Super Connector

“I founded TEDxUTAustin during my freshman year as a way to be more actively involved in connecting people to new ideas,” said Luca. “Once it got off the ground, I felt it was my duty to build a lasting structure so generations of Longhorns could be a part of it.”

TEDxUTAustin is a student-led platform that offers TEDx conferences featuring UT faculty, students and Austin experts. The events have the look and feel of the enormously popular TED Talks.

Luca thinks the sheer size of UT and the resources available make it a place full of opportunities, and, in his words, “it’s up to each student to go and grasp them.”

His choice to attend UT was an easy one once he learned he had received a scholarship from Marathon Oil through the Cockrell School of Engineering Honors Program.

“Getting a scholarship took a huge weight off my shoulders. Knowing the quality of UT and to have my tuition covered, it was a no-brainer.”

Luca majored in electrical and computer engineering and became involved with Convergent, an entrepreneurship organization that connects computer science and business majors to create prototype tech projects. This led to his earning a business certificate from the McCombs School of Business.

Now a graduate, Luca has a position waiting for him at a management consulting firm. But first he is taking a gap year and devoting his time to a new startup company as its CFO. Called Dive, it is a group chat application that combines the ease of iMessage with the channel capability of Slack. Based on beta-testing buzz, he’s excited about its prospects.

“I want to go off, do big things and become successful,” said Luca, “so I can give future Longhorns the same benefits I had.”