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Maria Shaikh is a biochemistry junior and healthcare hopeful that tripped and fell into an Asian Studies minor, and then stumbled again into The Mercury. She joined as Copy Editor in spring 2023, worked as Opinion Editor since October that year and succumbed to being Managing Editor in summer 2024 — even though em dash policing will always be her passion. She can be found napping around campus, starting too many projects, writing scathing opinions and procuring UTD’s hottest goss. After her four-year sentence at UTD, she plans to pursue a master’s degree while writing on the side, and fleeing back north to where they have four seasons.

Anika Sultana is a visual and performing arts senior with a concentration in art history. In the upcoming fall, they will also join the fall 2024 cohort of Fast-Track students at the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History. She joined The Mercury in October 2023 as a contributing artist, became the Social Media Manager in January 2024, and now operates as The Mercury’s Graphics Editor. When she’s not working in the office or clawing at the walls of local art museums, she can be found heckling people over using pica boxes, perpetually avoiding her folder of WIPs, and watching Defunctland’s video essays. Please do not ask her what she will do after earning her Master’s in Art History. (She might get a Ph.D. Who knows?)

Rainier Pederson is a computer science and mathematics junior at UTD. This is his second year as Web Editor for The Mercury (and fifth year of being the web editor overall, counting his time in high school) and third year working as an artist for The Mercury (and seventh year overall). In his free time, he enjoys painting, reading, and taking naps outside of jails during finals week.

Kavya Racheeti is a sophomore majoring in molecular biology. She joined The Mercury in January 2024 and is super excited to be your opinion editor this year! When she is not writing about everything she feels very strongly about (read: her hatred for Barry Keoghan) or begging the Managing Editor to let her add a gossip column, she’s watching a movie that she will log into her Letterboxd as soon as it’s over, reading, journaling, rewatching Derry Girls, obsessively scrolling through Pinterest, or stress baking (which happens more often during exam season). She hopes to go to medical school in pursuit of being a pediatric oncologist. 

Paola Martinez is a literature major with a creative writing concentration. She joined The Mercury in September 2023 and started as Life & Arts Editor in spring 2024. As Life & Arts Editor, she loves to get to know other people and ask about their work and their quirky interests. Paola enjoys going on long runs and reading — not simultaneously. She hopes to work in the publishing industry once she graduates.

Fiyin Olajide is a literature junior with a creative writing concentration. She is responsible for copy editing the newspaper and she started working in her position spring 2024; she previously worked at The Mercury in fall 2022. Fiyin loves all forms of writing and was introduced into the world of journalism through competing in UIL in high school.

Katya Zakar is a biomedical engineering and visual arts senior who cites her Kazakh and Armenian roots as a major inspiration for her work as a photographer. Katya has been a Student Media urchin as of 2022, where she has worked as a RadioUTD DJ and is now the Photo Editor at The Mercury. If she isn’t found in the Student Media office, however, she can be seen practicing at her ballet academy or recording music at a local studio. Despite working for the press for over 9 years, and never intending on stopping, Katya anticipates to professionally specialize in prosthetic development to improve the lives of disabled people around the world.

Sejal Goyal is a Business Analytics sophomore from Dallas, Texas. She serves as the Advertising and Promotions Manager at The Mercury, having joined in January 2024. In addition to her role at the school newspaper, Sejal is the Treasurer of the Business Professionals of America UTD chapter and a founding executive member of the Council of Business Analytics Leadership. Beyond her campus involvement, Sejal is the Founder and President of the 501c3 nonprofit organization Food For Thought Foundation, based in Coppell, TX. The foundation focuses on combating hunger, community education, and fostering unity in the Hunger Movement. Upon graduating in May 2026, Sejal plans to pursue a Master’s in Data Analytics or an MBA to achieve her goal of becoming a Data/Business Analyst. Some interesting facts about Sejal include her favorite color, lavender, her love for Gobi Manchurian and exploring new cuisines, her enthusiasm for boba teas, her pastime as a French Horn player in high school, and her dedication to community volunteering.