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The Archer Fellowship Program
The Archer Center is where Texas meets the world. As the Washington, D.C., campus of The University of Texas System, the Center provides talented undergraduate and graduate students from across the UT System with the opportunity to live, learn, and intern in the nation's capital.
Founded in 2001, The Bill Archer Fellowship was established by The University of Texas System in conjunction with Former U.S. Representative Bill Archer as a way to bring highly motivated and accomplished students to Washington, D.C. to participate in varied internships and take part in classes focusing on policy, economics, and persuasion.
Students who participate in the Archer Fellowship Program can expect to have an exhausting, rewarding experience that will allow them to learn about how our federal government interacts within and outside itself. Students will make and maintain social and professional contacts that could help lead to continued internship opportunities and even jobs post-graduation.
The Shepperd Leadership Institute fully supports and manages the Archer Fellowship Program at The University of Texas Permian Basin to continue the institute's tradition of promoting public service leadership.
If you are a student at The University of Texas Permian Basin, you may be eligible to apply for the Bill Archer Fellowship Program. Financial aid is available to those accepted to the program.
View the Archer Center Website
Meet Our Fellows
Marissa Equiniones
Spring 2026 Archer FellowMarissa Equiniones is a junior at The University of Texas Permian Basin, majoring in political science with a minor in communication. On campus, Equiniones proudly served as an orientation leader, student worker, and social media manager for the university's band program. In the spring of 2025, she participated in The University of Texas System's Legislative Fellowship Program, where she interned for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. During her internship, she worked alongside policy advisors in Transportation, Border Security, and Veterans Affairs, deepening her passion for public policy. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a Master of Business Administration to expand her understanding of the financial dimensions of policymaking.
Brett Jacobsen
Summer 2026 Archer FellowBrett Jacobsen is pursuing a master's degree in biology through the Accelerated Master’s Program at The University of Texas Permian Basin. On campus, he is involved with the Campus Activities Board, Student Housing, Academic Advising, and the Student Government Association. In spring 2025, he participated in The University of Texas System’s Texas Legislative Fellowship Program, where he interned with the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services during the 89th Legislative Session. During his time in Austin, Jacobsen worked alongside lawyers and medical practitioners to better understand the scope of nutrition and metabolic health outcomes across Texas. After completing his master's degree, he plans to attend medical school, combining his academic research and health policy expertise to advance his career in public service.
Ricky Ramos
Fall 2025 Archer FellowRicky Ramos is a senior at The University of Texas Permian Basin, majoring in political science with a minor in history. He was a Texas Legislative Fellow as part of The University of Texas System’s Texas Legislative Fellowship Program, where he served as a session supervisor in the sergeant-at-arms office at the Texas House of Representatives during the 89th Legislative Session. Ramos has also worked in pharmacy, construction, and retail management while attending school online. While interning at the State Capitol and attending classes full-time, Ramos worked to become a certified paralegal and Texas public notary. Ramos is passionate about public service and hopes to pursue a career in law and foreign policy, focusing on institutional reform and diplomacy.
Julia Heck
Fall 2025 Archer FellowJulia Heck is a senior at The University of Texas Permian Basin, majoring in political science with a minor in finance. She holds a certificate in cybersecurity from Cosumnes River College and an associate degree from Northwest Florida State College. She studied law for two years through the Law Office Study Program in California, focusing on contracts, torts, and criminal law. She interned for State Senator Judith Zaffirini during Texas's 89th Legislative Session and has professional experience in law, marketing, event planning, and insurance. She has volunteered for She's My Daughter, a nonprofit based out of Washington, D.C., that combats domestic violence, Angel House Soup Kitchen in Austin, Texas, and Madisonville Care Center as an activities volunteer. Heck is passionate about public service and seeks to continue her trajectory to help others on a national and global scale through strategic diplomatic frameworks.
Luke Christensen
Fall 2024 Archer FellowLuke Christensen is a senior at the University of Texas Permian Basin majoring in psychology with a minor in music. On campus, he has served as president of the Psychology Club and Psi Chi National Honor Society chapter, a clinical psychology fellow, an experimental research assistant, a supplemental instructor in statistics, a writing fellow, a student mentor, and a general tutor. His research on mindfulness, spirituality, religiosity, and academic help-seeking has been presented at numerous national and international conferences. Off campus, he volunteers for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, giving talks and serving as deputy walk chair for the Permian Basin Out of the Darkness Walk. Luke has been an AmeriCorps member, a behavioral technician, and a case manager at an addiction treatment facility. After graduation, he aims to attend graduate school for clinical psychology.
Brandon Lippert
Spring 2024 Archer FellowBrandon Lippert, a native of Smithville, TX, began playing the trombone at age 11 and recently received his B.M. in Music Education from The University of Texas Permian Basin. Brandon is currently an Assistant Band Director at Crane ISD.
Over the past few years, Brandon has held numerous roles and positions, including Student Body President, Vice Chair of the UT System Student Advisory Council, Drum Major for the Spirit of the Permian Basin Marching Band, and private instructor and consultant for various schools and marching bands in the West Texas region. This spring, Brandon participated in the Archer Fellowship Program, where he had the opportunity to live and work in Washington, DC. During this time, he worked with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Washington Performing Arts, two of America's most established and honored performing arts institutions.
In his free time, Brandon is a leadership panelist and speaker, an adjudicator and consultant for UIL Speech and Debate, and a PA announcer for various sports and performing arts events across Texas. Apart from his passion for leadership and performing arts, Brandon also enjoys numerous creative endeavors, including songwriting and production, voice-over work, graphic design, and podcasting.
Alexia Fernanda Garcia
Fall 2022 Archer FellowAlexia Fernanda Garcia is a senior at The University of Texas Permian Basin majoring in communication with a minor in economics. She is originally from Del Rio, Texas. On campus, Garcia was a student assistant for the UT Permian Basin’s Admissions Office. During her junior year, she represented the chair for marketing, management, and economics for the Student Government Association and was a member of the Academic Affairs Committee. She recently interned in the District Clerk's Office with Midland County. After graduation, Garcia plans to attend law school to become an immigration lawyer.
Ifeoma Okoli
Summer 2022 Graduate Archer FellowIfeoma Okoli is a graduate student at The University of Texas Permian Basin pursuing a master’s degree in clinical psychology. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Nnamdi Azikiwe University in 2004. Okoli has spent nearly a decade exploring treatment solutions and inclusion practices for neuropsychological conditions that present with cognitive impairment. Her advocacy and practicum experiences exposed her to the complex disparities between existing inclusion policies, classroom practices, and the learning needs of students with cognitive impairment. Okoli wants to be involved in improving inclusion effectiveness for students with cognitive impairment. She hopes that her work as a clinical and research psychologist contributes treatment solutions and classroom practices that improve the learning capability and quality of life of individuals with neuropsychological disorders.
