Samuel Gil is pursuing a master’s degree in public affairs in the LBJ School for Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. He graduated summa cum laude from McNeese State University and was named the recipient of their Overall Outstanding Undergraduate Award. During his undergraduate studies, he was a two-time student body president, a Rhodes Scholar Finalist, and an elected member of the Louisiana Board of Regents. While serving on his campus, Gil led efforts to enhance the infrastructure and worked with constituents to create a better learning environment. Now at UT Austin, he serves as the LBJ School’s representative to the Graduate Student Assembly. Upon graduation, he hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in higher education administration. As a Graduate Archer Fellow, Gil aims to leverage his higher education experience to assess the efficiency of governmental funding and break down barriers surrounding admissions and financial aid.