Our Pacesetters are enthusiastic and involved undergraduates who tell high school students, parents, and current IU students about what the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering is like, how they’ll fit in, and how Luddy will help you reach your goals.
They promote inclusivity at the school and help plan and carry out a variety of diversity and inclusion initiatives involving outreach, recruiting, and retention.
Becoming a Pacesetter will allow you to gain valuable experience, grow as a leader, build your communication skills, and network with people at Luddy and professionals in the tech field.
Current students can be Pacesetters.
You can apply to become a Pacesetter in the fall semester. For more information, contact us at paceset@iu.edu.
gfabian@iu.edu
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Data Science and Mathematics
Specialization: Data Science
Hometown: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Ushering at the Conan Gray concert.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Spooktacular
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: The feeling of community and resources available to build a career.
mca3@iu.edu
Major: Data Science
Hometown: Medina, MN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: My friends and former teammates, who I graduated with in 2024, coming back to IU for the homecoming football game and weekend this year.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Spooktacular
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: Luddy makes a large school like IU feel small and encourages you to find your community and make connections with so many different people.
acedano@iu.edu
Major: Informatics
Minor: N/A
Specialization: Data Analytics and Information Systems
Hometown: Dyer, IN
Internships/Involvement: N/A
My favorite memory at IU: Tailgating with all my friends.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Paint Along event
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: Being able to meet a bunch of new people from all new areas.
daveanu@iu.edu
Major: Informatics
Minor: Business and Security
Specialization: Business
Hometown: Saint Louis, MO
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Exploring and making friends in the start of each semester.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Painting and Puzzles
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: I love that Luddy has many support opportunities for undergraduate students in their early careers.
jvgottum@iu.edu
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Finance
Specialization: Artificial Intelligence
Hometown: Ashburn, VA
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: IU Football making the playoffs.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: National Heritage Month
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: The Community is my favorite thing almost everyone knows each other which is cool.
tjijo@iu.edu
Major: Cybersecurity & Global Policy B.S.
Minor: Business
Specialization: Web Design & Artificial Intelligence
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: In Fall , strolling around campus and free pizza after ushering the auditorium.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Spooktacular
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: Supportive professors and AI & research opportunities.
annmcnee@iu.edu
Major: Informatics
Minor: Intelligent Systems Engineering
Specialization: Intelligent Systems Engineering
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Walking to Kirkwood late at night for Insomnia Cookies.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Tacos for Hispanic Heritage month
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: The community because I always feel included.
mkm14@iu.edu
Major: Data Science
Minor: Statistics, Urban Planning, Informatics
Specialization: Network Science
Hometown: Bloomington, IN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Cheering on IU Women’s Basketball beating Iowa in 2024!
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Game Night
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: The tight knit community of hardworking, kind people!
addowens@iu.edu
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Data Science and Theatre
Specialization: Programming Languages
Hometown: Westfield and Kokomo, IN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Playing in Live Reality Games @ IU Club's one day Survivor and getting third place!
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Hispanic Heritage Month Event
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: The community is amazing. Everywhere you go you have someone you know and can talk to.
gabnparr@iu.edu
Major: Informatics
Minor: Business
Specialization: N/A
Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Meeting new people and going to the football games last semester.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Native American Heritage Month
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: Luddy is incredibly welcoming to students, and I have always been encouraged to get involved with activities at the school. Luddy also offers a lot of career developing opportunities that have given me new skills.
risvphil@iu.edu
Major: Informatics
Minor: N/A
Specialization: Human-Centered Computing
Hometown: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Planning workshops and events as a Shoemaker Scholar, where I had the opportunity to help students gain valuable knowledge and take the first steps in building their startup ideas. It was truly motivating to see their enthusiasm for learning, and it strengthened my desire to promote entrepreneurship and innovation.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: The Holiday Destress Event. It is a relaxing and festive opportunity for students to relax before final exams with some fun activities, cozy treats, and winter vibes.
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: The collaborative and innovative environment that encourages students to push boundaries, explore new ideas, and work on impactful projects. The support from faculty and peers creates a space where I can grow both academically and personally while pursuing my passion for technology and problem-solving.
bmpool@iu.edu
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Intelligent Systems Engineering
Specialization: Artificial Intelligence
Hometown: Bloomington, IL
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: My midnight pancakes event I hosted in the Luddy LLC last year. Lots of people showed up all for some of my handmade pancakes. It was a lot of work but it was a lot of fun!
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Spooktacular
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: I love seeing fellow Luddy students enjoy themselves by playing games while still learning about how other cultures celebrate Halloween. The friendliness of all the peers and faculty within the department. Everyone makes sure that everyone feels included and welcome. Luddy is a super amazing school which I am more than happy to be a part of.
jbromers@iu.edu
Major: Data Science
Minor: Statistics and Epidemiology
Specialization: Biological and Health Data Science
Hometown: Haubstadt, IN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Playing basketball on the same team as ex-Indiana basketball player, Jordan Geronimo.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Mocktails
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: How friendly and helpful everyone is at Luddy. It makes it easy to make new friends.
sancso@iu.edu
Major: Cybersecurity & Global Policy
Minor: N/A
Specialization: N/A
Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Homecoming weekend 2024 with a sold out stadium!
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage because of how little the community is on campus, it is always nice to celebrate underrepresented groups.
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: I love the sense of community with the community room, there is always something going on in there for students to be involved in.
adwadash@iu.edu
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Data Science and Business
Specialization: N/A
Hometown: Frisco, TX
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: The first time it snowed.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Our mocktails event.
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: The networks and the professors.
dss4@iu.edu
Major: Informatics
Minor: Web Design and Development & Creative Technology in Art and Design
Specialization: Art and Design
Hometown: Hattiesburg, MS
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Going to my first Football game!
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Native American Trivia! I learned a lot.
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: Your education can be anything you want it to be!
lsohail@iu.edu
Major: Intelligent Systems Engineering
Minor: Mathematics
Specialization: Biology
Hometown: Carmel, IN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Joining the climbing community in Bloomington.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Friendsgiving
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: Attending other organizations events.
jactrayl@iu.edu
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Intelligent Systems Engineering
Specialization: Software Engineering
Hometown: Washington, IN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Every single home football game this year.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Native American Heritage Month
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: The variety of friendships, connections, and opportunities the school has to offer.
whitza@iu.edu
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Security Informatics
Specialization: Artificial Intelligence
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Watching the 2024 solar eclipse on campus with friends.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Halloween Spooktacular
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: The numerous opportunities for community involvement.
selzheng@iu.edu
Major: Computer Science
Minor: N/A
Specialization: N/A
Hometown: Plymouth, IN
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: Watching the solar eclipse.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: Mocktails
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: The beautiful glass building!
mzuhair@iu.edu
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Finance and Economics
Specialization: Artificial Intelligence
Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Internships/Involvement:
My favorite memory at IU: One unforgettable night, I impulsively woke up and decided to drive to Yellowwood Forest to catch the sunrise with friends. We were greeted by spectacular weather, making the early morning adventure even more magical. Inspired by the moment, we explored several more lakes across Indiana before heading to Chicago on a whim. There, not knowing what to do, we ended up having the best steak we have ever had. We arrived just 15 minutes before our next class in the morning. It was a whirlwind trip filled with spontaneity and unforgettable views.
My favorite Pacesetter Event: NAHM - Answer a question, grab a donut.
My favorite thing about being in Luddy: I'm continually inspired by the unique problem-solving approaches of the students at Luddy. Their creativity and potential to impact the industry greatly enrich my educational experience and broaden my understanding.
