To begin the spring 2026 semester, Theta Tau Xi chapter has welcomed 19 new potential new members. Our rush chairs, Alex Haas and Fiona Dragan, did an exceptional job managing our rush process, and thanks to them everything went smoothly. In addition, our New Member Educators, Bryan Heaton and Kate Briesemeister, have done a great job educating and welcoming our new PNMs to Theta Tau. We are proud to introduce the Spring 2026 PNM Class!
Pallav Chawla
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Biomedical Engineering
- Hometown: Eden Prairie, MN
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I chose my major due to my moms past health complications and my natural inclination towards math, that combination led me to biomedical engineering.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Don't quit when it gets hard.
- Favorite part of UW Madison? The Witte quad life.
- Fun fact about yourself? I like to eat green olives straight from the jar
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Copenhagen, Denmark
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Tacos
Sam Cook
- Year: Sophomore
- Major: Computer Engineering
- Hometown: Waukesha, Wisconsin
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? My dad works in IT, and I’ve always thought what he does is really cool. I’ve also been fascinated by AI, so I wanted to study a major that lets me design and build AI myself.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Don't knock it til' you try it
- Favorite part of UW Madison? The football games
- Fun fact about yourself? I'm a certified lifeguard
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Honolulu
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? BBQ Pork Mac & Cheese
Andres Rosa
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Biomedical Engineering
- Hometown: Caguas, Puerto Rico
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? Small actions like lending an ear to critical points, like aiding doctors in surgery, every act of kindness is as valuable and as rewarding as the other. I chose biomedical engineering as a fusion of both my passions for medicine and engineering. The idea of being able to become a doctor and be capable of giving a more well-rounded opinion on solutions to patients or helping others outside through medical devices and making their lives even a little easier fills me with satisfaction and joy.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? I am willing to learn.
- Favorite part of UW Madison? Morgridge Hall after 11:00 p.m.
- Fun fact about yourself? I am a triplet.
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Baltimore
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Chicken noodle soup
Erin Drahozal
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Industrial & Systems Engineering
- Hometown: Chanhassen, MN
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? It's a good mix between math/business and I like solving logic problems.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Smile and the world smiles with you.
- Favorite part of UW Madison? Memorial Union Terrace when it's nice out.
- Fun fact about yourself? I play competitive pickleball.
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Seattle, WA
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Vanilla Greek Yogurt
Kylie Jones
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Mechanical Engineering
- Hometown: Bloomington, MN
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? As a kid, I was always drawn to toys that involved building and problem-solving, and as I began to take higher level classes, my curiosity within the subject only deepened.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? It is a great day to have a great day!!
- Favorite part of UW Madison? I love how there is always something new to try, whether it's a new restaurant, running trail, or study spot.
- Fun fact about yourself? I can sight read any song on piano!
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Copenhagen
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Chicken
Caydence Bundgaard
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Chemical Engineering
- Hometown: Woodbury, Minnesota
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I have family members in engineering, and I have always wanted to do it. I also had a really amazing chemistry teacher in high school who made me love the subject so I combined the two.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Do it scared
- Favorite part of UW Madison? The campus
- Fun fact about yourself? I foster dogs
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Oslo
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Pasta
Blake Butler
- Year: Sophomore
- Major: Computer Engineering
- Hometown: Houston, Texas
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I have always had a strong interest in technology. I loved computer science but didn’t want to be stuck behind a screen. I wanted to be hands on with my work and physically work with it. Computer Engineering was a great crossroad between computer science and electrical engineering, allowing me to work with tech on the small scale while also being hands on.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? “It's supposed to be hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it.”
- Favorite part of UW Madison? The people are what really stood out to me at UW Madison. When I visited, everyone was super kind and ready to strike a conversation about anything. Madison felt like home the moment I stepped foot here.
- Fun fact about yourself? I have two different colored eyes, blue and green.
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Charleston, South Carolina
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Poké Bowl
Tyler Doolittle
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Mechanical Engineering
- Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I like to build and take apart things and have a big interest in mechanical systems.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”
- Favorite part of UW Madison? Having lakes surrounding us and a beautiful campus while not being too far from home.
- Fun fact about yourself? I used to have a sugar glider (flying squirrel) as a pet.
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Squamish, British Columbia
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Steak
Riyana Expedith
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Electrical Engineering
- Hometown: Brookfield, WI
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I absolutely love crafts and anything creative or detail-oriented, so in high school I joined our FIRST Robotics team. Through robotics, I discovered a strong overlap between the skills I used in crafting and the work we did on the electrical team. Electrical engineering was the perfect way to combine my creativity with technical problem-solving.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Do it once, do it right!
