Meet the Newest Faces of the Class of 2029
The 2025-26 school year is underway at McGovern Medical School and the Class of 2029 officially began their medical school journeys on Aug. 4.
The McGovern Medical School Class of 2029 is made up of 240 students from 14 states, including Texas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. The class holds an average MCAT score of 512 and a class-average GPA of 3.84. Students range in age from 21-50 years old and represent 66 primary undergraduate institutions and 52 undergraduate majors, including some with degrees in animal science, biopsychology, biotechnology, business, economics, English, finance, medical humanities, music, multidisciplinary studies, and sociology.
More than just statistics, however, the Class of 2029 includes 240 different stories, backgrounds, and paths leading them to campus at McGovern Medical School. Each unique first-year medical student helps make up the Newest Faces of McGovern Medical School, and throughout their first semester on campus, we will highlight 13 of the students making up the class.
The Class of 2029 is made up of 40 individuals who enter medical school after taking a non-traditional path, including Juliet Purvis, who is pursuing a medical degree after successfully running a business with her husband. Seven of those students join medical school following military service, including Richard Johnson, and Rebecca Gu, who served in the U.S Army and U.S. Air Force, respectively.
Two members of the Newest Faces of McGovern Medical School hold the prestigious honors of McGovern Scholar as they begin their time on campus. Rafael Elejalde enters medical school after taking a gap year to pursue research in Utah, while Owen Ferriola earned the scholarship after garnering numerous honors at The University of Texas.
A trio of the Newest Faces competed in collegiate athletics as student-athletes prior to medical school. Laura Brambilla and Bianca Ejesieme played college volleyball at Washington University in Saint Louis, and The University of Texas at San Antonio, respectively. Rodger Rivera ran track and field and cross country at The University of Texas and garnered All-American honors in each sport.
Shelby Cumbie and Hunter Martin join the Medical School after completing the Joint Admissions Medical Program (JAMP), an undergraduate pipeline program created by the Texas Legislature to close the gaps between participation and success for Texans pursuing their dreams of becoming a doctor. Martin overcame severe health issues as a child and has used that experience to help others and lead a path to medical school, while Cumbie’s small-town roots have given her a passion to give back and continue to help underserved areas.
A desire to serve rural areas also led River Tomlinson to medical school. For Tomlison seeing the difficulties his own family members faced in getting treatment to rural parts of the state has piqued his interest to pursue a career in rural medicine and one day return home to Tyler, Texas and help make a difference.
Evan Hatfield and Holley Browning each have incredible stories of perseverance that you can read about in the Newest Faces of McGovern Medical School. Hatfield overcame a traumatic brain injury from an attack that opened his eyes to a clearer path to medical school, while Browning overcame generational odds to become the first college graduate in her family.
To read about each of the incredible paths these 13 students have taken to McGovern Medical School, visit the Newest Faces of McGovern website.