WHO WE ARE
The Black and Brown Academics and Mentorship (B.B.A.M.) Program is intended to empower Black and Brown high school students with the necessary tools to be successful in college by pairing them with motivated Black and Brown college students.
Our Executive Team
Innovators. Motivators. Leaders.
Meet our 2024-2025 executive team! All of our executives are current students, from a variety of backgrounds and majors, at the University of Texas at Austin.
President
Angela Morales
Class of 2026, Biochemistry
"I joined BBAM because I am passionate about mentoring the younger generations, especially in underserved communities and ensuring they have resources available for them to be successful. My future career goals include attending medical school in Texas and practicing in my hometown."
Vice President, Former Social Director
Leah Kearse
Class of 2025, Design
"I joined BBAM because coming into UT from out-of-state I felt like I really had to fend for myself finding resources to help myself succeed in college, and I wanted to be able to help students both in-state and out-of-state find their footing with the college experience anyway I possibly could. I’m excited to pursue a career as a multidisciplinary designer."
Outreach Coordinator
Oscar Hidrogo
Class of 2027, Biology
"I joined BBAM to help high school students who, like me, navigate college without much guidance. I loved the experience so much that I applied for a position on the Executive Board! I’m majoring in Biology (Pre-med) while working toward certificates in the Elements of Computing and UTeach. My goal is to attend medical school and become an orthopedic surgeon."
Mentor Manager
Jasmine Vega
Class of 2025, Government/Race & Migration
"My name is Jasmine Vega and I am a mentor manager for BBAM’s 2024-2025 exec board. I’m majoring in Government and R.I.M with a minor in Italian. I am planning on taking a gap year after I graduate before attending law school. I enjoy going on walks, reading, and making homemade coffee!"
Recruitment/Social Co-Director
Carolina Romero
Class of 2026, Computational Biology
"My UGS course and research paper at UT was based on public education in the U.S., and it motivated me to take action to close the educational disparities in my own communities. As a result, I joined BBAM last year as a mentor and ever since I have truly felt so lucky to be part of such a supportive and hardworking team of individuals."
Mentor Manager
Loni Anjorin
Class of 2026, Nutrition
I joined BBAM because I fell in love with our mission, and I wanted to be a source of guidance and support for students during their high school years—something I wish I had when I was in school. I’m currently on the pre-med track, working towards going to medical school to become a physician."
Treasurer
Xavier Le
Class of 2026, Psychology
"I joined BBAM because I was looking to make an impact on high school students and set them up for success. I am studying for my MCAT and will apply to medical school this summer!"
Director of Communication
Isabella Sanchez
Class of 2026, Government/English
"I joined BBAM because I wanted to give back to my community of first-generation and minority students who aspire to attend higher education spaces! In the future, I plan to attend law school and influence education policy at the national level."
Social/Recruitment Chair
Riya Thakkar
Class of 2026, Journalism/Sociology
"I love offering mentees a comfortable space where they can ask questions and express any concerns. This is a refreshing feeling and I love being part of BBAM because of the shared commitment and love we have to help mentees flourish! I am pre-law and working towards getting an internship at a law firm and studying for the LSAT."
Outreach Coordinator
Michael Ogu
Class of 2026, Nutrition
"I joined BBAM to help high school students from underrepresented backgrounds achieve their personal and academic goals. I am so excited to be a part of BBAM’s exec team this year and help it grow! Aside from school, I love learning about history and exploring new music!"
Committee Member
Victoria Flores
Class of 2025, Psychology/Health & Society
"I joined BBAM to encourage and support high school students who may not be familiar with all that college entails. I myself was very clueless upon entering UT and I hope that I can help those who aren’t sure what college is really like, and especially those who don’t have family members who have attended before. I plan to graduate school and become a therapist."
Mentor Manager
Abi Schropp
Class of 2026, Psychology/Law & Justice
"I am a huge believer in mentorship in all aspects of life but especially in such pivotal moments such as high school and college. This is why I am passionate about BBAM’s mission and excited to empower others through mentorship."
Our Alumni Board
Meet our 2024-2025 board team! All of our board team have led and supported the organization for many years and are graduates from the University of Texas at Austin.
Former Mentor, Former '22 President
Amaka Okafor
Class of 2023, Nutrition
"I joined BBAM as a mentor because I wanted to encourage and motivate somebody to reach their fullest potential. I also was co-president of BBAM from 2022-23. Now, I am pursuing my degree in dentistry."
Marketing, Former '23 President
Anushka Radadia
Class of 2024, Government/Law & Justice
"I absolutely loved the community that BBAM formed and how committed not only our exec team is but also our mentors! I am currently studying for the LSAT and work for a law firm in NYC as a paralegal! I will be teaching English in Spain in 2025-2026 and then attending law school."
Marketing, Former '22 President
Esther Nnali
Class of 2023, HDFS
"I am now a medical student at UT Health San Antonio. I joined BBAM because I wouldn’t be where I am today without the mentorship that I received along my journey, and I believe that the right guidance/support can really change the trajectory of a student’s life in so many ways. I’m excited to watch BBAM grow."
Co-Founder, Former '21 President
Alana Moshay
Class of 2022, Speech Language Pathology
"I co-founded B.B.A.M., also serving as president and mentor. B.B.A.M. holds a special place in my heart for its positive impact on students. Seeing my mentee become the first in her family to attend college truly showed me the power of the work we do. I work in children's book publishing at Penguin Random House, marketing stories to young readers."
Co-Founder, Former '21 Vice President
Velta Brenya
Class of 2022, Sociology/Health & Society
"I co-founded B.B.A.M. due to my passion for mentorship and my desire to help minority students thrive and navigate the path to college. I act as a "big sister," offering guidance and resources to help students succeed. My career goal is to pursue medicine, combining my interests in health equity and mental health to improve care for underserved communities."
Marketing, Former Social Director
Jackie Castillo
Class of 2024, Neuroscience
"I joined BBAM because I wanted to explore how to better support and guide minorities like myself. I have learned just how important mentor relationships are in our lives, therefore I wanted to give back in this way. This organization has provided me with such a wonderful community and network of driven, caring, and supportive people."