can make a difference in someone’s life each and everyday through my work.”
Hobbies/other interests: “SPIKEBALL, working out, baseball, traveling, taking videos”
Fun Fact about you: “I thought peanut butter was green until junior year of high school. I’m colorblind though, don’t worry.”
Hanna Koel
Hometown: Menomonee Falls, WI
Year: Freshman
Major: industrial engineering
Why your major? “Senior year of High School I was required to research a career and do a presentation on it for STEM Academy. I ended up picking Industrial Engineering because it was the only one I had never heard of. I discovered that Industrial Engineering had the mixture of business and engineering that I was looking for paired with a variety of career options after graduation.”
Why UW-Madison? “It has an amazing atmosphere and a good engineering program”
Favorite place on campus: Discovery building
Describe yourself in 3 words: Hardworking, adventurous, and outdoorsy
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “Visit every continent “
Hobbies/other interests: “Snowmobiling, hiking, and traveling”
Fun Fact about you: “I don’t sleep with a pillow”
Abby Larson
Hometown: Plymouth, MN
Year: Freshman
Major: chemical engineering
Why your major? “I have always loved both science and math. Throughout school, my teachers and parents encouraged me to explore STEM. I choose Chemical Engineering because there are many different paths I can take based on this one degree, leaving the door wide open for me to find what I enjoy and want to do professionally.”
Why UW-Madison? “Madison is the perfect distance from home. I also love the mix of scenery with the city and the lake. Madison also has a great engineering program but has opportunities to explore other interests outside of engineering as well. Basically, it’s the perfect balance of everything I wanted and more.”
Favorite place on campus: Memorial Union on Sunday Mornings
Describe yourself in 3 words: Ambitious, Dependable, Passionate
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “Travel. A lot.”
Hobbies/other interests: “Traveling, reading, and watching Netflix. I also know how to knit. Basically, I am a grandma at heart.”
Fun Fact about you: “I own 7 copies of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in 4 different languages, purchased in 4 different countries. “
Nick Martin
Hometown: Pewaukee, WI
Year: Sophomore
Major: mechanical engineering
Why your major? “I chose my major because in high school I loved math and science. During my engineering classes, I found my passion for engineering. Finally, I chose Mechanical Engineering because I interviewed the owner of Midwest engineering. He showed me some of the projects that mechanical engineers work on and I found them very interesting.”
Why UW-Madison? “I chose UW-Madison because there is a good mix between academics and social opportunities for students. I wanted to go a football school which Madison is defiantly one. Also, can’t beat instate tuition.”
Favorite place on campus: Memorial Union
Describe yourself in 3 words: Supportive, Hardworking, Team-player
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “One thing I want to accomplish is starting my own company from the ground up.”
Hobbies/other interests: “Soccer, basketball, fishing”
Fun Fact about you: “I have two slightly different colored eyes.”
Kasey Mohlke
Hometown: Northfield, MN
Year: Freshman
Major: biomedical engineering
Why your major? “I like math and science classes and I want to help people!”
Why UW-Madison? “I chose UW Madison because it has an amazing engineering program, a beautiful campus, and it’s far enough from home that my parents can’t do a surprise visit.”
Favorite place on campus: The Terrace
Describe yourself in 3 words: Independent, loyal, determined
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “Work with Medtronic or 3M”
Hobbies/other interests: Gymnastics, Pole Vaulting, and Listening to Music
Fun Fact about you: “I can say the alphabet backwards and make a clover with my tongue.”
Will Morris
Hometown: Highlands Ranch, CO
Year: Freshman
Major: chemistry
Why your major? “I enjoy chemistry, math, and other general science courses”
Why UW-Madison? “I’ve been a fan of Wisconsin Badgers’ sports ever since I was little and UW Madison has one of the best chemical engineering programs in the country”
Favorite place on campus: Camp Randall Stadium
Describe yourself in 3 words: Motivated, Fun, Kind
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “I want to go skydiving”
Hobbies/other interests: Football, Rugby, Disc Golf, Hanging out with friends
Fun Fact about you: “I was born in Germany”
Karen Scharlau
Hometown: Fountain City, WI
Year: Sophomore
Major: mechanical engineering
Why your major? “I would love to design prosthetics in the future”
Why UW-Madison? “It’s the best place to be”
Favorite place on campus: The terrace
Describe yourself in 3 words: Happy, fun, outgoing
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “I want to graduate”
Hobbies/other interests: Skiing, traveling
Fun Fact about you: “I once had a close call with a moose”
Harrison White
Hometown: Onalaska, WI
Year: Freshman
Major: computer engineering
Why your major? “I’ve always been interested in math and science as well as computers, so computer engineering seemed like a good fit for me.”
Why UW-Madison? “I chose UW-Madison due to a combination of the strong engineering program, the affordability as an in-state student, and the city itself.”
Favorite place on campus: 4th floor of Steenbock Library
Describe yourself in 3 words: Hardworking, agreeable, kind
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “I want to live abroad somewhere long enough to become fluent in the local language.”
Hobbies/other interests: Running, swimming, watching movies
Fun Fact about you: “Even though I’m a computer engineering major, sometimes I act like I have no idea how computers work so I don’t have to help people fix them or set them up.”
Oneeb Zaheer
Hometown: Dublin, CA
Year: Freshman
Major: computer science
Why your major? “I’m good with computers and it has good job prospects “
Why UW-Madison? “It’s a great balance of academic and social life plus I wanted a change from what I’m used to “
Favorite place on campus: Strings Ramen
Describe yourself in 3 words: friendly, stubborn, competitive
What’s one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime? “I want to be a millionaire”
Hobbies/other interests: “Basketball tennis and philosophy”
Fun Fact about you: “I had never seen snowfall until last week”