- Favorite part of UW Madison? I love the buildings and being able to go study or just exist anywhere.
- Fun fact about yourself? I love Minecraft. I’ve been playing since Minecraft Pocket Edition :P
- Dream city to live in after graduation? London
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? My Chipotle order
Hallie Khieu
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Maple Grove, Minnesota
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I like being able to problem solve and adapt to new situations quickly which is similar to learning how to code. Computer science is an evolving field and I want to be a part of it.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
- Favorite part of UW Madison? I love the campus and the community. There's always something to do outside and everyone is very friendly.
- Fun fact about yourself? I used to play soccer and tennis and was a former gymnast and figure skater.
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Chicago
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Tacos
Rian Singh
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Mechanical Engineering
- Hometown: San Diego, CA
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I have a curiosity for how everything works and a love for cars.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Every day, once a day, give yourself a present.
- Favorite part of UW Madison? The community and livelihood
- Fun fact about yourself? —
- Dream city to live in after graduation? —
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? A grilled cheese with tomato soup
Philip Colwell
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Biomedical Engineering
- Hometown: Edina
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? Taking AP Biology my junior year, I found biotechnology extremely fascinating. When I learned that you could manipulate the genome of bacteria to make insulin, I wanted to explore these concepts even further. This interest became more personal when my dad’s diabetes got more serious and he switched to an insulin pump. Seeing the true impact of bio instrumentation fuels my passion for biomedical engineering.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? “It's a truly lucky man who knows what he wants to do in this world, because that man will never work a day in his life.”
- Favorite part of UW Madison? Picnic Point
- Fun fact about yourself? I can backflip
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Tokyo
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Steak
Kamryn Thelen
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Chemical Engineering
- Hometown: Mitchell, SD
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I like chemistry, math, and problem solving, and chemical engineering combines all three in a practical way.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Be where your feet are
- Favorite part of UW Madison? I like the campus and really enjoy living by the lake.
- Fun fact about yourself? I didn’t like cheese before moving to Madison.
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Boulder, CO
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Margherita Pizza
Lexi Kellam
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Biomedical Engineering
- Hometown: Oak Brook, IL
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? Biomedical engineering allows me to be involved in the medical field while combining my passion for problem solving and math. The intersection of innovation, technology, and patient care is incredibly important and interesting to me.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Believe you can and you're halfway there
- Favorite part of UW Madison? The nature around campus
- Fun fact about yourself? I have a twin sister
- Dream city to live in after graduation? San Diego
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Caprese chicken sandwich
Alex Breaker
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Computer Engineering
- Hometown: Lake Mills, WI
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? STEM night in elementary school sparked my love for engineering through hands-on activities. Later, I gained confidence diving into complicated projects like editing software on my Nintendo 3DS and modifying hardware. Computer engineering perfectly combines my interests in hardware and software.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Work hard, play hard
- Favorite part of UW Madison? Close to home and affordable
- Fun fact about yourself? I’m on IMDb
- Dream city to live in after graduation? New York City
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Burritos
Zoe Schiek
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Material Science and Engineering
- Hometown: Cedarburg, Wisconsin
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I chose material science engineering with hopes to work with textiles in the future. I want to develop sustainable and smart textiles combining engineering with clothing.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Wherever you are, be there.
- Favorite part of UW Madison? The people and the surplus of activities to do.
- Fun fact about yourself? My first name is really Victoria. I've gone by my middle name Zoe all my life.
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Malaga, Spain
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Mango
Prajwal Belbase
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Mechanical Engineering
- Hometown: Chicago
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I like to build things, so with Mechanical Engineering I want to go into manufacturing.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Chase excellence and success will follow
- Favorite part of UW Madison? The people
- Fun fact about yourself? I can’t swim
- Dream city to live in after graduation? New York
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? My mom’s biryani
Mittansh Nithiyanandam
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Computer Science
- Hometown: Lake Forest, IL
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I believe computer science has vast potential and can revolutionize the future.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? Hard work pays off
- Favorite part of UW Madison? The school spirit
- Fun fact about yourself? I’m a professional cricket player
- Dream city to live in after graduation? Tokyo, Japan
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Protein bars
Evan Lozon
- Year: Freshman
- Major: Computer Engineering
- Hometown: Wausau, Wisconsin
- Why did you choose your major/engineering? I always liked computer science and engineering. I was lucky enough to take both classes in high school and my major embodies this.
- What is a mantra/quote you live by? I love struggling, actually. It makes me feel alive.
- Favorite part of UW Madison? Work hard, play hard lifestyle.
- Fun fact about yourself? I did cross country skiing for about 13 years.
- Dream city to live in after graduation? New York City
- If you had to only eat one food forever, what would it be? Eggs