Professor Candidates

History of Magic

• Daria Marshall: I've been involved with HPA for a year now and I absolutely love the organization, both what we stand for and the people. I also love taking pictures and I always have my camera with me. I'm currently a second year biochem major who wants to eventually become a pediatrician. I embrace all things nerd ranging from Harry Potter (well dur) to Doctor Who to Game of Thrones and look forward to seeing what exciting things HPA has in store for this year.
• Anne Pugh: My name is Anne Pugh and I am a senior Youth and Community Studies major from Houston, Texas. I joined HPA last year and I found it was something I really wanted to spend my time on since we do a generally awesome job of decreasing world suck! I would want to be the History of Magic professor because I am proficient with social media, I attend a majority of our events and outings and I would love to help document all the great things we do! Not only have I held numerous leadership positions on campus but I truly care about our mission and the people we help and I think that will make me a great officer for you all!

Defense Against the Dark Arts

• Kylee Slough: My name is Kylee, I'm a senior International Relations and Global Studies major and I joined HPA last fall (I studied abroad last spring though). I'd like to run for Defense Against the Dark Arts professor because I love volunteering and feel that I could do a good job as the service coordinator since I've already held the same position in another club. Under me we had around twice as many people attend volunteer events as we had in previous years and I'd love to do the same thing with HPA!
• Aranda Salazar: Hi! My name is Aranda Salazar, I am from a small town in central Texas called Brownwood! I am currently a sophomore Social Work major, and I really love it! My Harry Potter experience has really been awesome, I was a book nerd as a small child and read everything I could get my hands on. Whenever I started to read Harry Potter I immediately fell in love. I really enjoy Harry Potter because it has a great story and the characters are real to me. It showed me what real friendship was, and how a mother's love can keep you safe forever. (I am really close to my mother and I love how Lily protects Harry, I honestly tear up every time I think about it) I have read other popular series, but Harry Potter is by far my favorite. (I am even going to make my little sisters read it because I have loved it so much!) I feel that I would make a great professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts because I am very organized and I love to volunteer! I also feel that I could find great service projects for our club! I also would really like to become more involved with the Harry Potter Alliance because it has made such a difference in my young life, and I want to provide that for other children.

Divinations:

• Bianca Avila: I'm Bianca Avila, a second-year Journalism major, with a Gryffindor heart and soul, and I would be ecstatic if I could be Austin Harry Potter Alliance's Divinations Professor.
  When I worked at my local chamber of commerce, I was head of preparations for parades/festivals (Fourth of July, Christmas, Teacher Appreciation), annual races (Possum Pedal Ride, Run for the Children), and chamber member luncheons/dinners. I was also in charge of planning team dinners, game nights, staff meetings and parties for my high school debate team. Because of these past experiences, I believe I could organize various events and projects, such as the Yule Ball, for Austin HPA throughout the year. Grocery shopping and cooking are huge pastimes of mine (come visit my kitchen sometime!), and my dog is my everything. I enjoy annual family trips to visit relatives in Mexico and long drives around my hometown, with sweet tea in the cup holder and friends in the passenger's seat. Children are one of my weaknesses, hence my year spent teaching sunday school and working at a daycare.
  Thank y'all so much for considering me for Austin HPA's Divinations Professor!
• Samantha Facile:  Hi, I am Sam Fucile, a proud Gryffindor from Rhode Island. I am a freshman majoring in Studio Art, and you could say Harry Potter is my religion. I am running for Divinations Professor because I love event planning because I live for the details of an event and making everything look put together and spectacular. I was a leader of the fashion club a few years back and planned a huge Fashion Show that the club put on at the end of the year. I was in the show, and put it together behind the scenes. In the past few years, I was involved in NHS, NAHS, key club, two Relay for Life events, and helped set up a debate tournament at our school. Fun facts about me are:

  I spent 12 hours in line for Deathly Hallows part two,

  My twin brother and I commonly engage in quote battles

  Yes, you can call me a Weasley because of my hair.

Arithmancy:

• Abby O'Connor: I’m Abby O’Connor, and I’m a freshman International Relations and Global Studies major and Nerdfighter from Sugar Land, Texas (which is right outside of Houston). I’d love to be the Arithmancy Professor (or Treasurer) of Austin’s HPA because I’m extremely excited about getting involved with HPA, and I really would like to jump right in. I know I’m just a freshman, but I’m super responsible (I worked the front desk of a business all of last year by myself, handling their transactions) and dedicated to anything with which I’m involved. DFTBA!
• Emily Carlson: My name is Emily Carlson, and as an intended accounting major, I'm running for the arithmancy professorship (treasurer).  I am a transfer student from Pennsylvania looking to become more involved at UT.  Previous leadership experience includes a secretary position for a community service organization through the YMCA, as well as president of National Honor Society and captain of my swim team in high school.   I believe I have the necessary experience to work on an executive board, the time to dedicate to HPA, and a never-ending love for all things Harry Potter!